Unexpected

Chapter 2

       Sonji sat straight up in bed as an ear shattering scream invaded his ears. He rushed to Noah's bedroom and threw open the door flipping on the light and frantically looking around for whatever could be causing the teenager distress. As his eyes fell on the bed he realized that the sheets were messy and unoccupied. He was about to leave to check the other rooms in the house when he heard a soft whimpering sound coming from underneath the bed. Sonji got down on his hands and knees and peered at his brother.

"Noah, hey are you alright kiddo?What are you doing under there?" Noah had tears falling down his face and he couldn't hold back a sob as he answered.

"I-I," Sonji gave him a sympathetic look as he tried to form a response. The poor kid was crying so hard that he was hiccuping.

"Hey, it's okay, come on out of there and let's talk." Sonji backed up and Noah slowly crawled out from his hiding place. They both sat on the bed and he put his arm around his upset charge frowning when the teen flinched violently."I-I'm sorry! I'll go back to sleep, I won't bother you, I didn't mean to wake you! I'm so sorry! I'll be good I promise!" Noah suddenly blurted out.

"Hey, hey it's okay, calm down everything is alright." Sonji rubbed Noah's arm and gently shushed him as he rocked him back and forth. After a few minutes his sobs had died down to sniffles.

"Okay, now tell me what happened."

"I had a bad d-dream..."Noah whispered looking at his lap. He jumped as he was pulled into a hug and Sonji petted his hair.

"It's okay I'm here now, nothing is going to get you." Noah relaxed and hesitantly returned the embrace reveling in the comfort. Sonji finally pulled away and looked him in the eyes.

"But, why were you under the bed?"He asked with a raised eyebrow and Noah looked away fiddling with the hem of his t-shirt.

"I-I thought you'd be mad at me for waking you.."

"And why would I be mad? It's not your fault you had a nightmare." Noah mumbled something and Sonji grabbed his chin gently forcing him to look at him. "What was that?"

"N-nothing."

"Noah." Sonji warned causing the teen to gulp.

"I said my D-Dad always got mad." Sonji released his grip. He knew that he had to take this opportunity or he would never get an answer out of the kid.

"What do you mean that he got mad?" Noah's eyes widened considerably as he heard the question. He couldn't help but to gingerly rub his back with a wince as he retold the events of the previous night.

Noah bolted up from his mattress with a shriek. His hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat and his heart was beating a mile a minute. He heard loud footsteps thundering towards his room and realized with horror that he had once again awoken his Dad. His door slammed open and thudded loudly against the wall revealing his enraged father.

"Boy, what have I told you about waking me up when I'm trying to sleep? He asked in a dangerously soft voice.

"N-not to do-do it." Noah whimpered as he stared up at his father with fear filled eyes.

"And what did I say would happen if you did?" Noah cowered atop his bed as he tried to still his shaking hands.

"Th-that you'd be-beat me with-within an inch of my life..." The man smiled at him cruelly as he nodded his head.

"WELL YOU'RE FUCKING IN FOR IT NOW!"He yelled with his blood shot eyes gleaming. He reached down to the front of his pants and unbuckled his belt before yanking it free of the belt loops.

"Take off your shirt." Noah shook his head. "P-please Dad I'm sorry! I w-won't do it again! I'm so sorry! please I'll be good, please don't hit me!"The boy pleaded as his eyes filled with tears "TAKE OFF THE FUCKING SHIRT NOW YOU LITTLE SHIT!" the man roared. Noah slowly lifted the thin fabric over his head and had barely deposited it beside him before he felt the sting of the metal belt buckle bite into his chest. His Father struck him three more times before Noah could scramble onto his hands and knees so his back would be targeted instead. The man lifted the belt high above his head and slammed it down hard on his son's back.Noah yelped as it made contact and had no time to recover from the pain as his father rained down stroke after stroke upon his poor back.

Several minutes later and Noah's arms and legs buckled underneath him causing his welted chest to impact painfully with his scratchy mattress. He cried out as the next hit forced him to sink farther into his bed making his torso scream at him.

After what seemed like forever his father finally put his belt back around his waist.

"And that is what you get you noisy good for nothing brat. You deserve more than that but I'm too tired to deal with you right now."

Once his father had left and the door was shut Noah could finally let himself cry. He didn't even try to move for he knew if he did the pain would be unbearable. He could tell from the warm liquid he felt dripping down the skin of his back that he would remember this beating for a long time.

Sonji stared at Noah with his mouth agape and his eyes large in horror. He picked up Noah's sweatshirt and turned it inside out. It took him a second but he soon found the dried blood all over the back of it.

"Noah, show me your back."

"B-but Sonji.."Noah argued miserably.

"Now, Noah."His brother was crying once again as he carefully removed his shirt and turned his back towards Sonji.

Sonji gasped loudly as he saw the disaster that was Noah's back. Large angry welts and cuts covered the area and quite a few were still bleeding.

"Stay there I'll be right back." Sonji said as he quickly ran out of the room. Noah couldn't stifle a whimper as he realized with a shudder that he had somehow managed to anger the one person that had shown him compassion. 'He probably thinks you deserve more and is going to bring back his belt. Nice going telling him you stupid kid!'

When Sonji returned with the first aid kit and a cloth and bowl of water he noticed that Noah's shoulders were shaking and that he was bawling his heart out.

"Hey Noah, it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you. Now why didn't you tell me you were dealing with this pain? I could have helped you earlier." As Sonji said that Noah turned and stared at him.

"H-help me?"He asked. "Wh-what do you mean?" Sonji stared at him incredulously.

"I mean I could have doctored your wounds and made them feel better and heal faster.I don't know how you got through the day and that car ride with your back looking like that. It must be hell just to lean against something." As he explained Sonji dipped the washcloth into the water and rung it out.

"Okay, I'm going to clean the area first. I'll be as gentle as I can be but it is still probably going to sting a bit when I get to the disinfectant."Noah warily watched his hand as it moved closer towards him. He tensed as he felt the cold sensation of the wet cloth on his back. As Sonji gently cleaned up the dried blood Noah slowly began to relax.

"Okay, now I am going to use the disinfectant." Sonji warned his brother as he poured liquid from a brown bottle onto a cotton ball. At first all Noah could feel was the cold of the liquid but as it sat his open wounds started to burn. He screwed his eyes shut and gripped his blanket so tightly that his knuckles turned white. As the painful sensation faded Noah felt a hand stroking his hair. 

 "It's all over now." Sonji said with a kind smile as Noah turned to face him. He had a look of longing in his blue eyes that caused Sonji to spread his arms wide open and nod at the teen. Noah was apprehensive but he finally crawled into his brother's arms. Sonji  carefully hugged him and Noah after a second hugged back and buried his face in his brother's neck. A small smile had taken residence upon his face and for once it actually reached his eyes.