Spawn Of Spadille

9

I watch as colour drains from my mothers face. Blurs of emotions flash across her eyes and a passing feeling of guilt washes over me.

"Excuse me?"

"Can you...tell me a bit about my father?" I hesitate slightly.

"No." I'm shocked by her abrupt answer.

"What? Why?"

"I don't have to answer that. And we will speak no longer about this."

"That's so unfair, I have a right to know."

"But why d'you have to know anyway? I've raised you as a single mother-"

"Please don't start with the sob story," I cut her off before any emotional manipulation. Of course I appreciate my mother for raising me as a single mum but it doesn't cancel out any curiosity, or worry I have about my father.

"What makes you think you can talk to me that way?" my mother demands.

"Listen I'm sorry mum but-"

"You want to know the reason I don't talk about your father? I'm keeping you safe. Your father abandoned his responsibilities but I will not do the same. I will not put you in danger because of this useless curiosity-"

"Mum but how can I be safe when I don't know what the danger is?"

"I know what's best for you."

"Of course mother knows best," I roll my eyes and even though this isn't the right moment, the catchy song from Rapunzel plays in my mind.

"I'm old enough to know what's best for myself mum. I feel like I don't know half of my identity."

"Do you want to identify as a gang member Lynne? Psychotic? Because that's the sick person your father was!" My mind flashes to that haunting black stained perma-grin of Spadille. And I start to wonder if...

"Mum, please." To my pleading and almost broken voice, my mum sighs.

"Darling, I'm sorry... but I just can't." She stands up and jogs up the stairs, not before I saw the wetness in her eyes. But it doesn't stop my blood boiling.

I jog up the stairs too, not to apologise or reconcile with my mum though. I barge through the door of my room and turn over the Death card that Spadille gave me, and I start ringing.

Aasim

I can't believe this. I can't flipping believe this.

Jacklynne's friends are nice and Orabelle has been extremely helpful babysitting for Leyna. But I want to reduce the time I leave her with random strangers before Leyna becomes too attached. Or before they become too attached to her. It would make it harder to leave in case we have to suddenly disappear.

That's why when I came to my house to get more stuff and see a fucking man in the windows with my mum, my hands clench into fists at my sides vigorously and my body trembles with rage. Instead of texting me or calling the police when her children are missing, my so-called mother is with a man right now! My tongue tastes salt from tears, and my knuckles swipe at the wetness rolling down my cheeks.

Anger consumes my mind and controls my movements before I can even stop them. I am suddenly taking swift strides towards the door of what I now call my previous 'home' and unlock the door. I march upstairs and open my bedroom, gathering the rest of the stuff I need before I turn around and my eyes meet the blue ones of my mother. The ones she would squeeze fake tears out of whenever she was too lazy to buy groceries, or when she wanted to go out to God knows where and asked me to babysit Leyna. The eyes she used to manipulate me into doing her job!