The 5 times Max's family life was fucked up (and the one time it wasn't)

Chapter 1

The first time Max's family life changed was when he was a baby.

His memory is fuzzy and frustratingly distant but he still has pieces of it stored away in the back of his mind. There's chirping outside and something soft rubbing against his leg. Probably a cat. There's a dark brown rug underneath him with an adult blocking his view. Probably his dad. He can't see much from down there. It stays like that for a while. Cozy. Quiet. Peaceful. Safe. Until there's a thud.

That's when everything goes to shit.

Suddenly the door slams open, causing them both to jump up in shock. Chairs are thrown across the room. A table is flipped over. His father is shoved to the ground, his piercing screeches and later sobs muffed by the carpet. Max's ears are assaulted with someone's shrill screams (probably his mother's) and orders being tossed across the room. Max curls up into a little ball and snaps his eyes shut because it's all too much and sudden and suffocating. So he does what any other newborn would do in this situation. He cries.

Big mistake.

His wailing immediately catches the attention of the intruders, leading one of them to immediately snatch Max up by his hair and slaps his hand over Max's mouth.

Max only bawls harder, even when his Mother rips him out of his hands and holds him tight against her chest as she (unsuccessfully) attempt to escape the situation as soon as possible, shakely wiping away her tears and radiating comforting heat onto his tiny shaking body that was currently being wracked with sobs.

He only stops crying when both him and his mother drop to the ground, blood dripping from her back, when the concussion from the hit his head takes overwhelms him and he passes out, dreaming of safety and security and pure love.

Something he won't feel for a long time.