4 Leaf Clover - ᴹˣᴹˣᴹˣᴹ

36.

࿐࿐࿐ Warning/ this chapter contains the usage of slurs!

The time was roughly 11 pm, Clover had been locked in his room from the outside. His parents muttered something about him running away for a second time, and Clover had contemplated it but he was here almost as a mission. He didn't want to land further into the fire and get into trouble, so he pledged to stay and capture evidence of his parents and family's religious cult-like antics. Clover didn't know when his parents would let him out so he drank limited water so as to not need the toilet during the night. He made sure to write it in his notes.

The night stretched out for lengthy hours, Clover was constantly in and out of sleep. He almost gave up on sleeping at 3 am, when he had woken up with a spring in his mattress digging into his ribs. Yet, he must've slept again and this time he had woken up at a reasonable 8 am. There was no window in his room, he had been unfortunate enough to have his bedroom in the previous storage room. Although, there was a strange air in the room that allowed Clover to predict what time of day it was. Perhaps, the light seeping under the small gap under his door kept encouraging him.

He heard the dreaded knock on his door and then the sound of the door unlocking by a key. Clover's mother walked inside, and perhaps it was because of the early hours, but she was back in her traditional black clothing and her face was bare and brooding. She didn't speak a word as she entered but her eyes raked around the hideous room in distaste.

"Where's your suitcase?" She asked, her tone leaving no room for questioning.

Clover indicated the corner of the room that was shrouded in shadow, the door blockaded that corner of the room off as it opened. Clover observed his mother move towards it, a determined prep to her step. She moved it into the middle of the room, where the sudden light from the corridor pierced straight into the middle of his room. Clover heard the sound of the zip and sat up cautiously in his bed.

Slowly, his mother began to dissect his clothes. Clover observed as she made two piles of clothes, and he slowly moved from his bed to sneak closer. He watched as she put the pairs of pants from Yuki into one pile. Clover was determined not to let his mother throw out the clothes, despite them not being polite or formal attire. These clothes held great significance to him as they were a gift from Yuki and meant more to him than any religious or cultural beliefs.

"I will burn these, they are not at all the clothes you are supposed to wear," She said as he patted the pile.

Clover was quick to swoop them up and put them under his blanket. He turned to his mother, a look of scorn and distaste settled into her wrinkles. He swallowed hard, his nerves getting the better of him as he contemplated the potential consequences of provoking her now that he had experienced first hand her formidable physical strength. While Clover possessed the ability to defend himself, the mere thought of raising a hand against his own mother was unfathomable to him. Despite her imperfections, he couldn't shake the image of the woman who had nurtured and raised him, and even her shortcomings weren't sufficient to inspire any feelings of abuse within him.

"Clover," She spoke, "I won't say it again, pass me those clothes,"

"No," Clover's voice trembled, "I can't"

"Why can't you?" She asked, "They're just some stupid clothes the police gave you,"

Clover shook his head, he felt his bones rattle in his body as his whole body turned warm and nervous. He was determined though, his 4 months of being away from home had sparked something in him. A defiance his parents wouldn't be able to quash so easily. So, he would save these clothes, convince her or hide them.

"I bought them," Clover said quickly, "You used to say that having our own money was god's right and that having it was something prideful,"

"And?"