S L O W T O W N

Past

"He did it again huh?"

Tyler whimpers, clutching his face, a small trail of blood running down to drop into his open mouth.

Tyler swallows it, the metallic tang burning his throat.

"Time for plan B?"

Tyler looks up, He's leaning against his bed frame, elbows balanced on knees, hands dipping inwards.

Tyler chokes a little, pushing himself to stand, trying his best to wipe the blood smeared on his face, making it worse, the wound weeping more.

Blurryface stands too, following him down the stairs, Tyler stopping at the top of the stairs, staring in the direction his parents would be if there wasn't a wall blocking the stairwell to the lounge room.

"Are you gonna do it?" He whispers into Tyler's ear watching the shiver run down his spine.

"I reckon you should," Blurry gives him a small shove, Tyler stepping down the stairs carefully, stopping midway.

"Come on Tyler, they won't hurt you again!"

"Mom didn't do anything wrong," Tyler starts, Blurryface gliding up in front of him, finger to his lips.

"She ignores your cries, she doesn't stop him, you know if you off him, you gotta off her too. An eye for an eye," Blurry covers one eye with his hand, smiling.

Tyler covers his opposite eye, the smile not reciprocated.

"Go," Blurry glides back behind Tyler, shoving him harder down the stairs.

Tyler treads carefully into the lounge room, both parents perched on the lounge, Chris outstretched, a lit cigarette dangling from fingertips.

Tyler inhales with displeasure, the smell of smoke always choking him.

"Look who finally came down to be useful!" Chris spreads his arms sarcastically in celebration.

Tyler swallows hard, Kelly ignoring him, eyes glued to the TV.

"Do is a favour Mr. Useful, get in there and do the dishes," Chris jabs a thumb toward the kitchen.

Tyler inhales deeply, ignoring the secondhand smoke burning him up inside.

He begins to cross the room, suddenly falling and crashing to the ground.

When he looks back, his foot is caught on his fathers, Kelly staring at him.

"Definitely her too," Blurry scoffs, sitting on the kitchen table.

Tyler clambers back up again, brushing off his chest and pants.

"So how are we gonna do it huh?" Blurry rubs his grimy black hands together like some evil villain, watching as Tyler starts the water, filling the sink as he pours dish soap inside it.

Tyler remains silent, picking up a plate and starting to scrub it, staring out the window into the black night sky, the bright moon picking up storm clouds.

"We could poison their desert," Blurry suggests, picking his teeth with a filthy fingernail.

Tyler sighs deeply, reaching for another plate.

It slips from his fingers, clattering on the floor, luckily not smashing.

"Watch it boy," Chris growls from the other room. Tyler feels himself beginning to cry again, at first they're soft weeps, graduating into louder cries.