The Ugly Duckling

Chapter 6: Running Away

When he gets home, Peter is not there yet. Felix's parents are still at work and since the rest of his siblings are busy with after-school activities, Felix is left alone with his grandparents. The air is tense. Neither party seems to be willing to speak to the other. Sick of the silence, Felix decides to go up to his room to work on some homework. As he turns to leave, his grandfather decides that now is a good time to open his big, fat mouth. Does he think that changing into a boy makes him better somehow? How can it, when he is still the same worthless piece of trash. If his own parents don't want him, what makes him think that anyone wants him? Each word that comes out of his mouth, cuts Felix deeply. He takes the insults for a while, but eventually he has the urge to defend himself. The conversation turns into one hell of an argument. Normally, Felix's parents are the ones to intervene when things get rocky, but in their absence the feud gets worse and worse. It gets so bad that Felix's grandfather ends up slapping him across the face. Felix holds a hand to his cheek and steps back in disbelief. He can't take it anymore and yells that he's leaving for good. He stomps out of the house, slamming the front door behind him.

Without knowing wherehe's going, he runs until he finds himself in the middle of the nearby forest.In front of him lies his secret fort that he built as a kid. He lifts the tarpand crawls inside. It isn't until he settles down inside that he realizes thathis face is wet from snot and tears. There are no tissues nearby, so he wipeshis face on the sleeve of his navy hoodie. Maybe running away is for thebetter. At least here, there is no one to judge him. As the sun begins to set, awave of exhaustion washes over him. The only thing that he has with him is hisschool bag. He uses it as a pillow. As he slowly drifts off to sleep, Felixwonders if his family is even looking for him. Part of him wants them to findhim, but the other half hopes that they don't. With an uncertain future aheadof him, Felix falls into a deep slumber.