Earth of Kin: Heroes

Chapter 1; Part 2

Desmond sat back on the sofa, placing his hand on the armrest firmly. He looked Travis up and down, scrunching his nose at the sight of his own son. 'What's more disgusting than being disrespected in my own house,' he propped himself up with his hand on the armrest, facing his slightly shorter son with a frown, 'is that you'd actually have the audacity to think you have any rights over my children. You can take Fable and Ruby. Like you, all they're worth is back talk.'

Travis clenched his fists as he glared at Desmond, with Selina sitting helplessly with her head in her lap. 'You've got a lot to say for someone who's failed at life so severely. I won't even give you the luxury of cutting that life short.'

'Is that so?' Desmond pushed Travis back some with the tip of his finger. 'And how would a punk like you even accomplish that if he wanted to?'

'Please!' Selina finally yelled. 'Travis, just tell your sisters the news, and be on your way.'

'I'm not leaving you here with this jackass,' Travis said, slapping the hand Desmond pushed him with. 'Come with us, mom.'

Selina hesitated for a moment, considering the possibility of leaving this man. 'Travis please...' she stood up and got between the two of them to avoid any violence. 'Just go.'

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~2003~

A large cruise ship sailed along the coast of South Africa, bustling with tourists all set with cameras tied around their necks and hats with the countries flag decorated upon them. With no land in sight, those on board were treated to the view of a vast sea, with small waves slapping against the sides of the ship. Three children scampered around to the back of the ship, Travis leading them on with their stolen sweets in tow. 'Please!' Ruby called out, her toddler legs no match for the speed of Travis in his late teens.

Preteen Fable didn't care to beg for mercy, and instead she toughed it out. She managed to grip Travis's hip, pulling him when they reached the back of the ship. Large waves, caused by the ship itself, left a rippled trail that spanned dozens of metres. The sight brought all three of the Williams children to a halt. All of this play time was a welcomed break from the arguments they were forced to spectate between their parents. An escape.

'Pretty!' Ruby cheered, trying to brush her curly mess of hair out of her face. She anxiously grabbed onto Travis's leg to get a better look, not trusting the rails to keep her safe.

Fable, on the other hand, was trying to climb on top of them.

Travis pulled her back. 'Be careful! You could fall all the way down, Fae.'

'It's fine. It's just water.'

The fun only lasted while the sun was up, and when it went down, they were forced to return to their room. Travis made sure Fae had her pajamas on the right way around, and hid her flip phone in the bathroom cabinet. By the time Fae had gone to sleep, despite forcing Travis to watch a movie with her, Ruby had long passed out.

Travis changed the channel to action movies both Ruby and Fae were too young to watch. The room was small, with the TV all the way on Fae's side of the king sized bed. Ruby, asleep in the middle, was an obstacle for Travis to avoid if he hoped to reach over to the TV and pull one of Fae's socks off of it. He stretched over once, heard Ruby mumble in her sleep, and immediately sat back on his side. He gave in and made do with watching his favourite gunslinging action heroes with a sock blocking the top right corner of the screen.

In the middle of Travis's favourite scene, he heard a bang from the room next door, where his parents were meant to be sleeping.

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~Minutes Earlier~

Selina sat alone in the messy room, with wine stains spread across the carpet like a bloody crime scene. The sheets were only halfway on the bed, with the other half wrapped around Selina as she drowned out her thoughts whilst watching the evening news. She still had Desmond's phone in her hand, still opened on multiple message chats. Some were from whores aiding him in his desire for a thrill, and others were from his co-workers. The latter hurt Selina more. All this time she'd been raising a family with the man of her dreams, and he turned out to be a fraud. Making dirty money off women with bodies just like hers.

When Desmond finally returned from the bar on the top deck, drunk with hidden hickeys under his shirt, he was greeted with a silent stare from Selina. He hiccuped once as he closed the door. 'I thought you were sleeping, babe.'

'How many?' she said.

'What?'

Selina threw the phone at Desmond, missing as it banged against the wall of the room. 'How many times have you lied to go off with one of your whores? How much money did you make off of this shit!?'

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Desmond followed the source of the noise, closing the door behind him, making sure that neither Fae nor Ruby woke up to follow him. He heard yelling from inside his parents' room, and crouched against the door to listen in.

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'You're overreacting, Selina!' Desmond said, grabbing the phone from the ground as he scowled at her. 'You didn't have to break the fucking phone!'

'The phone!? You're worried about the phone!?' Selina threw the sheets off of her as she stomped over to him. 'Give me one reason why I shouldn't take the kids and leave you right now.'

'Those kids are mine. How would you even do that?' Desmond said, pushing her aggressively as he smirked slightly. 'Listen here. You've only made it to this life because of me,' he said, grabbing her wrist as he restrained her against the wall. As soon as she shrieked, Travis rammed the door open.