Lost Amongst Many

Chapter 58

-Rob's POV-
"I don't know, Kara. I honestly don't.

Preston walked over, and Kara stiffened noticeably.

"Are you okay over here?"

"Yeah we're fine," Kara said too fast, "just try and help Mitch get the sword in its sheath and away from Kenny."

"Okay."

He walked away again.

"What was that for?"

"He's almost... clingy. Have you not noticed that? He follows you."

"Because we go to the same places. He's living with me right now."

"Yes but he seems different. Like you're constantly doing something to affect his mood. It's weird."

"How?"

"Because he wasn't like this before. He was reserved and generally unspoken before. Now he's more open. It's like he's a completely different entity."

"I think he is. I mean, he's been made a temporary human,-"

"No I'm talking about his behaviour. He's changed. Rob, what are you doing?"

"Me? Nothing."

"Well, maybe you can check his room? Maybe he wrote something down?"

"He sleeps in my room. My bed."

"Did you give him the bed? Is that it?"

"No I didn't give it to him."

"But you said-"

"I said he sleeps in my bed, yes, but he doesn't have the whole bed. We share. It's still technically my bed."

"Then that must be it."

"What? The sharing of my bed?"

"Yes!"

"Kara, can we talk about this later?"

"Why?"

"I wanted to talk with Mitch and Kenny before we head out."

"Alright."

I walked away and found Mitch and Kenny in the living room. Mitch and Jerome were restraining Kenny while Preston slipped his sword from his hands, sheathing the blade.

They let Kenny go.

He started to storm past me to his room, but I caught him and rebounded him.

"What was that for?"

"I wanna talk to you and Mitch quick. Probably in your room."

"Okay?"

He walked to his room, more confused than angry now. I beckoned Mitch to follow and headed to Kenny's room.

I sat on the bed with them, and they both seemed confused.

"What's up?"

"I'm just curious, but Mitch, you never told me about your parents. What happened there?"

Mitch's expression turned from confused to pained.

"Rob-"

"If you don't want to, you don't have to tell me. Like I said, just curious."

"No it's okay. I never really told you about them because they weren't good people. They were pretty horrible to the both of us."

"What? How?"

Mitch looked at Kenny, and Kenny lowered his head. He turned around so his back was facing me, and lifted his shirt up a bit.

A long, jagged white scar spanned his entire back in a diagonal line.

"Oh my god. Was this it? Is this why?"

"No. That was why Kenny left. This is why I left."

Mitch bent down and lifted both pant legs.

His legs were littered with burn scars- some healed well, others were healed wrong. It made his legs looked mangled and awful. I instantly understood why he never participated in footraces when we were little. And why every few steps make him wince or limp momentarily.

"That's not all, Rob. There's more on my back, chest, shoulders, and upper arms."

"Mitch, why did you never tell my dad?"

"I'd been threatened, and I was 6, Rob. I didn't know how to react."

"So you left Kenny?"

"I had no choice! Also, Kenny didn't want to leave. He didn't get any of the treatment I did. He was fine until a couple years ago, when you met him."

"That's when it happened?"

"Yeah. He found Kara in the marketplace and she let him stay with her. That's why he's here."

"What's the address?"

"What?" They both looked stumped as to why I asked.

"Where do they live?"

"495 Gretin Drive."

"K thanks. Stay safe and I'll see you later."