Precious Boy (Short Story)

Chapter 2

This is the edited version of the story. I didn't want to change to much, i wanted to keep the integrity of the story, just clean it up a bit. So here is the editied version:

I was sitting alone on my couch, shoving my toes deeper into the warm blanket. Gentle steam bubbled up from the mug of hot tea sitting in my hands, perfuming the air in wisps of camomile. The tv droned on brainlessly, the white noise bouncing off the walls of the room. I finally gave up on trying to focus on who was the baby daddy and got up, throwing the blanket that was wrapped around me lazily over the couch.

I entered my room, switching the small lamp on to cast a gentle glow across the space. I flopped down on my bed and grabbed my cell phone. Suddenly, I heard a knock at the door. I groaned out, not wanting to move from my bed. The sound rang through my house again.
Knock.
I rolled to my back, staring at the ceiling, desperately hoping whatever inconvenience lay at my door would move on.
Another knock.

I pulled myself up and sauntered over to the door and opened it slowly, still clinging onto the hope that nothing would be on the other side. My annoyance at being disturbed melted into confusion as my eyes landed on the little boy sat on my doorstep, shirt torn to rags and his shorts covered in brown mud. A small necklace of a black, full moon hung around his neck.

He turned his head up slowly to see me, as if I'd disappear if he actually looked. I could see the thick soot on his face marred with shiny lines of saltwater over his full cheeks. The boy was about 5 or 6 and obviously was in need of a warm bed and a nice meal. He gazed at my belt, directly at his eye level, his fingers wringing the hem of his ratted shirt.

He slowly lifted his arm to show a gaping wound, with tooth like gashes. I gasped in shock, dried blood surrounded the deep gouge in his skin. "What happened?" I asked, he only shifted his head to look at the ground. Hard sobs wracked through him. "Hey, hey! Don't cry, it will be alright," I soothed, bending down on my knees to look at his face.

I hesitantly reached forward, wiping away his tears with my thumb, "What's your name, sweetheart?" He looked up at me, and frowned. He furrowed his eyebrows and seemed to be having trouble answering. "J." He whispered, wringing his hands. I smiled softly, "J, do you know where your mom is?" Fresh tears welled underneath his eyes.

"Wanna come inside for some grilled cheese?" I asked, quickly changing the subject, noticing the tear. I held my hand out, still kneeling. He hesitated before nodding and grasping my hand. I lead him into my house and into the small bathroom.

I grabbed a washcloth and gently wiped the soot and dirt off of his face, revealing his soft, tan skin. I repeatedly rinsed the washcloth and washed his arms and I pushed the washcloth into his hands and looked at him. "Im going to find you some clothes, Do you think you can wash your legs?" I asked him, waiting for his answer. He nodded shortly and sat down on the tile floor and started washing his legs.

"I'll be right back." I walked into my room and rummaged through my closet, looking for old clothes. I found a small, red shirt and a pair of shorts that would be long enough to be pants on J. I walked back to the bathroom, J was sitting on the tile still. His legs were clean and i could see the rinsed washcloth hung over the side of the bath to dry. I smiled at his courtesy and sat down next to him. "Thank you." The corners of his lips tugged into a half-smile.

I reached for his arm and he placed it in my hands. I finally addressed his wound, He flinched when I gently rubbed the skin around it. In the bright light, i could see the reality of the wound. Bite shaped marks indented the skin around the sore, red gash in his skin. Dried blood marred his skin, but i didn't see anymore blood coming from the wound. I finally cleaned the wound, and wrapped it in a bandage and gauze. Once i tied of the gauze, he slumped his shoulders and looked up at me.