When The Flower Withers (Fleur Series #1)

Chapter 41

TW: abuse and self-harm.

She saved me.

I was loved by everybody—by my parents, my family... not until Darniell; my brother, died.

After he died... I couldn't call our house 'home' anymore... The love we had once inside of it.... suddenly turned into something I couldn't name. But one thing's for sure.... the moment he died... I was left alone; all the time.

My mom and my dad suddenly became very distant to me.

"We have a foundation day tomorrow, Mommy. Are you and Daddy going to come?" I asked, hiding behind me the paper our teacher gave us earlier. I finger-crossed... hoping my Mom would say 'yes' but she didn't.

"You're fully aware we have no time for that, Dashiall. Just stay at home tomorrow," she said, without looking at me because she was busy with her work.

"Sorry." Disappointed, I turned my back at her and went inside my room... Staring into the moon, I prayed someone or maybe something could make the pain in my chest stop.

Because they said God takes away the pain.

I still went to school the next day. I spent my time there watching my classmates have fun with their parents... I was hiding behind the gate, afraid someone might see me and pity me. That's the last thing I wanted to happen... but what I was watching was something I kept on longing to have ever since my brother died.

A happy family.

It was my ninth birthday... We went to the beach. I was happy because finally, my parents spared some time for me. It was okay for me even if throughout the entire time I was with them, they're facing their laptops, working. I was contented to that, at least... they didn't make me feel alone on my special day. At least, they were there for me.

It was almost dinner time when I got hungry, so I went to my parents' room. Although scared and nervous... I still gathered the remaining courage I had within me and went inside the master's bedroom.

I saw my Mom sleeping and my father wasn't there. I went near my mother, removed her eyeglasses, and kissed her on the forehead. She didn't budge... She must've been so tired with her work. "But I'm hungry." I held my stomach when it growled.

I contemplated at first but I couldn't bear the hungriness I was feeling anymore, I was famished... I was startled when Mommy suddenly woke up... Last thing I knew, the water in the glass spilled on the table... It was instantly absorbed by the papers on it.

"What the hell did you do this time, Dashiall?!"

I wasn't able to defend myself anymore... I was immediately petrified by my father's voice... He was angry. And every time he was angry, he couldn't control himself... he always let his anger out by hurting me... Does that satisfy him?

"Sorry. I was just trying to wak—" He slapped me before I could even finish defending myself. Fidgeting with my fingers, I looked down... My eyes began brimming with tears as I tried myself to stop from sobbing... Why does he kept on doing this?

I didn't like what happened to my brother... but why they were starting to make me feel like I wasn't their son anymore?

I glanced up at Mom, trying to ask for some help when my father held the collar of my shirt-so tight... to the point I was having a hard time to breathe. But my mom, instead of helping me... she looked away.

That's when I learned... It was only me who can save me so I bit my father's arm and ran away from their sight. I didn't want to see them anymore...