Clipped Wings

Chapter 4

My eyes snap open as I hear yelling coming from the other room. I sleepily rub my eyes and go see what was going on. My eyes widen. Was that my mom and my dad? That couldn't be possible. He couldn't - no, he shouldn't be here. He was supposed to be in jail. The stare in his eyes, My body froze, was it from shock or fear, I wasn't sure, all I knew was he was in front of me, making his way to me.

I flinch as he grabbed me. Booze and sweet, not the nicest combination of smells, if I'm being honest. The hatred in his eyes, for me, burnt into me. He was yelling at me again, but I didn't react. I knew if I did, he'd yell more. He'd yell at me regardless.
He throws my body to the ground and yells more. This time, I can hear him. He's yelling about how I shouldn't have been born, how it's all my fault, how I'm the reason they're in this mess, and how much he hated me. His speech is slurred, reaking of booze. I look over at my mom, who just has her back turned, crying in the corner of the living room, too scared to do anything.  I winced as he grabbed my arm again, yelling me to clean up the house, I manageto look into his eyes, staring back was an endless oceanof rage, bloodshot eyes, about to pop out at a momentsnotice. I just nod. That's all I could do from the pain anyway and get started. One by one, I pick up bottles and cans, one by one, I clean the living room.

About an hour later, I was finally done. My dad passed out on the sofa in front of the TV, watching the news. My eyes were glued to All Might as he stood on a fallen building, holding several people in his arms, saying his catchphrase, "I am here!" With a wide grin. A hero, I wanted to be a hero, but heroes weren't real. They were only on the screen. If they were real, they would've helped me by now. Kept me safe, but they didn't. I felt a sharp pain as someone yanked me by my arm and pulled my dad he was yelling at me again, like last time, I tuned it out.

My mom was going to the store it had been a while since I've gone out of the house. I begged to come with her, pleading her to take me, she sighed, clearly annoyed with me begging to go as she agreed, telling me not to talk to anyone and to keep close, she didn't want me wandering off or talking to anyone, so I agree.

I haven't been to the store in a while the smells were incredible, and my stomach was going crazy, screaming at me to grab any free samples I could and just stuff my face before anyone noticed, and I wanted to listen and just grab something.  I look at the free sample of fruits, my mouth watering. "Keigo!" I flinched as my mom called me over, defeated. I walked over next to her. As we continued to walk, my eyes caught a glimpse of a doll. All Might, it was an All Might doll.

I pull on my mom's shirt. "Mom? Can I have one, please? I promise I won't ask for anything else, " I begged, grabbing the doll. My mom looked annoyed, looking at the tag "No Keigo, it's too expensive. Put it back. " her words were stern. Reluctantly, I put the doll back and hung my head. My mom sighed, still annoyed with my antics as she looked at the price "you can have this one" she gave me an Endevor doll "It's only 500 yen, now stop talking and just behave" she said, walking off with the cart.
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My alarm screams in my ear, with an annoyed groan. I turn it off,finally managing to get out of bed. I took a few moments to look at my surroundings, I was still in my own apartment, a dream. It was just a dream, no a nightmare. I take a few deep breaths to calm my nerves. I walk over to myself, gingerly picking up the Endevor toy and just look at it silently for a bit.

This was the only thing that the commission allowed me to keep, the only toy I ever had. It brought me calm, sootheing my nerves. I give it a light hug before putting the plush back on the shelf. The only thing left from my past.

Like my body was on autopilot, I had put on my hero outfit. I look at myself in the bathroom mirror, red wings unfurled, and a small smile crept onto my face. I finally had them back. I take another look, just another illusion, a figment of who I used to be. Look at me, clinging on to the past, hoping one day that I'll wake up from this nightmare, hoping that my wings were so small that I couldn't see them. This wasn't a dream, and my wings were gone. That was for sure.