The Lost Child

The Fight

        The room was dark, but thanks to a the angel shaped night light, five year old Jacob was content. Cuddled with his stuffed bear he always had on him, he tried to sleep, but it was difficult. He would listen to the howling of the wind outside and sometimes pretend he was in a space ship and the noise was the shuttle moving at the speed of light and the soft glow of the light was a special device that protected him from the bad people.

        But tonight wasn't one of those night. He had been dosing off when the sound of his parents voices woke him. They were muffled but he knew they were fighting. They had been doing that a lot lately. Sometimes he'd come into the room and they would act like everything was perfectly okay. And being the age he was, Jacob believed that it was okay. At first he did that is. But he started feeling a weird feeling when his parents fought, but didn't understand it. All he knew was that he didn't like it. It was something small pulling hard on the inside of his stomach and sometimes he wanted to cry but didn't understand why.

        "It's okay Mr. Huggles." He whispered to the pink teddy, "You don't have to be affraid. I'm right here with you." In his mind the bear would smile. It was different than the smile that was manufactured into its face. It was a warm smile that made him feel a little better, like there was someone there to be with him when things got bad.

        The voices began to raise Jacob noticed. "Bull crap!" His mother yelled, "I know you're hiding something from me. I'm so sick of it! You need to cut the act! I can't believe how full of it you are!"

        "Oh I'm full of it?!" His father yelled back even louder, "Listen to yourself! If I'd been hiding something like you say I am, what proof do you have! What do I have to hide huh?!"

        "Save it!" Jacob heard his mom yell, "Just save it! I'm tired of your'e-" Her words were cut by a loud snapping sound. They were silent for a moment. Jacob listened hard while holding his teddy close to his chest. "Get out." She spoke. His father tried to say something but she didn't give him the chance. She screamed out even louder this time, "GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE!"

        "FINE!" His father bellowed, "Why the hell should I be here anyway! Where I'm not wanted or even appreciated!"

        As Jacob climbed out of his bed he heard the front door slam shut. He opened the bedroom door and poked his head out into the dark hall, still clutching his pink teddy. In the direction of the family room, he saw his mother's silhouette move across the wall and in the direction of the kitchen. The light flicked off and his quickly hurried back into his room and closed the door quietly in fear he'd be in trouble if he was caught out of bed. His heart was pounding as he lay back down. And tried his best to fall asleep.

        The next morning, he woke up, happy it was saturday because that meant no school. He noticed Mr. Huggles wasn't next to him but instead he was on the ground. "Mr. Huggles." He said in a groggy voice, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "Good thing mommy or daddy didn't come in last night. You would have gotten a spanking." At the mention of last night, Jacob remembered last nights events, but didn't think too much on it thinking it was just another "adult thing" his parents called it. He climbed out of bed and picked the bear off the ground by the arm and hugged it tight before going to find one of his parents to tell them he was up and hungry.

        In the family room, he found his mother where he always did. She was sitting on the couch cross stitching and watching TV. Something the adults called Soap Opera. Jacob didn't like the show because it was so boring and he didn't get why adults liked it so much when cartoons were so much better. They were so funny and colorful. His mother kept telling him he was too old for cartoons so he had stopped asking all together so she could watch her TV shows. He also noticed his father hadn't been home yet.

        "Mommy," Jacob spoke in his small voice, "can i have breakfast?" His mother looked up from her cross stitching and at him.

        "Sure honey." She said. She put the picture she was sewing on the couch arm rest and went into the kitchen.

        Jacob sat down on the chair as his mother grabbed a bowl, a box of Lucky Charms and a gallon of milk. After she poured it for him, she went to sit back down and continue what she was doing. Jacob wasn't allowed to pour it himself because he always made a mess. He wanted to see the picture his mother was making but he also knew not to try to get too close to her when she's sewing. Last time he did, she had slipped and stabbed her own finger. He wasn't allowed to even touch that stuff because he always messed it up or tangled the treads. Sometimes lost her needles that she was using.

        He sat quietly eating his cerial, picking the marshmallows out and eating them first. They were his favorite part besides the milk. Jacob then started wondering when his father would be back home. But when he asked, his mother shushed him and demanded he finish his breakfast.