𝙈𝙊𝙍𝙏𝙀𝙈¹ ➣ 𝑇ℎ𝑒 100

𝟏𝟒 | 𝑾𝑰𝑷𝑬𝑫 𝑶𝑼𝑻

The poor boy's body is wracked with shakes as he tries desperately to warm himself under the thin blanket his father had thrown at him. The young Lawson boy rarely gets sick, but everytime he does, it's the worst thing he's ever experienced. At his current age of 8, he's been sick all of 4 times, but each time was as painful and unbearable as the last.

And with his father being the scum that he is, Gray never expects much in the way of medicine, which leaves him to pray he makes it through the night.

Not that his father would care if he lived or died, anyway. Perhaps he would care, only because that's less rations he can spend on booze. Even Gray knows a father should care about their sick child.

A sickly, hoarse cough echoes throughout the small room of the Lawson's residence. Because the Lawson's are from Farm Station, they're given a room just big enough for a table and bunk beds. Of course, they're fortunate that every room comes with storage pre-installed into the walls.

"Quiet boy. It's past midnight." The man's voice caused Gray's body to freeze with fear, not wanting to upset his father more. It's bad enough he got sick in the first place, but if he makes a big deal out of it, he'll surely get a beating.

Gray squeezes his eyes shut, balling the thin fabric in his fists and fights off the urge to sneeze. He's afraid of what'll happen if he does; he knows what'll happen. His father will drag him out of bed and beat him senseless for ruining his "good quality sleep".

Gray has never understood why his father is so mean; none of the other kids he goes to school with have parents that are like his. Most of the kids he knows have two parents, unlike Gray. He always asks himself late at night when he can't fall asleep why his mother would have him just to abandon him with his monster of a father.

"Achoo!"

Gray's eyes immediately snap open at the sound of his own voice. He hadn't meant to sneeze! Now he'll surely get it!

Weakly, the boy attempts to climb toward the back corner of his bed without his father realizing, but it's too late. Darrien Lawson is already reaching for the boy.

Gray cries out as he struggles to get out of his father's grasp; but he's too weak. He knows he is. Even healthy he wouldn't be able to. His father is still much too strong.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to, sir!"

"I told you to keep your damn voice down, boy!" Gray squeezes his eyes shut once again as his father raises a fist into the air and brings it down, colliding with Gray's cheek.

Gray's eyes snap open, his body aching. It takes him a moment to focus on the steel drop ship above him. Realizing he's not eight years old again-- not with his father on the Ark-- Gray's body begins to relax a little. His fists are clenching the blanket draped over his body, just like they were in the dream.

Only... That wasn't a dream. It was a flashback. To a memory Gray has never forgotten. His father had sent him to medical that night with how badly he was beaten. Abby Griffin and the other doctors wanted to ask questions, but much to Gray's dismay at the time, they didn't. Instead, they kept their mouthes shut.

Just like everyone else.

Fortunately for Gray, he was given antibiotics to help fight of the virus-- which he had hidden under his pillow so his father wouldn't trade them for booze like he did everything else.