The Boy With Open Eyes.

Chapter 14: Tears

Cooper's P.O.V.

It never occured to me how in each of Dad's photos of him as a kid there's a bruise or a bandage in there even if their tiny. I spent some time making a device that will show the memories of an object or how it was made like a photo. It is sorta hard to explain as I don't do well in explain it but it basically shows what the object was made for or who used it. There is this abandoned carousel that Mr. Bare said they made for Dad when they were younger as a thank you gift and Dad always rode it until he left the kingdom. So after SEVERAL retakes and tests I finally got it working the way it was supposed to work!

I thought I would try the carousel first and watch the first time Dad saw it and went on it after setting the date that Mr. Bare said they showed him the carousel. I went over to the rustic looking carousel and placed the small box shaped device on the ground aiming the camera towards it. After it gave the simple click I put in the sate of the memory into the input box since the date helps the machine better but it can work without the date. I waited a moment before the camera started making a hologram of the memory. I saw Dad, Ted, and Martin, and Shane there

The four of them walked up giggling while Dad was blindfolded and guided to the carousel. Dad was wearing a cast along with some dark purple bruises on his body but he was confused before they slowly take off the blind fold and then there his voice was heard

"Oh it's beautiful!!" He said with a big smile to his friends. They laugh and say to him

"It's a thank you for all the times you helped us and we know you love carousels!" Said 14 year old Shane.

Dad walked up to the carousel slowly going up to the owl and getting on it as beautiful music played.

Dad's three friends just watched Dad as he passed by them and waved each time.

Dad seemed so full of peace and happiness while on that carousel and even as a not so happy 15 year old he seemed happy. It's like those dark purple bruises didn't hurt when indeed they looked very painful and disgusting to see on such a young child. Just as it continued to play such happy moments Grandpa came in and started yelling at Dad who seemed scared but happy to see him. Grandpa yelled at him

"What do you think your doing? Why did you sneak off!?!?" He grabbed Dad harshly and started dragging him away by pulling his hair.

My blood ran cold as soon as it was over as it hit me all at once what the device showed me.

I went over to the castle and took a picture of the front yard waiting for something to appear. Something appeared it was Dad and many other children who seemed malnourished working in the garden as Grandpa yelled and hit them. Dad was crying but still held a smile while he worked as if this was normal to him and other other malnourished children there with him. Dad seemed to have messed up somehow and Grandpa came up to him hitting Dad repeatedly with a rock and Dad only seemed to be 10 or 11 at most. The device stopped playing and I decided maybe this wasn't a good choice and that I shouldn't see things that would only disturb me.

I wondered why Dad seemed so happy even while that was happening to him and how he always told us stories about Grandpa being a great Dad but now I know it's a lie from what my device showed me. I decided to head back to Lin just to forget what I saw and check on Lin as well. He's been getting better and even found some videos of Dad that he recorded back then and got some more sent to him by Mr. Bare and those other two friends who don't speak to us often.