MALAKI

Chapter 1- My Mother

"I love you, mama," I say to my mother as she towels me off, "I love you too, my baby." She brings me to the bedroom, to get dressed and then go to the kitchen," Mama what are we having for dinner today?" I asked. "Mackerel and bread, the usual" she replied. "That's my favourite! Anything you make is my favourite mama," I said. She smiles, gives me my food and sits there with me. "Mama, why aren't you eating with me?" I enquired. "Concerned? you don't need to worry about that my love, just eat and be full" she says, smiling until i was finished eating.

Then the door starts to open, "hurry Totsu, go hide, your father is home!" she says flustered. I ran to the bedroom and hid under the bed; this is the best place for me to hide since my father won't bend down to look, the space is too small for adults to see. So I stayed under there, listening and waiting until mom tells me I could come out. "Welcome home, honey," my mother says. "Were you eating?" father asks, "yes I was" "you didn't give him anything to eat, did you? I made sure I left only one serving, and it was for you," my father says, "no, I didn't. I ate it all myself, but honey, why can't he eat ? he's seven; he needs food," my mother says concerned. "You fed him, didn't you, how dare you lie to me woman !" he says, and I hear a smack and a thud, "I told you not to feed him, didn't I !? He doesn't deserve to eat, let him starve, by the way, where is he? He should get a beating for disobeying me", he says as he stomps around the house looking for me. "Totsu, where are you? You know when you hide from me, I'll hit your mother instead, and I know how much you hate that, so come out," he says with a disgusting tone in his voice. I start getting ready to get out when Mama says, "no, Jude, don't hurt him just hit me instead ... p-please," mother says with her voice shaking "you need to stop protecting him, he ruined our lives he deserves it, so move !" he says "No I won't!" she yells,*smack* He hit her again. I couldn't take it every time he hit her; I wanted to cry, so I came from under the bed. "Leave mama alone, I'm here, so just deal with me instead," I said. "So, you finally come out, huh? You know it's no use hiding cause I'd punish you anyways" he says. He leaves the room, and I follow, I don't like it when father hits mama, cause it makes her cry. So, I would let him hit me instead,, it's normal for me anyway, isn't this how an average family should be? Well, I'm not sure, but this is my family, and I love them both, I think, smiling.

"Why are you smiling? Wipe that smile off your face; you don't get to be happy" he says then hits me in the face. "You destroy my life, and you have the guts to smile in front of me, just for that, beating time will be extended!" ''But father, why? Mama always says a smile can make someone else feel better, so I was trying to make you feel better", I said sobbingly. "Yo-you make me feel better?!, every time I look at you, I wish you were never born, so smile in front of me again, and I'll kill you", my father says, with a wicked grin on his face. "But father, mama said---" "Shut up!, stop talking about my wife, like you know her". He understands, now leave him for today, please".

Hey Layla, I have an idea why she never was like this, you were the one who changed her, maybe if you are gone, she would go back to normal. I've wanted to get rid of you for a while now," he says, walking towards me. I felt terrified so I backed away and ran into the other room to mama "Jude that's enough now" Mama says angrily," I'm sure if we sell him you know he will sell for a perfect price since he has special blood and he'd finally be out of my life" he says amused. "Mama, what does father mean?" I asked, being confused. "Don't listen to him Totsu," "What are you talking about? I told you if you continue to threaten to sell him, I'll leave with him", Mama says angrily". "You leave, hah! You need me, I dare you to try, and I'll kill you both," he says now angry. "Totsu go into your room, I'll come soon and start putting clothes into a bag ok and don't come out no matter what you hear" mama whispers to me. I ran off into my room and started getting the little clothes I have and putting them into a bag, then I heard shouting" I have had enough of you!, I won't let you ruin my son's life anymore we are leaving today!" I hear mom shouting .*Smack * "Don't you dare speak to me like that and leave and go where? Huh? Do you think you can walk out like that? *Smack* "If you don't understand I'll have to beat it into you," he shouts. All I heard next were loud thuds and screams, and all I could do is cry" don't disobey me again !" the father says then I listen to him walk away.

The door opens, and Mama comes in, and I run to hug her crying '' Mama, are you ok? I'm sorry I couldn't help you". "It's ok, did you do what I told you?" "Yes, mama, all my clothes are in that bag," I said and pointed to a small handmade bag, good boy, we will leave tomorrow." Still, Father will hurt you again," I say '' Don't worry about me, ok we'll escape this place. "My baby, I'm sorry you were born into such a broken family," she says, sobbing while hugging me. "Mama, what do you mean, broken family? Aren't all families like ours?" "Oh yeah, I guess you wouldn't know what a typical family is like, you don't talk to anyone, a family is supposed to be filled with love and happiness. They may not always get along well, however, they still look out for each other. When you are in the company of family members, you can feel the love in the room, but this place is just filled with pain and hatred," Mama says with a sad look on her face. She turned to look at me, "I was going to tell you this when you were older, but I don't think I'm going to be able to go with you tomorrow, I'm going to tell you now. "Why won't you come with me mama, please don't leave me alone, mama," I say, hugging her. "Totsu, I'm sorry, but I won't know until tomorrow, but for now, I promise I'll stay with you, ok?" "Ok, mama" she put her palms together, whispered something, then touched my shoulder, and something appeared on my shoulder. I got up to look, it's a gold heart with tiny diamonds pouring from a crack in the middle with a crown on top, and a golden rose wrapped around it. "Mama, what is that on my arm?" "It's called a blood mark. We all have one, but yours is different from all the others, so don't ever let anyone see it even if they tell you they know about it, don't show it to them. I will redo the "Rarity," promise me, ok?" "I promise mama, is that why father wants to sell me because I'm different?" I asked. "Yes baby," Mama said, " Don't let your guard down around him ok ?" "ok, I won't." When my mother told me all of that, I just believed that I had to worry about it since Mama hid it, but I wasn't ever more wrong. We stayed in that room, and I fell asleep in Mama's arms.

"Totsu...Tatsu... wake up, baby, we need to go before your father wakes up," I hear Mama say as I wake up," are we leaving now ?" "Yes we are, let's go," Mama says while holding two bags. We quietly sneaked into the kitchen where the door was and got ready to open the door when father came in "What are you doing?" he says softly while looking at the bags "Are you trying to leave? What did I say about leaving Layla?, "he says softly but terrifyingly. "Turn back and go put down the bags". "No we are leaving now, Totsu stay behind me," she says "What do you mean no?, don't you remember the beating I gave you yesterday? Did you not learn from that? Why do you keep disobeying me? It's you, isn't it? You did this to her before. She would never want to leave me but look at this now". He says walking towards Mama and me "Jude! don't touch him" mama says while we both backed away. He then grabs mama by her hair and pulls her away. "Run Totsu!" Mama screamed, but I couldn't move. I felt terrified to my bones, it was like my feet were glued to the ground "Totsu run away before he gets to you" Mama screams

while being dragged into the other room. Still I couldn't move. All I could do is stand there scared and crying while listening to my mother's screams. He came back into the kitchen for me with a smile on his face "you know, you should have listened to your mother and run. You could have escaped, it's the biggest mistake you ever made. But I promise, it will be the last one you'll make," he says. He pulled out his pistol, frightened I threw one of the bags at him and ran past him to find Mama. I found her on the floor trying to get up, and I helped her up, and father comes into the room, and Mama sees him with the gun and stands in front of me, "JUDE!!! What are you doing with a gun, put it down," Mama shouted, terrified. "I finally found a way to get rid of him properly; he won't ever bother us anymore, get out of my way," he says, pointing the gun at us. "I'm not moving," Mama says, scared "Don't worry honey, I won't kill you, I'll just come to get him myself," he says, then slowly started to walk towards us, mumbling something while staring at me? "You are useless; I wish you were never born, you are a curse!" father shouts, with a deadly look on his face. "I hate you, you destroyed my life, it would be easier if you vanished," he says, closing the gap between us. "You are my one love in this world, Totsu, always keep smiling, my love," my mother says, with a beautiful twinkle on her face, then she starts to push father off trying to tackle him to the ground. Still, Father is powerful, so it didn't work. She decides to take the gun from him then- *BANG* a loud noise filled the room, I'm shocked by what I saw in front of me.

Hope you liked the first chapter!!
Next chapter coming ssoon on July 5th
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