Mikkel

Part Six: The beast

It had been 6 days since Tony and Alecia had left.

Mikkel had gotten into trouble a lot. Received numerous punishments.

His father thinks it's him becoming a man. Moreso, it was Mikkel disconnecting from the world.

Becoming mean, and bitter. He was alone. Even his brother was more focused on trying to impress his father than offering any brotherly assistance.

He sits at the table, not touching his food. His mother looked down, not speaking. She had a recently bruised eye.

"You should eat. Heal faster."Yosef says, his mouth full.

He was referring to the large bruise on his chest and collarbone. Received in a brawl with another student.

Mikkel looks down at the food on the plate and doesn't speak.

"It smells of rotting meat and sweat."Mikkel says.

Yosef stops chewing and instantly swallows.

"You watch your tongue."Yosef says.

Mikkel rolls his eyes and then stands.

He attempts to walk away, but he was stopped by Yosef slamming his fist on the table.

"You boy, are treading on thin ice."Yosef says.

"Maybe you should start favoring the son who wants to hear your opinion."Mikkel shrugs, making Yosef stand.

He slaps Mikkel across the face and then grabs his hair. Mikkel hisses and bends as his mother stands to intervene.

"Yosef no! Please dont hurt him! Hurt me, please don't hurt the boy."she says, dropping to her knees in front of him and begging.

Mikkel hated seeing his mother groveling like this.

He growls angrily and then slaps his father's hand off his head.

Then he shouts, attempting to lunge at his father but being held back by his brother.

"Stop Mikkel! Stop this!"Luca says, struggling to hold his brother.

Mikkel was red with anger. He throws his brother away and then charges at his father.

Yosef strikes Mikkel down with such force that his head smashed against the tile and he instantly falls unconscious, blood spilling onto the tile.

Mikkel's mother screams, running to her son on the ground.

.....

Mikkel wakes up, uncomfortable. He opens his eyes slowly, seeing he was in an unfamiliar room.

He tries to move, but realizes his legs and arms were bound with medical restraints. Then he looks over, seeing his father through a window in the room.

He now recognized this place, his father had brought he and his brother here before.

The unit where stubborn children get electroconvulsive therapy.

He hears the squeal of a microphone as the doors open, and people dressed in lab coats come into the room.

"If you are going to act like a beast, Mikkel. I'm going to treat you like one."Yosef says.

Mikkel begins to whimper and thrash as he sees them begin to bring out the equipment.

"Papa no! I'm sorry!"Mikkel cries as the doctors begin to hold him down, forcing a large rubber gag into his mouth.

Several people hold him down as a protective coating of petroleum jelly was spread on his temples.

Tears fall from his eyes as two cold metal utensils were placed on his temples.

He whimpers loudly, clenching his eyes closed and shaking.

...

Luca watches from the window, next to his father. He watches his brother struggle. Then, the lights flicker and he watches as Mikkel seizes in place, his eyes rolling back.

"P-papa, are they hurting him?"Luca asks.

"Quiet, boy."Yosef demands.

Luca looks down and then back at his brother who was coming to. Yosef picks up the microphone.

"Again."He demands.

Luca's eyes water as they repeat the process.

"Papa-"Luca was cut off by his father's glare.

He silences himself and looks down at the foor.

....