The Slash Stories

Book of Mormon (McPricely)

 Nine-year-old Kevin Price covered his ears as his mother's screams sounded from the wall behind him. Jack was snoring in the bed a few feet away from him and the twins --Joseph and Levi-- were quiet in their cribs. Kevin could never understand how they slept through it. The other three were able to sleep once their heads hit a pillow, but Kevin would stay awake as his parents shouted at each other every night. The screams always ended with his mother crying for his father to 'stop.' Kevin would only fall asleep after his mother's cries died down, and his father's snores echoed throughout the house. Kevin wished as he fell asleep that they could go back to Orlando. His mother hadn't screamed when they were in Orlando. His mother was happy when their family was in Orlando. Kevin had loved their trip to Disney, but he loved that he hadn't fallen asleep to his mother's screams even more.

Kevin had asked his mother about why she screamed at night when he was seven. He had been playing with Jack and their older sister Andrea when he heard her crying. He asked his siblings what they thought it was about, but they just shrugged like they didn't care. Kevin could feel tears well up in his eyes as he stood and walked to where his mother's sobs were coming from.

"Momma?" Kevin asked when he knocked on the bathroom door.

"One second," Kevin could hear her rushing behind the door to get out. "Did you need to go potty, sweetie?"

Kevin shook his head and asked, "Why are crying?"

"I wasn't sweetie. I ju-"

"Are you crying about why you scream every night?"

His mother froze at that statement before kneeling down and smiling at him, "Yes. But don't worry yourself about it, honey. Now go play with your siblings while I feed the twins."

Kevin frowned as his mother stood and walked away. Tears danced at the edges of his eyes. He didn't want his Momma to be sad. "Let me help, Momma!"

His mother looked shocked for a second, but she smiled at him nonetheless, "I'll teach how to feed Joeseph while I feed Levi, okay?"

Kevin nodded at her with a smile.

He tried to help his mother as much as he could after that, but there was only so much a nine-year-old could do. He washed the dishes as she wiped, but she wouldn't let him wash or dry the steak knives that she and his dad used. He helped her fold laundry, and he made faces whenever she put anyone's undergarments into the washing machine. Best of all, he helped her cook. While he didn't mind doing the other activities with her, he loved cooking with her. She patiently taught him how to make sauces and cook meats. She looked like she was happy when she was over the stove top, and Kevin loved to see his mother happy. He relished in her smiles, but he noticed that her smile dropped whenever his father was in the room. Kevin just wanted her to be happy.

It wasn't until his parents enrolled him in the local middle school that Kevin realized why his mother screamed every night. He was in his eighth-grade health class when they talked about consensual and non-consensual sex. Most of the eighth graders, including himself, didn't really want to talk about it. That's what the internet was for. Besides, who would have non-consensual sex?

The teacher played a video about sex. Kevin tried to not pay attention to it, but when the video started talking about rape he turned his head towards to screen at the familiar words being said. Women and men were talking on the screen. Some of them were victims and some were family members, friends, and lovers of the victims. They cried over not seeing the signs and they cried over not being able to stop it from happening.