The Road Within: Completed

Two- twice abandoned

Calum wasn't used to having his father around. In fact, he almost hated it. His father was running for mayor so he was always worried about his image and how people perceived him.

He left Calum and his mom when Calum was around nine years old. He couldn't handle his sons mental illness, he was ashamed and too embarrassed.

Calums mother was left to struggle with his needs and issues. She ended up getting really sick about a year ago. after few years of pill and alcohol abuse, She finally passed away. leaving Calum mostly alone.

The death and funeral were really hard on him, causing his tics and outbursts to happen more frequently.

It was a day after the funeral and both Calum and his father were standing in his mothers room. It was a huge mess; trash, pill bottles, old food, alcohol bottles, and other things covered the floor and bed.

Calum was holding a photo he had of his mother close to his chest as he watched his father sigh and start to clean up the mess. It took a moment or two for mr hood to finally look at his son, "are you packed yet?" His tone was solid and emotionless.

Since he was finally acknowledged he took that chance to ask the question that's been on his mind , so Calum spoke up with a slight stutter.

"Da-dad? This picture of mom, where were you guys?" He held out the photo to let his father see it.

His father briefly looked at it before he turned around to grab more trash, "California."

Calum grunted and scrunched up his face, trying to control the small tic.
"Where in California?"

His father sighed in annoyance, he paused to watch his son twitch and jerk a little. "Why does it matter?"

Calum furrowed his brows and gasped out then grunted. He tried shrugging but a twitch covered it, "mom wanted you to take her there again"

Mr hood frowned and nodded holding out his hand for the photo so he could get a better look. Calum approached and grunted under his breath, he handed the photo over but his hands shot up with all his fingers curled except his middle ones. He made a face as he flicked off his father, who was too busy looking at the photo to notice.

"She was laughing," mr hood said softly, a small smile forming.

Calum chuckled and nodded his head, "clearly."

After his father handed him back his photo he looked around the room jerking up his shoulders in a twitch. He gasped and squeezed his eyes closed,

"Will-will you move back in? Fuck, fucking cunt. With monica?" Calum harshly spoke the last word. His father brushed the tone off, thinking it had to do with the Tourettes.

"We are going to sell the house." Mr hood replied as he turned away again , pulling out a suitcase from beside the bed.

Calum narrowed his eyes in anger. How could they sell the house he lived in most of his life? A house his mother loved. "C-cunts."

He turned and headed for his room across the hall. He slammed his palm against the wall as he passed.

Mr hood opened the suitcase and frowned at the clothes packed in it. "Why is this packed?"

"Because I was going to take her!" Calum shouted his answer.

"Where?" His father asked, getting angry.

"The ocean!" Calum replied with a grunt.

"You can't be serious! "

Calum stormed back in, it was his turn to be angry. "Well, you weren't here! Cunt. So the two of us were going to go." He still held onto the dear photo.

Mr hood raised his eyebrows in fake amusement. "The two of you? The dynamic duo."

Calum felt his rage building. His eyes sparkled with threat of tears. He stomped his foot and harshly poked his own chest, " I took care of her!"

"You held her hand while she drank herself to death."

"You..you! Go-fuck! Fucking--cu-cu!" Strong emotions seemed to trigger the Tourettes severeness. Calums body kept twitching and tensing, his hands curled up in his hair tugging painfully at his roots as his head jerked to the side.

He kept grunting and taking deep breaths trying to calm down. His eyes squeezed shut letting few tears run down his tanned cheeks.

He could hear his father sigh loudly in annoyance.

After a few moments of silence Calum was finally able to calm down just enough to be able to speak more clearly. With a heavy puff of breath he glared at his father,

"I'm not as- helpless as you think." He spoke softly. His father turned back to face him again.

"You want to go to the ocean? You can't even get to the 7-11." His fathers word held no emotion, he spoke as if it was a matter of fact.

"Fu-fuck you!" Calum hissed. He clawed at his own neck, itching his skin. He turned on his heels and stomped off toward his room.

"Be packed and ready to go in 20 minutes!" His father demanded.

"I'm not going with you, fucking cunt!"
Calum roared in anger. "Don't want to live with you!"

"You're not! Your going to an treatment center!" Mr hoods face was red with anger.

Calums eyes widened, "a hospital?!?" He screamed feeling the tears returning. He couldn't believe his father was ready to abandon him again.

"20 minutes!!"

Calum slammed his door shut in anger but started to pack anyways. He knew he had no choice in the matter.