Prologue

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Liam  wasn't the smartest kid

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Liam wasn't the smartest kid. Sure, he knew how to work out calculations or how to spell a difficult word. He was fast, but not the fastest on the field. Nothing extravegant. At least, not in his Father's eyes. In his Father's eyes, he was just... average. And to his Father, that meant failure.

Maya, however, was their Father's golden child. His pride and joy. She was smart, fast, and everything their Father wanted. That doesn't mean that she also didn't suffer under their Father, he was just as cruel, only in a different way.

Liam has tried, oh he tried, his absolute best to live up to their Father's extreme expectations. Run until his lungs burned, or his legs felt like they would fall off. He suffered through the punishments. The 20-30 mile walk home, the bucket of water dumped on you, the broken dishes, the dents in the walls from his fists that land a little too close to his head. The screaming, that he tries to tune out.

All the Bishop kids suffer under their Father. Maya with her extreme training, and insane diet. Mason, with his addiction and bitterness towards their sister. Liam, and his never ending fear that he will never be good enough, that he will always come up short of great.

When Mason spirals, and Maya starts turning more into their Father, Liam decides he's had enough. He packs everything, and enlists, leaving home.


....


Liam slammed his door shut, wiping the frustrated tears from his eyes. He sniffs, grabbing his rucksack from under his bed, and starts shoving clothes into it.

He can still hear his Father's stomping footsteps downstairs. His mother trying to reason with the man. Liam scoffs at the idea, that man can never be reasoned with.

The door to his room opens, and when he turns around, his sister is standing there with her arms crossed.

Liam shakes his head at her, "Go away, Maya."

She scoffs, "That's it? You're just gonna leave us, without a word?"

Liam shrugs, "I'm eighteen now. I don't have to live under his rule anymore."

"He cares about you. Loves you." She argues, "And you're just gonna leave that behind, because of a few broken plates?"

"A few broken plates?" Liam snaps, "How about the fist-shaped dents in my wall," He points to in-dents in the wall, left by his father, "Or the sprints until you collapse in hundred degree weather? The 20 miles walks home that make your feet bleed?"

"He's just trying to discipline us." Maya tries.

Liam laughs bitterly, "Discipline." He shakes his head, "Well, I'm sick of it. I'm sick of coming second. I'm sick of always falling short and having to suffer because of it. I am sick of always being a failure in his eyes."

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