Trial by Fire

Chapter II

Mom and dad were fighting again. The six-year-old Arron was listening through the door at his parents' arguments. What had he done wrong he thought as he heard his father start to yell. His mother's labored breaths scared him, he didn't want her to get hurt. He knew himself powerless to stop it but his heart couldn't help but beg to rush inside and protect his mother. The only option was to listen to the trivial thing they were arguing about. They were talking about his Aunt Melly and how he shouldn't be aloud to see her.

"She's a bad influence, she'll give him too many ideas!" His father yelled not tired after the hours of arguing

"Good, he should have ideas outside of what you want for him!" His mother's usually smooth and kind voice was filled with panic and anger. She wasn't scared, something that Arron had always strived to be. He couldn't help the ball of panic that seeped into his chest every time he heard the yelling of his once happy parents.

"You listen here woman, I am the boys father and I'll decide who he sees!"

"She's my sister and his aunt, he needs to know her!" Arron's mother persisted not wanting her older sister to miss out on her oldest child's life.

*Slap*

"I told you nicely but you need to remember your place" Arron couldn't believe what he was hearing. His father had... just slapped his mother. Arron didn't know who the react, his little legs were shaking in terror as tears streamed down his face. He wanted to scream at his father to stop, just scream for his mother or anybody that would listen. He ran quickly to the door as he had heard three sharp knocks. He didn't want the person to hear what he had heard most of his life. He looked through the tiny peephole to see a mess of black curls, with the occasional blue strand. His heart felt lighter as he breathed a sigh of relief. He opened the oak door and the woman embraced him pulling him out into the warm summer air. He buried his face into the soft curls as sobs escaped his mouth. The older woman whispered comforting words into Arron's ear. As he began to calm down the older woman pulled him onto the steps. He sobs quieted down as looked up at the kind eyes of his Aunt

"Aunt Melly, how do you know what's happening?" Arron's vocabulary was rather mature for a six year old, his mom had always told him to speak when he needed to.

"I always know what's going on" Melly said with a fond smile, looking at Arron's confused face. Arron decided not to question it but he felt like there was something that Aunt Melly wasn't telling him. He sighed as he leaned against her breathing in the smell of fresh mint and strawberries.

"Why do mommy and daddy fight?" Arron asked closing his eyes. Melly looked at him with sadness prioment in her eyes. He didn't deserve this she thought as she looked into the distance

"Loving is hard. People might feel like they're in love but they grow apart. Sometimes when you really get to know a person you see the things they always tried to hide. Other times people change, sometimes for the better and sometimes... for the worse," She sighed as her eyes drifted to the forest. " The important thing is to never give up on love, even if it gives up on you. My sister is a strong girl, I know that she'll be okay, at least I hope," she said the last part mostly to herself but Arron still caught it.

"I wanna be strong just like Momma," Arron proclaimed, his eyes sparkling with determination.

"Okay kid don't get ahead of yourself," She said with a slight laugh.

"Aunt Melly!?" Arron exclaimed still heaving from the run. The woman in front of him chuckled

"Who else would it be, the tooth fairy" The passenger door swung open as Arron climbed in. He looked over at the familiar face that he never thought to see again. He was sure that he did look like crap, he could feel the mud start to dry on his clothes and skin as he slumped down in the seat closing his tired eyes.

"How'd you know where I was?" He asked already knowing the answer.

"I'm physic" She answered turning her gaze to the road in front of them.

"He's working with the villains!" Aroon shot up as he remembered the reason he was running. Melly almost swerved off the road at that.

"HE WHAT!!" Melly exclaimed, gaining control of his car once again. She looked just as shocked as Arron, her eyes wide and her expression a mix of surprise and confusion. Her brows furrowed as she fully understood what Arron had said. She mumbled something under her breath and sigh in something that Arron couldn't place, maybe it was regret but he didn't know. She looked over at the sad tired eyes of her oldest nephew she asked quietly

"Do you have proof," Arron could see she was struggling the uphold her composure, her eyes flicked with spots of unease. Arron felt around for his phone and sighed when he felt the cool metal. He powered it up, illuminating the car with harsh blue light.

"I recorded his confession, I'm lucky that he didn't see the phone," Arron answered avoiding the piercing gaze of Melly. She lips turned up in a small smile that warmed up the grim situation they found themselves in.

"You always thought one step forward, no wonder you always beat me in chess," that cause Arron to let a strained laugh. The silence that followed felt oppressive like it was weighing down on his chest. The ache in his lungs finally caught up with him as he sunk lower in the seat. Melly saw this and handed him a water bottle. He gladly took the water bottle signing thank you with his hand. He knew rudimentary sign language from his mother. She was deaf in one ear and thought it better for him to know. He could still feel the warm sun on his back when they sat outside, not speaking a word but still telling everything they needed to say. He sighed going deeper into the happy memory. Huis aunt looked over to see a small smile and a faraway look on his face. She chuckled softly snapping him out of the trance he seemed to be lost in. A small blush settled on his cheeks

"I'm sorry, my mind slipped," Arron abolgized, rubbing the back of his neck.

"No need kid, we all have memories to fall in," She said her own eyes getting a far off look. Arron eyelids started to feel heavy as he looked at Melly in a haze.

"What..." Arrons world began the swim as he faded in and out of consciousness. His fingers and toes started to fall numb. Warmness spread through his chest as his muscles relaxed. The water his foggy mind concluded, sensing that this wasn't quite natural. His breathing evened out as his eyes fluttered shut all tension leaving his body, his mind going blissey quiet. Melly took the bottle out of his limp hands as he snuggled closer in the car seat.

"Sorry kid, but you really need some sleep," she said turning off the radio and pulling out a burner phone. Dialing a number quickly, she put the phone up to her ear. The sound on the other end cut off as a voice asked who it was.

"It's me, yeah me. I have something a bit unplanned but please don't freak out. I know that I usually don't stuff like this bit It's a family matter. Yes I'm coming home and bye," She ended the call before the person on the other line could answer. She sighed looking over at the sleeping figure of her nephew. He looked so relaxed, his usually sad face in perfect calmness. He looked to much like his mother, so much so that it almost saddened her to see. The crinkling of his brows when laughed and the soft huffs when he got mad were all traits he had gained from his mother. Melly couldn't fathom the things Arron had gone through at such a young age, still managing to survive. His cold eyes hid so many secrets that he hid well, his face had endured the salt of tears and the harsh bruises that he never learned to hide. She rubbed across her face not wanting to fall asleep as she focused on turning unto a dirt road. Humming a soft melody under her breath.