Lost Amongst Many

Chapter 25

"So. Even as a younger kid, my parents never exactly liked me. I was the oddball out in everything, and it seemed like I was always destined to disappoint them,  despite having perfect grades in school. Sports, friends, anything social, I sucked at. Personal projects like drawing, writing, painting, I was excellent. But no one encouraged me."

He rubbed his temples in slight frustration.

"When Mom was pregnant with Kenny, she got nasty with me. I was snapped at, yelled at, hit, attacked, and generally pushed around quite often. My dad was ten times worse as a drunk. Finally Kenny was born, and I figured out I had actually found a friend. It was a little disheartening to know my only friend was my brother, but he was enough for me."

Kenny took over for a while.

"Mitch went through a lot when he was still home, and seemed to have enough when Dad... " he closed is eyes and took a deep breath, "anyway, Mitch left a few days after that. I left when Dad took a hot fire poker thingy and stabbed my side with it."

He lifted his shirt to reveal a thick white bandage with raw pink skin around the edges.

"This happened a few weeks ago, and it's still really bad."

Jade and Jerome looked horrified, and I felt disgusted. What parent would do that to such young children? My mother would be enraged if that had happened.

A cracking branch behind Mitch and Kenny broke everyone from their thoughts.

"Who is there?"

A small figure about the size of Mitch appeared in the nighttime fog.

"I wanted to see if you guys were still around. Don't get your panties in a twist, Jerome."

He growled. Rob dusted himself off and sat down next to me. But after he had treated Jerome at the castle, I did not want to be near him. I moved. Jerome had a face of pure betrayal and hurt as he watched Rob get comfortable.

Jade looked a question at me, "Who-"

I mouthed the answer, "King. Be quiet."

She nodded and sat down. She closed her trap and stayed out of it.

"What do you want, Robert," Jerome growled, "I never said you were welcome."

"And you never said I wasn't either. I only came because I wanted to see you guys. You disappeared a while back."

"There were several reasons for that, Robert."

"Stop calling me Robert. I'm just Rob."

"I do not care. Your full name is Robert. Get over it. If you want to invade on my land, I have right to call you whatever I like. And why would you want to see us after you pushed me out so rudely?"

"Jerome, I wasn't trying to be nasty! I was upset, and couldn't control myself. I'm sorry for being rude, but I was in grief. I'm so sorry for whatever I said and did."

"Well, that was very dumb of you. If you wish to visit, good luck. You are not welcome in this meadow. You never were, so do not think it was because of now. I do forgive you for you your grief, but to snap like that is unforgivable. I will stay in check while you are near, but cross into the meadow again and I will not hesitate to destroy you."

Rob stared, "Point taken," and he left.