Aerial Silks, and Other Ways to Fall in Love

Chapter One

"Let go." Eddie says, staring at the thick hand wrapped around his shaking arm; he slowly brings his eyes up to the woman holding on him with a grip tight enough to leave bruises, doing his best to burn his hatred into her skin with his eyes. The woman doesn't falter, instead staring back with false worry that makes Eddie's stomach churn.

"You know I can't do that, Eddie-bear. You know that. I care about you too much." She answers. The words tumble out of her mouth in a way that had comforted Eddie like a pillow as he grew up, but now smother him and leave him gasping for air. The too-sweet words continue, but Eddie pays no mind. A burning in his stomach and the taste of Pepto-Bismol on his tongue keep him moving as he tugs his arm again.

"Let me go, Sonia."

"Don't call me that, baby, it hurts me. It hurts me. I'm your mother."

"I said, let go!" Eddie raises his voice, and with a final pull, he swings his free arm around to hit her across the head. He watches his mother's face crumple in shock. Nevertheless, her fingers unravel and Eddie stumbles back to the door, not wanting to take his eyes off of her in case she decides to pounce. "I'm sorry," He says, unaware of when he decided to apologize. Despite his trembling, he finds his way to the door, to the doorknob, behind his back. "I'm sorry, momma."

"Eddie-bear..." Sonia says slowly, voice light and airy despite the anger flickering in her eyes. She looks at him like he's prey, like he's something to conquer, to control. He's lived too long thinking that's all he was, but he knows it's not true- and now he's eighteen. Now she can't keep him here.

He opens the door. Before Eddie could get outside, soft cries could be heard behind him. "Eddie, baby, you can't leave me here." Sonia had started to cry. It was a way she always had manipulated Eddie when she wanted something from him. But she wasn't going to get any sympathetic reaction now. Eddie turned around, doing his best to stack his shoulders and straighten his spine rather than cowering.

"Ma, stop." His hand rests on the doorknob, wrist ready to spring into action.

Sonia doesn't comply; her crying turns into blubbering. "You can't leave me here," She sniffed. "You can't. You can't. You can't. You can't!" Her words started slow, but progressively get louder and faster, becoming a yell. Eddie flinches.

"Get back inside. Now."

"No."

"Eddie." Her little game didn't work, and now Sonia had a look of anger on her face. It was a look Eddie had seen many times, but never like this. He stands his ground, shaking his head. "Edward. Inside. Now ." He continued the motion mindlessly as she stepped towards him.

"Eddie—"

"No! Stop!"

Sonia stopped. Her eyes bore into Eddie's. "Excuse me?" He started to shake again.

"I'm eighteen. You can't do anything." Eddie explains, his throat bobbing as he holds back the sting behind his eyes. "If you try to grab me, it's assault, and I'll phone the police. Don't fucking test me, Sonia."

"You'll come back , Eddie-bear. You'll see. You'll come back."

The first thing that gets to Eddie is the cold spring air of March snaking around his legs and bare arms. A chill is sent down his spine, and Eddie wishes he had had the sense to grab a jacket before making sure he could never show his face at home again. He imagines himself knocking on the door of his old home, grabbing a jacket and leaving again, and then the thought sends a laugh from his lips; the noise pulled out of him so suddenly that it startles him, causing him stop in the middle of the street just to ogle at the absurdity of his situation. He's standing in the middle of nowhere, a few miles from home, with nowhere to go and nobody to find.