Unhinged √

14.

The greater the loss, the deeper the cut
- Klaus Mikaelson🖤

     I laid on my bed surrounded by a mess I created. There were voices in my head, a lot of them.

Sexual assault

"Break every bone in my body".

Rape.

"Go to your room!"

Beaten to a pulp.

"Hopefully this one doesn't turn out like his father".

I sat up and hugged my knees, naked torso adorned with numerous droplets of sweat. Heatwave.
Summer wasn't my favorite season, that is why the air conditioning was the first thing I had fixed when I moved into the apartment.

I had it on full blast but it was no match for my racing mind and boiling blood.

"Travis, what happened?" Dad had asked but my lips stayed sealed. What my eyes had seen, my lips felt too heavy to speak.

This was your fault. I had thought but never said.

"I'm going out for some air". It was the night before the funeral.

"I don't think dad is coming".

"I'm always gon' be here for you".

"Papa is a lion".
What a joke.

      I got out of bed and pulled the blinds open, staring out at the beautiful landscape. The sun was rising, casting an orange glow on rusty rooftops and I watched, fighting off thoughts of my dad who went for a walk and never came back.

I was supposed to be at the garage in ten minutes but I didn't want to go, I didn't want to be associated with a man who killed my mother with his recklessness so I stood by my window and watched people begin to go about their day in scanty clothings and sunglasses.

     By the time I decided that he didn't get to affect my life because I was working for the money he paid me, I was over an hour late for work but got dressed anyway and headed out. The place was quiet and I understood why when I was told that Kazeem wasn't working our shift.

I was grateful for that, the boy got on my nerves much easier than I liked and I could use some quiet time while my hands got busy. I went halfway through my shift without feeling any better than when I walked in.

There weren't a lot of problems to fix and with nothing else to keep it occupied, my mind drifted to...
"Travis". Him.
It was alarming how only his voice could have me feeling cold inside.

"Boss". I turned to face Murphy who looked like he just received a spa treatment.
"You used to call me pops". He said with a nostalgic smile.
"That was before you walked out on us". He sighed.
"I... "

"I mean I get that Casville is thousands of miles away from home but you've had over a decade to trek your way back".
"I get that you are upset and... "
"You get nothing. Not even a bit". I watched his shoulders slack as he stuffed a hand in his pocket.