[BOOK 1] More Than This

-22-

THE PAST UNVEILED

[Ethan's POV]

I was about to go out to meet Kinzy at the cafeteria. We made plan earlier before he drop me at the school gate to go do some business as what he said. I was ready to go out of the building when I was shoved against the wall at the hallway. I was frozen when I feel the pain scattered throughout my body.

"Hey nerd," says someone in front of me holding my polo shirt's collar. I don't know who he is but I think, he means harm since my danger alert signal warns me so.

"W— what do you want?" My voice bit shaky. I don't like the feelings striking into my system.

"We just want to have fun, come." Then he dragged me at the side of the building where his friends are waiting for us.

"He's Kinzy's boyfriend." I heard someone said.

"Oh, that's great. The more I wanted to beat him." the guy who dragged me smirk devilishly to his companion.

They shoved me against the wall again and started to punch and kick me anywhere in my body. I trembled to that. They still beat me even if I beg them to stop until I saw my own blood dripping into my shirt then followed by my tears. They all laugh at me, calling me anything inappropriate. I just brace my body from shaking and then they started beating me again. They did it while laughing at my misery. I close my eyes, feeling all the pain in my whole being and then my vision blurred.

The next thing I saw was a little me balling myself into the small space of my cabinet in my tidy room. I was hiding there. A small sob can be heard. I can see blood dripping at the cabinet, which were coming from my legs from the beating I got from my father. He cut my legs intentionally when he didn't get satisfaction from beating me with his belt. He wanted to see blood dripping from my body and he will smile in satisfaction and beaming with joy through my suffering.

I suppress myself to create noise which he didn't like. If I did, he sure will kill me and that's the last thing I wanted to happen to me. Though he did abuse me many times, I still have dreams. I wanted to become an Engineer someday, I wanted to build my own dream house, I wanted to travel around the world and I wanted to—

"Ethan," he called me and I was startled. "Come darling, let's play." He said while smiling like a damn psychopath. He was holding a belt rolled under his grip. "Come in out." his stern voice makes my whole body trembling in fear.

Five years and he is still using that damn voice to me. I wanted to fight back despite the truth that I can only give him a small punch through my small and weak 9 years old fist. I wanted to escape from him, but how? How can I do that when he is keeping his eyes on me like a Hawk watching his prey from a distance?

"No!?!" I shouted to myself but he didn't her me.

I got out while looking down into my wounded legs, dragging it while walking closer to him. He didn't want me to look at him and if I did he will just beat me again into pulp and the worst he will kill me because I didn't listen to him.

"Lie down in bed!" He commanded

I was confused. What did he want from me lying on that filthy bed where he sleeps all day with his beer and drugs?

"Are you fucking deaf?!" I flinched into that. I nearly burst into tears but I can't do anything other than complying what he wants.

My trembled body walks slowly into the bed while dragging my wounded legs. I hissed to the striking pain from my wound. My blood traces the path I walk in. I wonder if those kids like me are also experiencing like this or did their parents let them suffer like this. I slowly sit at the edge of the bed. I waited for his next command as if I'm a soldier waiting for my officer's command.