Rising Star: Book 3 of The Orion Series

The Beginning Of Everything

**TRIGGER WARNING** Discussion of abuse.

You look at me

But what do you see?

A walking cliche 

To keep at bay

I open my mouth

These words tumble out

Uniquely designed

Concubine

Little devil is out to play

My coping skills are lacking

It's not due to my slacking

It is what it is (As they say) [3x]

Are you a skeptic?

Sure I'll just wreck it

This path isn't clear

So let's move against fear

What the scholars taught

I thought I had bought

What went wrong

When I wasn't strong

Is it calling you too?

Cover your face

Smell this distaste

It is what it is (As they say) [3x]

--The song Screaming Skin, lyrics by Orion Bauwens

Orion has no idea the following conversation happened. Even to this day, practically two decades later. If he knew I know he'd be pissed.

I don't know why Orion doesn't want people to help him. Is it because he's embarrassed? Maybe he doesn't want to burden people or some ridiculous crap like that. Or maybe it's because if he allowed people to help him, he'd have to admit something was wrong in the first place, and I know he doesn't like that.

A few days have passed since I saw Orion last. My dad is on the road, so it's just my mom, my sister, and I. I've been avoiding my mom because I don't want to have this uncomfortable conversation with her. At the same time I know I have to.

"Hey mom?" I ask, leaning against the door frame of the kitchen.

She looks up from the Sudoku puzzle she's doing and smiles. "Hi sweetie."

"Um, could we talk?"

"Of course," she says, not even batting an eye.

I come and sit across from her. I can't look at her in the face. "Um...I had a question, about how something works."

"Of course."

I scratch the nape of my neck. "What do you do if you think a kid is being abused by their parents?"

My mom takes in a quiet, sharp intake of breath. She then let's it out slowly. "Why?"

"Well," I say, looking at her. I then get nervous again so I just look at my lap. "I think someone I know is in a bad situation, but I don't think they can do much about it, but I wanna help them." I glance at her and I can feel my cheeks redden.

"Do you think this person," she says gently, leaning against the back of her chair, "would be willing to stand up for themselves and admit that they're being abused?"