Normal is overrated

Adam Clarke's life is not nice.

Raised by an abusive father and an alcoholic mother Adam's childhood was a far cry from normal. From the moment he opened his eyes to the moment he closed them again his life was miserable; the only sliver of happiness he experienced was when he was with his two younger sisters. Jenifer and Madison meant everything to Adam, and he would do anything to keep them safe. This, unfortunately, meant that young Adam was his father's punching bag.

Adam was six years old when his father first tried to hit Jenifer. Screaming was only he could he think of that would have stopped his hand from landing on her tiny frame, so he screamed and he kicked and he punched. The unmatched fury he saw in his father's was eyes nothing like he had ever seen before in his life; and the beating which followed was the worst not only in its severity but also in its impact on Adam's life. But his father hadn't hit Jenifer so for Adam it was worth it.

Six broken ribs, two black eyes, a fractured jaw, a busted lip and a broken nose aren't exactly injuries you can explain away; so after an extensive investigation into the life of the Clarke family the Clarke children were removed from the care of their parents, with Mr Clarke being imprisoned for domestic abuse.

Adam and his sisters spent three years in foster care before being adopted by the Williamson's. They were a loving and caring couple but Adam was far too damaged to accept their love. Instead he watched as his sisters got the childhood they deserved. After years of self care and the willing support of his new family Adam finally opened himself up to the world again. But the simply smacked him down even harder.

Is Adam too damaged to ever live a normal life? What even is normal anyway? Is it a tangible goal or is Adam doomed to be abnormal for the rest of his miserable existence?