The Bond

Ch 90

"Bold."/"Bold italic" : animatronic is talking/animatronic is talking in mind

"Normal."/"Normal italic." : human is talking/human is talking in mind

=o^o=

"You said you have done your best? You said you've worked hard?! Don't be kidding me! This is trash! If you can't do anything with circus, then you should get the best grade! You ungrateful little bastard!"

His body was pushed against the hard floor, he felt his heart beating very fast as his tears flowed down more swiftly. Pain could be felt all over his body, his gaze showed a look of horror at the whip of the rope. He yelped and sobbed at the same time. "No—I'm sorry, Father! I'll do better—I'll get a good grade—please ... please don't hit me again!"

The loud whipping sound made him gasp, and his father didn't seem to hear his terrified scream, didn't seem to see how he was dragging himself towards the door to escape, still walking toward him before the man managed to pulled his blonde hair roughly.

And Ennard woke up.

"What the hell was that just now ...?" he muttered lowly, his breath ragged, and his sweaty hands clutched his thumping chest.

Ennard looked around—there was no one else in the room, only himself. Then he glanced at the table in front of him; had he just fallen asleep when he was going through the old sheets he found in the cupboard full of trophies? Piles of essay sheets with perfect scores, all of it.

Recalling his dream earlier, Ennard gritted his teeth in exasperation. "It was only 90, goddamn it." He tugged at his red hair in annoyance for a moment.

After a while, he took a deep breath and stood up. Ennard came out of the room after closing the door silently, he stepped into the living room but found no one there—it was still afternoon, where were Lucy and Michael? Ennard stared at the staircase that connected the lower floors to the upper floors, he paused for a moment and listened carefully. There was a faint conversation there.

Deciding on something for a while, he chose not to go upstairs and join in on the conversation of the two of them—after all their voices grew louder and louder. Ennard frowned hearing Lucy say something related to ... the person Michael likes? Or his ex, he didn't know which one was right.

"You liked him just because he once gave you a comic!?" He heard Lucy's surprised exclamation.

Then Michael replied. "I was pretty stupid I know, but it was a limited edition comic and he got it just for me!"

Ennard snorted at that, they were talking about Halberg for sure. He walked away to the front door when he heard their footsteps getting closer, indicating that they were going downstairs and he didn't want them both to know that he had overheard their conversation.

"Anyway, Mark used to be less of a jerk now and was quite considerate." Michael's grunt made him stop walking, he looked back. "He also—oh, Enn! where are you going?" Michael's words were cut off as soon as Michael found himself, and immediately trotted down the stairs to where he was standing now with a big smile on his face. "Can I come too?"

"No."

Michael's smile faded, his forehead furrowed. "Why?"

"Because if we cross paths with Halberg or your acquaintances who know Halberg, we're doomed." He looked away from the brown-haired man and grabbed a hat before touching the doorknob.

"But—"

Ennard closed the door before Michael could finish. He nonchalantly exited the grounds of the house, pulling his hat down to hide his face, and across the pavement that nowhere would take him away. He needed fresh air, being in that house made his chest tight and depressed, he hated it. However, they had no other choice.