A New Chance, A New Start (SWR)

Chapter 22: Interuppted

After a week, Ezra was finally able to hold himself up as well as not shiver with chills every hour. He still had his tube but that was to be expected with his meager weight. The family still sat in his everyday and watched his progress as well as clues to the mystery he was. They had taken to looking through his sketchbook as they brought it for entertainment to found nothing but drawings and song lyrics. Disappointed, they gave it to him as well as pencils not knowing he already suspected they looked through it. He smirked, 'They really want to find out.'

Friday came and his two week mark came and passed. On a particular slow day, Ezra slowly slipped into a deep nap in the afternoon and cuddled into his side with his blanket and sweatpants, not knowing the presence that slipped into his room.

The teens eyes snapped open and he found himself in his old yellow kitchen which was decorated with streamers and a sign that spelled 'Happy Birthday' , two smiling faces looking straight at him.
A man with a clean beard, eyebrows and wavy hair looked at him with a few shades darker eyes.
A women with a round face which adorned a button nose, full lips and small eyebrows with eyes almost warm purple.
His mouth was dropped open in look before happiness filled him, the dream taking control.
He started laughing with his parents as they celebrated with a few presents on the side and a vanilla, orange frosted cake in front of him with seven candles. He ignored a faint sense a dread and continued to stare as the song that came out of the adults mouths started to end. He dragged in a large breath and as he released it, a sound of glass shattering overpowered it. His parents gasped as eyes widened all over and suddenly his hands were found with a full backpack. He looked up horrified as he could do nothing but look at his parents terrified faces.
"Mom?!? Dad?!?"
Mira kneeled down with tears in her eyes, the body of purple showing emotions ranging all over the place as the salty liquid gathered fastly.
"Ezra, sweetie, we love you. Don't ever forget that. You grow up to be a strong man. Never forget what you are taught in life and pass your wisdom. Find a family soon and hang onto every memory you make. Take the longest present and follow your heart. Train hard and protect for what you believe in."
A bang was heard and heads snapped to the kitchen archway. Ephraim looked at the couple before saying hurriedly with tears, "We love you Ezra with all of our hearts but we need you to hide."
Panic took a hold of him as he was lifted out of the chair and into the blinded pantry. Sitting on the wooden floor, he looked up with tears streaming down his face and gasped in surprise as the door was closed but right before, his present was placed in his hands. Quickly putting the package to the side, he pushed his wet face to the blinds and saw his parents standing side by side, arms wrapped around each other. He whispered, "Momma, Dada."

Mira and Ephraim winced at the barely audible whispered and steadied themselves as man dressed in black came in. The leader who was bald with a flat nose, sunken eyes and permanent frown, snarled in their direction.
"You fools! We finally have found you and you aren't even going to fight. How pathetic but I'm not surprised by you lowly beings. Now, any last words?"
The defiant couple stood strong as Ephraim exclaimed with as much passion as he could manage with his seven year old son watching, "We fought for what was right and you will fall one day."
With that said, the two men behind him with masks held up their guns and shot them. Ezra, the birthday boy watched as the crimson blood sprayed through the way before staining furniture. But the sound after was the most haunting.
Thud.
Thud.
As his parents bodies hit the floor, he fell back into his hands as shock took over he curled up in a ball, his hands wrapped around thin calves and slowly rocked back and forward. Just as he started to regain control of himself and emotions, he put his hands over his ears and whispered, "please wake up, wake up. It already happened, not again."
But suddenly the dream changed from his memory. The small room slowly faded to black and the door slowly creeped open with a held out squeak filling the tension. Gold eyes popped into the empty space with its haunting words left behind.
              "Your next, little Ezzy."

Ezra gasped as he woke up and hurried tried to sit up but found himself held down by his shoulders. He struggled as he tried to grasp reality and faintly heard his name being called. Slowly his vision focused and saw a familiar face with a goatee and tight ponytail.

Kanan was sitting in a chair with the rollable table in front of him, it filled with open files and pictures. He casually glanced at the slumbering child every once in awhile before continuing. The rest were at home going to bed as they have been trading off every night now since last week.
As Ezra reached his two hour mark on his nap, Kanan closed and stacked his research before he got up to wake him as he wouldn't sleep tonight if he didn't. But as he neared he noticed something wrong as Ezra was quietly whimpering and scrunching his eyebrows. Kanan squatted bear his head and ran his hand through his hair to calm him but the nightmare only intensified. As the teen rolled and squirmed, Kanan stood to his full height and leaned over to hold him down as he didn't want self harm to happen.
As Ezra's gasp came through, Kanan couldn't help but worry more as the struggling increased. A sigh fought through his lips as the movement ceased and dazed eyes looked at him. Kanan put a hand to the teens face as tears he held in made their way down. Kanan kept his hand where it was and rubbed the tears away as Ezra sobbed and reached up it grabbed his arm to ground him.

Kanan, seeing as Ezra wasn't going to be calming down anymore, carefully reached his other arm behind his surrogate son and slid himself under the smaller one. He swiftly reached over to the bed remote and pressed for half. He shuffled about as he gathered the now heavier teen and moved about pillows and blankets.
Wrapped in the fuzzy blanket, Ezra regained his death grip on Kanan but now the front of his shirt. He rocked side to side with soothing words as Ezra cried and cried as the man held him with no intent of stopping.
Kanan leaned his head on the blue ones and kissed his crown and replaced it with his cheek. His closed his eyes and held the smaller tighter for more security and smiled as Ezra slowed his cries.

Five more minutes passed and Ezra was laying with half lidded eyes still in Kanan's arms. The man smiled contently as comfortable silence filled the peaceful air. Just as he was about to get up, Ezra shifted till his head was in the crook of Kanan's neck and whispered as he slipped into an emotionally exhausted sleep,
"Please stay with me, Dadduhhh."

Kanan smiles warmly as he whispered back, "Always son." He slipped down the bed and leaned his head against a pillow as sleep over took him as well.

The grip Ezra had on Kanan's shirt never wavered throughout the night and Kanan's grip on Ezra never faltered back.  

Hey Peeps! Sorry about not updating I hit a terrible disease called writers block but big shout out to Nyra-Moon as she was a big help in making this chapter. I'll try to update again sometime soon. And if anyone wants to point out how the murder was in the kitchen and not the living room, I realized I put the murder in the wrong place but I put the wrong place at the beginning. I'll edit this book after I finish so don't criticize and enjoy. Anyway see you later! Bye bye!!☺️☺️

-Momo