The Edge Of Winter [Tom Holland]

Chapter Three

When Bradley regained consciousness he found himself lying in a bed inside of a bedroom that wasn't his. He sat up and became dizzy as he got head rush from sitting up too fast. His throat hurt and his head was killing him.

Bradley groaned and threw his legs over the side of the bed, standing up and making his way to the door that was across the room. He turned the knob but the door wouldn't budge. His dad had locked him inside the room, much like how he did the year before.

He didn't like this at all so of course as you can imagine, he started to bang on the door. He yelled and kicked and screamed and pounded on the door but no one came to his rescue. He hit the door again and again, screaming at his father and calling him so many foul names that even God would be ashamed to call him one of his children.

"Let me out dad, please!" Bradley begged but Elliot didn't come to the door.

Bradley hit the door weakly with the palm of his hand before he broke into tears and sank to the floor, sobbing quietly. He pushed himself up against the furthest wall from the door and pulled his legs up, resting his arms on his knees along with his head as he cried.

Bradley felt defeated. He just knew this was where his life ended for good. He'd never see Caleb or his mother again. He continued to cry even when the door opened, revealing Elliot standing in the doorway.

"Brad--" Elliot started.

"Don't call me that." Bradley said sniffling. "You don't deserve the right to call me that."

"I brought you some food if you're hungry." Elliot said.

Bradley sniffled again and glowered at the food in front of him. It wasn't even cooked. Did he really expect him to eat uncooked meat? "I'm not touching that."

"Bradley you need to eat--"

Once again Bradley cut him off. "And you have to let me go but you're not doing it are you? So I guess we're both not doing what we need to."

Elliot glared at Bradley who only glared back. They stared each other down, neither backing down from this argument. Bradley wasn't going to give in to his asshole of a father and Elliot wasn't going to give in to his son.

"I could just shove the food down your throat." Elliot said, a dangerous edge to his tone.

Bradley scowled and glanced at the bowl of meat in disgust. "Can you even call that food? It looks and smells more like roadkill." Elliot was waiting for his answer and he shook his head no. "I am not eating that shit."

Bradley's father stormed towards him and he scrambled away from him but he didn't get very far as Elliot grabbed his foot and dragged him back towards him. Bradley flailed his arms around and protested vigorously as his dad pinned him to the floor and jammed a forkfull of the raw meat in his mouth.

Bradley protested and tried to spit out the disgusting food but Elliot held his mouth closed forcing him to chew and swallow it. The raw bloody taste made him want to throw up and he was able to resist the urge, even as his father shoved another forkfull of the stuff down his throat.

"You will eat this whole bowl and you will thank me for it!" Elliot yelled angrily as he shoved forkfull after forkfull into Bradley's mouth. "And you will understand that what I am doing is for you! Because I love you and you are my son! MY SON!"

Bradley flinched as he choked down the raw meat his crazy ass father just shoved down his throat, gagging at the metallic raw and bloody taste. Not to mention it tasted like shit. He was relieved when he was finally finished because he felt like he was going to puke at any second.

When his dad released his hold on him, Bradley crawled away from him and sat in the corner glaring at him. "I hate you. I hate you and I swear to god that the moment I get to escape, I'm going to kill you."

Elliot narrowed his eyes as he stood up, towering over Bradley's body. "Sure you will."

Bradley watched him leave the room and heard the key turn in the door. The moment he was gone, Bradley felt the food he just ate coming back up and he scrambled to his feet, rushing over to the wastebasket. He made it just in time for the food to come back up his throat.

I have to find a way out of here, Bradley thought as he continued to throw up. Otherwise if I don't, I'll be here for the rest of my life.