Dream

Kaiden was surprised by what happened. His mother rushed toward him and hugged him tightly. He was so stunned by this, so he hugged his mother back.

"Kaiden, I thought something bad happened to you. I'm glad you're okay." Mrs. Laura worriedly said it with happiness in her eyes.

Kaiden was so moved by this. He cried, hugged his mother tightly, and said he's sorry. He felt an angel hugging him at that time.

"Mom, I'm so... sorry. I'm fine. Sorry for making you worried." Kaiden said to his mother.

After that, he looked at his mother, but something was wrong. He noticed new bruises and swollen parts on his mother's face and body. On her arms, legs, face, chest, and even on her neck, there are bruises. But something bothers him. They went inside and talked in his room.

(Kaiden's room)

After he put his bag down, her mother checked on him.

"Are you really alright? Your uniform is full of dirt," Mrs. Laura asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but— Kaiden replied, but he was interrupted.

Mr. Kennedy entered his room.

"There you are. Hey! Make me a coffee and cook our dinner already. I'm hungry." Mr. Kennedy irritatingly asked his wife.

Mrs. Laura got up and looked at Kaiden.

"Honey, let me just cook for your father, and after that, let's continue our conversations later, ok?" Then she smiles to reassure Kaiden.

His mother left, and he feels bad about it. Something keeps bothering him. It was his dream. His dream was fuzzy, and he can't remember it clearly. This makes him feel uncomfortable.

"What the hell is that? Why does it keep popping up in my mind? It's me, and...who the hell is that?" he whispered to himself.

(Few minutes later)

The dinner is ready. Mrs. Laura calls Kaiden for dinner. When Kaiden went out of his room, he bumped into his father. This makes his father irritated and push him.

"Get the fuck out of my way, brat," Mr. Kennedy irritatingly said to Kaiden.

Kaiden was pushed against the wall. He looked into his father's eyes angrily. His father noticed it and smacked him in the face.

"The hell are you looking at? You're eyes... you want to fight back, huh? Come on, hit me. Hit me," Mr. Kennedy said, provoking Kaiden.

Kaiden looked down and apologized. He knew that he couldn't do anything; he would just get himself beaten again.

"Fix yourself, fucking useless brat," Mr. Kennedy said with a smirk.

Kaiden clenched his fist as his father walked away. His anger and hatred towards his father grew even bigger.

(while eating dinner)

Kaiden was eating on the opposite side of the table from his parents. So, he can clearly see his parents. He's watching his father while eating and observing his behavior. While he's doing it, his father stops. Mr. Kennedy gets up, and Kaiden prepares himself for the worst-case scenario (his father beating them again for nothing). Mr. Kennedy burped and walked towards the toilet. His father's burp made him flinched and made his heart pounded. Seeing his father go inside the toilet brings relief to his heart. He continued to eat. While eating, he looked at his mother and noticed again that she had fresh bruises on her face. 

"Mom, where did you get that? Did he lay his hands on you again?" he asked his mother in a whisper.

"No, I'm fine. He apologized earlier, so stop thinking about it," Mrs. Laura said to reassure Kaiden.

"Apologized? For what? For beating us every day for no reason at all? Apology is not enough. Mom, let's call the cops. I'll work for you. We can survive with just the two of us," he begged his mother.

"We can't call the cops, honey. Something's bad will happen to you," Mr. Laura replied anxiously.

"I don't care about me. I want to live with you. I don't want to lose you, mom. Come on, let's call the co— Kaiden insists, but his father came out of the toilet.

His mother smiled at him and continued eating.

Kaiden was mad about it. He remembers that, in the corner of his eyes, his father was beating his mother this morning. He clinched his fist again, thinking that he had done nothing about it.

But suddenly, his dream popped into his mind again. He saw a smile, and then it turned blurry. The memory of his dreams fades away again.

"Fuck, who the hell is that?" he asked himself.

(After dinner: inside Kaiden's room)

Kaiden was sitting on the side of his bed in deep thought. He's trying to figure out who the person is that he keeps seeing in his mind. Then suddenly, his mother entered his room. His mother sat beside him.

"Here, I think it was yours," Mrs. Laura said, giving something to Kaiden.

Kaiden reaches for what his mother is trying to give him.

"I'm sorry." Then his mother began to cry.

Kaiden looked at his hand and saw his dog's collar. It broke his heart again, and tears started flowing in his eyes.

"~I'm really...really sorry. I can't do anything for you. I'm sorry. I know this is hard for you. I know you're wishing for better parents, and I understand that. I wish I could give you the life you wanted. I don't even know if I will become a good mother for you. I'm the worst mothe— Mrs. Laura said, but Kaiden hugged him.

"Don't say sorry. You didn't do anything wrong, mom. It's not your fault; it was my father's fault," he said while crying.

"No, don't say something like that, okay?" Mrs. Laura replied.

"~But that's the truth, mom. Why do you keep defending him? Did he threaten you? We need to call the cops now, mom. Please listen to me~" he begged his mother.

Mrs. Laura put her hands on Kaiden's chicks.

"Honey, please calm down. Everything is alright," Mrs. Laura said with a sweet smile on her face.

"~B-But...~" he insists.

"Kaiden, look at me in the eyes. Everything is fine, honey. I'm okay, I'm fine, so don't worry, okay?" she said, smiling.

Kaiden nods and smiles.

"Here, I have a gift for you," she said, handing a small box to Kaiden.

Kaiden reached for it and asked what was inside.

"What is this? Money?" he asked.

"Just open it," she said, then sighed.

Kaiden opened it, and he received a silver necklace with a moon pendant on it.

"Moon? I'm not a kid anymore. I'm a grown man," he said with a silly face.

They looked at each other for a second, then they both laughed.

"I'm not a kid anymore. I'm a grown man." Mrs. Laura mocks Kaiden's words.

They both keep laughing. The Kaiden stopped.

"Thank you," Kaiden said with a teary eye.

Kaiden hugs his mother tightly.

"Honey, honey, I can't breathe," Mrs. Laura said.

Kaiden loosened the tightness of his hug and laughed.

"Oh, sorry, mom. HAHAHAHA," he said.

"I'm okay. I already see God waving at me," she jokingly said.

Then the room is filled with silence.

"Mom, what is this for? It's not even my birthday," Kaiden asked.

Mrs. Laura smiled.

"I gave it to you because, in case I'm gone, this necklace serves as my arms that will embrace you when you're feeling alone," Mrs. Laura replied.

Kaiden placed his hands on Mrs. Laura's shoulder.

"Why are you talking like that? Talking like you're going away or something?" he asked.

Mrs. Laura just laughed at him. Kaiden blushed and looked away.

"Why are you acting like a kid?" Mrs. Laura said, making fun of Kaiden.

Kaiden scratched his head and laid down on his bed.

"Goodnight," he whispered.

"I heard it. You still want my goodnight kiss?" Mrs. Laura said.

Kaiden blushed, and he looked at his mother.

"No, I'm already an adult mom," he replied.

Mrs. Laura laughed and then smiled.

"Goodnight," Mrs. Laura said.

"K," he responds with a cold reply.

His mother smiled and repeated herself.

"Goodnight," Mrs. Laura repeated.

"Okay, okay. Goodnight, mom," he said while feeling kind of embarrassed.

Then his mother smiled again and left. After his mother left, his dream popped into his mind again. This time, he can't see it clearly, and it's all blurry.

"There it goes again. What the hell was that?" He is mad this time.

(Tomorrow Morning)

Kaiden wakes up and gets up from his bed. He headed to the kitchen for breakfast, and what he saw was his father eating while his mother was cleaning the house. He tried to offer his mother breakfast, but his mother kept telling him that she had already eaten. Knowing his mother, he knew that she hadn't eaten yet.

While eating, he noticed something odd. He looked into his father's eyes, and there was something different about them. Mr. Kennedy was looking at his wife oddly. Kaiden has a bad feeling about this, so he told his mother.

(After he ate.)

Kaiden approached his mother while folding clothes. Kaiden can't remember where he saw this kind of look in the eyes.

"~Mom, something different from dad today. His eyes, it's giving me a scary vibe. I want you to be cafefu,— he anxiously said but interjected.

"Don't worry, I'm going to be fine. He's always been like that. Later, he will turn back to normal," his mother replied to reassure him.

"But mom," he insists.

"Hep! No more, but. You're going to be late for school, so go ahead," she said, smiling.

Her smile comforted Kaiden's heart and removed his worries. Then Kaiden heads to school.

(At school: rooftop)

"Shit! There they go again," Kaiden whispered.

The three bullies approach him.

"Good morning, Mr. ATM," Jet said.

"Mr. ATM? Mr. At The Moment?" Marko asked.

"ATM Marko! The fucking machine, you idiot!" Jet replied.

"Oh, okay," Marko said, scratching his head.

"By the way, where's your money? Huh?" Jet aggressively asked Kaiden.

Kaiden handed him his money. Jet reaches for it, then punches him. Kaiden fell to the ground, and Pete kicked him in the stomach.

"What the fuck? I already gave my money. What are you doing? Kaiden asked in confusion.

"It's not enough, so we need to beat you to make up for it," Jet replied, then continued beating Kaiden.

(The bell rings.)

"Fuck! I was just finished warming up," Marko said.

"You fucking lucky bastard. Let's go!" Jet yells at him, then walks away.

Pete stared at him with disgust and left. Kaiden was left alone again on the rooftop. He just endured their punches, and it didn't even bother him. It's so normal to him, like his body adapts to getting beaten. His clothes are dirty and torn apart. He stayed on the ground and missed his classes. He gazed at the sky and wished for strength to fight back. He held his hand upward and clinched his fist.

"I want to become stronger, to protect myself and to protect mom. But how? I'm scared. I'm weak," he said and sighed.

Kaiden didn't realize that he was up there all day. He didn't just miss his classes but also his lunch. It's already late, so he headed home.

(at the street)

While walking, his dream popped into his mind again. This time, it was so clear. He saw himself crying at the side of the bed, and he saw his mother's corpse. He stopped for a while, and he felt nervous.

"What the fuck is that?" He was so confused.

He keeps hitting his head for it to disappear, but his mother's smile keeps popping out.

"Stop it. Stop it. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Aaaurghh!" he said while pulling his hair.

"Mom, why do I keep seeing her smile? Wait, don't tell me—no, no, no, no!" He said, starting to run towards his home.

Kaiden keeps shouting "no" and "be safe" while running. He trips to the ground, but he gets up and continues running.

(at their house)

When he arrived at the front yard, he already noticed something was off. The lights inside their house are all turned off. Seeing this, he rushed inside. When he opens the door, he can't see anything because it's too dark. He turned on the lights, and he saw a messy living room. It's like a tornado passing through their house. But it doesn't matter. He rushed towards his parents room, but he didn't see his mother there. His father is nowhere to be found as well. He searched the kitchen, bathroom, and backyard, but he didn't see his mother there. However, there's only one place he hasn't checked yet, and that's his bedroom.

"~My bedroom~?" he whispered anxiously, then ran.

He rushed inside, and when he opened the door, he found his mother's corpse in his bed. Fresh bruises on his face and body, and swollen eyes. It shuttered his world, and it broke his heart. All the anger and rage he kept inside his heart are leaking. His eyes are filled with vengeance and hatred.

He walked towards the bed, and he saw his mother smiling. Seeing it reminds him of his dream. He felt confusion, anger, hatred, relief, calmness, vengeance, sadness, pain, self-hatred, despair, and guilt, all at the same time. This made him lose his sanity and become detached from the present.

His mother's smile starts to flash in his mind. His tears fall. He just stood there looking at his mother while crying. A minute later, something struck him.

While his mother's smile flashed in his mind, he felt her mother's touch and her embrace. He touches his neck, and he grasps his necklace. He felt his mother's embrace through the necklace and remembered what she told him.

"I gave it to you because, in case I'm gone, this necklace serves as my arms that will embrace you when you're feeling alone," he remembered.

This time, the necklace made him a little bit calmer to get his phone. Although his mother's gift helps him snap back, he finds it difficult to call the cops due to his intense shaking and trembling. His finger fumbles over the screen. Every time he moves his finger, it feels like there's a weight attached to it.

"Come on, move." He keeps on trying to overcome the fear and trauma that are holding him back.

"What's wrong, Kaiden? Move. You have to do this," he whispered to himself.

The silence filled the room. Only his silent crying and his heart pounding were heard inside. He takes a deep breath to calm himself, but the image of his father rushing towards him flashes through his mind. He panicked and dropped the phone. He fell to the ground, and he felt scared. He looks around, and the silence is so loud. He looked at his mother and tried to calm himself. But out of nowhere, his other self appeared.

"Mom endured all the pain and burdens, yet she managed to smile. Now look at you, trembling over something simple like the image of your dad in your dreams. You want to protect your mom? But what happened? She's right there. Protect your mom? Yet you're trembling in fear. You want to protect your mom? But she's already dead. Now what are you going to do? Cry? Come on. Do something," his other self told him.

"How? How?" he asked his other self, but it disappeared.

"Fuck, why am I so fucking useless?" he yells and cries.

"Aurgghh! Fuck it," he whispered, and then he took a deep breath.

Although his vision is blurry due to his tears, he just blinked it off. He holds his necklace, reaches for his phone, and tries to dial the cops. 

"Stop shaking," he says, irritatingly biting his fingers.

"I promise you, mom. I will make him pay for everything that he did," he whispered while typing.

While typing, fears and trauma try to get a hold of him, but with the help of his mother's comfort, he manages to dial the number. His voice starts to shake as he talks to the operator.

—To be Continued—

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