A Lost Memory: Alitheia

Episode 10: Part 1 [Before; Cole Oswald]

"Running, that's all I remember" a pale dirt covered boy, "running and nothing else?" Queries the officer at the downtown police station.

He looks down at him, seated on a rickety wooden bench against the wall and turns to his partner beside him.

"Ye- I don't know what to make of this, honestly, Jim" he informs in a thick English accent.

"Where's ye parent's boy?" He looks over to the frail frame of the boy in tattered white sports garments.

"You know of my Dad, he works here"

"Okay so then what would your Dad say about your frolicking around the wood bend, aye?" a query though clearly rhetorical, the boy answered anyway.

"Not that you would care, you'll kick off down at the pub, snog pints like fish out of water and clock in five days later" a cold and stone-faced expression, that of a Commander or Sergeant scolding his cadets. One, contrary to his stature at the moment, of a slim fourteen-year-old boy.

"Oi, pipe down boy before you catch a senseless beating 'cause of that mouth of yours," The officer referred to as 'Jim' retorts and motions him to follow after them.

They drive down to a neighbourhood of two-story brick flat buildings and eye a woman pensively waiting at the front door.

The boy hung his head, dragged his mud soiled white trainers up to her. She looked down at him, and let out a sigh of relief.

"Boy, let us know if you remember anything else. We'll be sure to stop on by to check on ya' and the Mrs." the officer yelled out his driver's window.

"Pipe down, you fat lards!" he turned to sneer at their comment, clearly directed towards his mother. She yelled his name in response, slapping the fluff of his dirt covered hair.

"We'll be sure to call in, if anything turns up, officers. Cheers!" She calls over to them as they ready to drive off.

"Yes ma'am!" in unison as they leave, and one exclaims, "She's proper, innit?"

"Fat lards, you do know that's the same thing," she queries with a raised eyebrow and adds, "Look at you, covered in dirt and Lor' knows what!" patting down on his soccer uniform.

"Ye, that's one for each of them" he retorts and wraps his arms around her waist. She was curvy and well poised, mother of three and caretaker for both her in-laws. Her dark chestnut hair in waves along her shoulders, stained apron wrapped around her waist and dish cloth over the shoulder.

"Always having an answer for everythin' mm?" she snickers, and he grips tighter in his hug.

"Hey, what's wrong?" a calmed coercing and brushing her fingers through his hair, a tiny creature pokes its head through, and startles her.

"What, mum, what's it?" He tosses, looking around for any danger.

"What are you so jumpy about, dear? It's a mealworm, look" it wraps around her finger, in search of safety.

"Were you going through the wood bend again?" with pursed lips and stern expression. She orders him to take a proper bath and if not done correctly she'd help.

"No! Mum, I can do it myself, alright" he groans and walks from the front door, leading straight to trudging upstairs. The interior inside was just as small as it was designed outside. A block, building of four rooms in total and home to seven occupants of the Oswald family.

The bathroom on his left, shone an orange glow from the door creaked slightly open. He peered inside, not wanting to catch a threat of beatings from his older siblings or aunt.