DRAGONOWL:SCARS OF WAR(SUPERHERO NOVEL)

~CHAPTER ONE~

The day had started as any other in the small river town of Aceville. Six-year-old Jason  Delgado played with his toy soldiers in the backyard, enacting imaginary battles against imagined enemies. As the afternoon sun beat down, he looked up to see his father Nolan walking up the gravel path towards their home.

But something was different about his father today. Normally tall and proud in his army uniform, Nolan now dragged his feet wearily. His jaw was swollen and bruised purple.

"Dad, what happened?" asked Jason with concern. Nolan smiled sadly and ruffled his son's hair. "Nothing for you to worry about, son. Just some boys being foolish is all."

Yet Jason knew better than to dismiss his father's injuries so easily. Ever since returning from the war a decorated hero, Nolan had found few in Aceville welcoming him home. Some said the horrors he saw had addled his mind, others called him a traitor for fighting enemies they'd never met. Worst of all were Frank Malloy and his gang, local bullies who took exception to any man challenging their authority.

In the weeks that followed, Jason noticed his father coming home with new bruises more and more. Nolan tried hiding his pain from his son, but Jason saw the bags under his eyes and slump in his shoulders. He heard the whispers in town calling his father a "damaged goods nutcase." The resentment and disrespect ate away at Nolan, but he refused to fight back.

"An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind," he'd always said.

One cool autumn evening, Jason pleaded with his father not to go into town as usual.

"Please stay home tonight, dad. I have a bad feeling."

But Nolan simply rustled his hair and said, "No need to worry yourself, son. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."

With a heavy heart, Jason watched his father walk down the road and out of sight.

Hours passed, and still Nolan did not return. The night grew dark and cold, and Jason paced nervously alone in their home. Just as he was wondering if he should go searching, he heard muffled shouts and screams outside. Rushing to the window, his young eyes went wide with horror at the scene unfolding in their backyard.

Under the pale moonlight, Jason saw his father Nolan stumbling and falling to the dirt. Above him towered three large shadowy figures - Frank Malloy and his gang. They kicked and struck Nolan relentlessly as he curled into a whimpering ball.

"Beg for mercy, you fucking war dog!" Frank growled.

But Nolan said nothing, even as blood poured from his ruined face.

Then, Jason saw something that would haunt his dreams for years to come. Frank unbuckled his pants and violently took his father, violating Nolan in body as they had his spirit. The other boys laughed and jeered. Something inside young Jason broke in that moment. All he felt was a searing, toxic rage unlike anything he had known.

Without thinking, Jason ran outside and hurled rocks at the men with all his child's might.

"Leave him alone!" he screamed. Malloy and his gang turned with cruel smiles.

"Well, well, looks like the dog has a pup."

Frank walked over slowly as Nolan lay choking on his own blood.

“Run, Jason! Get out of here!” his father rasped with his last breath.

But Jason stood frozen as Frank grabbed him by the throat, lifting the small boy off his feet.

“This is what happens to rats like you,” Frank hissed into his face.

Then, with one quick motion, Frank broke Jason’s arm with a sickening crunch. Dropping the whimpering child, Frank kicked Nolan’s broken body one last time.