The Ways of Patching Up | ✓

Eighteenth

"NO!!!"

Elliot never knew he could raise his voice so loud that it hurt his throat. His lungs throbbed while his breathings accelerated, and consequently, his ribs screamed in pain. However, the severe discomfort didn't distract him from thrashing his limbs, trying to escape from the iron grips of who seemed to be Ms. Fairchild and Mr. Zheng.

The small child shuddered as people in unfamiliar uniforms pinned Dad to the floor, shouting out words Elliot failed to understand. They were forcing his arms behind his back, putting... some strange object in his wrists, but whatever it was, it completely restrained Dad's movements. The man bared his teeth as his face grimaced, letting out grunts.

"DAD!!!" From here, the small blondie could see all types of agony written on his father's face. Watching the scene in front of his very eyes... it ultimately set him off.

"PLEASE LET HIM GO!!! He didn't do anything bad!" Elliot yelled, flailing both his arms and legs so that he could wriggle himself out of the old man and his counsellor, but it was no use. If anything, their grasps grew stronger as their hands clamped hard against his elbows. Tears decorated his rosy cheeks as they kept on cascading out of his reddened eyes like waterfall.

"Elly, you have to understand, your father's not able to take care of you," Mr. Zheng interrupted, and when Elliot glanced up at him, his heart dropped hard. His face was completely blotted out, plastered by a giant letter X. No gentleness and sweetness were found in his tone... just a plain voice that lacked emotions, "he has been drinking too many beers and he has been a bad person, so we are forced to take you away."

"No, I DON'T understand!" Elliot sobbed as he furiously shook his head. He then gave out as many reasons as possible, trying his best to get his father back, "Dad has never hurt me in any ways! He's... he's not a bad person at all! Even if he drinks and acts weird... he still cares for me! We can still help him! Please... LISTEN TO ME!"

"Mr. Zheng's right, Elliot," there was no need to question Ms. Fairchild on whose side she was in. There was also a similar big X on her face when Elliot looked up at her, "no matter what you do, you can't help him anymore. He's far beyond saving, sweetie. You're just hurting yourself if you keep staying with him. Don't worry, my child, your mother is coming and she'll be the one taking care of you."

The boy could feel his body started to weaken as his legs abruptly turned numb. Beads of cold sweat started to form in the boy's forehead as his body trembled even further. An inevitable gasp escaped from his sore throat despite the sobs racking out of him. No... NO, NO, NO!!!

"NO, I WANNA BE WITH DAD!!!" The child wailed, "I don't wanna be with Mom!"

"Elly... I'm so sorry you have no choice," said Mr. Zheng as he crouched down, grabbing on Elliot's small shoulders, "only your mommy is able to take care of you. I can see how she loves you and is willing to pamper you."

"Mom's the BAD person! She... she's the one who HURTS both Dad and I! If she REALLY CARES about me then she'll NEVER leave me!" The kid couldn't stop screaming at the adults as more tears were shedded from his eyes, "I'll never go and be with her! I HATE her! I HATE her so much!"

His throat burned so much from all the yelling he did, but he never cared about it. All he wanted to do was to stop this horror and get Mr. Zheng and Ms. Fairchild to help him... or at least listen to his explanations. However, nothing seemed working at all.

"Elliot sweetie... that's not how you should talk to your mother," Ms. Fairchild warned, "you're a good boy right? Then listen to what we all have to say. You have no voice on this, we decide what's the best for you, and that's with your mommy."