A Different Set of Rules (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 6 - Mute Memories

Payton

-10 years ago-

"Maddi! Maddi! Maddi where are you?" I shouted as I ran through the confined hallways of the home. I had heard yelling followed by a crash and a spine crawling silence.

It was me, my sister Maddox,3 years older than me, and our uncle Patrick. Our mother had gone hours before, leaving Uncle Patrick in charge. I loved Uncle Patty, but Maddi seemed unsettled whenever he came about.

As the eight year old I was oblivious to the tense atmosphere that arose between Maddi and Uncle Patty. On that day however it was impossible to ignore. Maddi shouted repeatedly, coming from her bedroom. The door was ajar and I stood there, watching as Uncle Patti stood, his pants pooling at his ankles,  his hips jerking forward. His hands were in front of his hunched over body, holding a hair of arms together, tied together at the wrists with a scarf.

Blonde hair  tossed about, softly tanned skin peeking out from behind Uncle Patty. I couldn't move forward, to this day as I recall that event my body seems to tense up, by breath stopping and hearing Maddi's screams echoing, shouting for help, sniffling, and groaning.

The months after were hazy, Maddox never being one for words to begin with, but it almost seemed like she went mute. I recall she was gone for days and weeks at a time, once staying away for  three months, and coming back with a scar on her left cheek which eventually faded to the blind eye. Mom must have still seen it because when she thought no one was looking, she stare at Maddi's cheek.

Uncle Patti came by every week, Maddi never caring to stay around him when he did. The young child I was, I had no idea what I had witnessed that day months before.

I recall once Maddi, Patti, and I sat around the dining table, Patti smiling at Maddi, trying to coax a conversation from her, me trying me tell a juvenile story of my school day, and Maddi never once looking up from her uneaten dish of meat loaf.

Finally, having failed in getting her to speak, Uncle Patti said, still smiling, "You have to let go of the past Maddi. Boys don't like that." before finally listening to me.

Maddox hadn't moved, didn't reply to him. The only other thing he said to her was an order to eat her food, she simply disregarded him.

When she put me to bed, i sensed her reluctance to leave.

"Maddi, can you stay with me?" I asked, taking her hand before she turned to leave. She said nothing, and I couldn't see her face in the dimly lit room. All I felt was her pulling away from by hand but climbing into the bed with me. She wrapped her arms around me, coddling me against her frail build.  We both let the idea that she was comforting me hang in the air, but inside I liked to believe that we both knew the truth.

I slept well that night until I heard dishes clashing in the kitchen. There was a masculine yell, followed my quick foot steps. When I went out again uncle Patti was on the phone, shouting, a hand clutched to his chest. Blood stained the rug below him, making me nauseous at the sight.

I didn't see Maddi again for almost a year. Mom didn't talk too much about her, almost like she was slowly being erased from memory. Uncle Patti stayed with me every day for that year, playing games with me, listening to my stories, and always taking me out for ice cream. He was almost like that father I'd always wanted.

Alexander 

There had been a fight, coming from my least favorite pod. I don't remember how i'd been informed, or when the concern that Lorry was involved had occurred to me but I found myself sprinting across the yard toward the infamous pod. 

The OD (On Demand) team lined up against the wall, holding the waist band of the men in front of them and preparing to enter. One man tossed a small ball through the pod doors tiny slot. All I heard next was a muffled bang. 

There was shouting, and the door opened, the row of men rushing in. Inmates and the single officer all laid on the ground. The pod was hazy, limiting vision without a face mask.  I waited, waiting for those involved to be escorted out.  

Both had their faces bagged to prevent spitting, fighting, or biting.The first was lean, boardering small but not quite. The next man was beign pulled out, already in a body bag.  

 Micheal 

I couldn't breath, my breath coming in jagged attepts. All I heard was yelling, cussing, and heads hitting the hard ground as men lost consiousness. 

A had snaked around my upper body, pulling me up. That was the last thing I could recall before I myself lost consiousness. 

I am so sorry, this took so long because quite honestly I had no time. This school year is not going as planned.  Hopefully I will update again by Wednesday, if not earlier. Hopefully.  

The photo on the side is Payton's sister.The song is All of Me by John Legend, I honestly just like the soft melody, as well the slight connection between Payton and Maddox as children. 

Thank you for reading. please, vote, comment, and add to your library. Enjoy :)

~Chioma