One
The nightmare forces him awake. He sits up in bed; sweaty and shaking. Sally and Flynn are in the next room, so he sits absolutely still, so he doesn't wake them again. He's only been living with them for a week, and he still keeps waiting for one of them to hurt him, but they don't. His father's face lingers in his dreams; the sight of him tumbling down the stairs still haunts him. But he is slowly healing. He knows that he will be left with scars, both physical and emotional. But he knows they will fade in time.
Two
Matilda was the only one in the school who didn't hate him, the only one who would talk to him. But he pushed her away, just like he had pushed Dan away, his best friend away. He kept telling himself that it was for the best, they would only end up letting him down. But it still hurt. He was living with Sally and Flynn now. Eventually they would leave, and he would be left alone, like always. But until then he's going to enjoy being part of a family, he's going to enjoy growing up, before it's too late.
Three
The first few punches began to rain down on him; the pain began to consume him. It was a familiar routine: get home, get beaten, get himself cleaned up. But he could never get used to the pain, not just of the fists, but of the betrayal. His chores were made worse by the sheer agony that his injuries caused. As he worked, his father would get even more drunk, and then the insults and the beatings would start again. They left him feeling useless and weak and scared, knowing that it would happen all over again the next day.
Four
Dan listens patiently as Dalby shouts. He figures it's the least he can do. The kid is mixed up, there's no doubt about that. If Flynn's hunch is correct, Dalby had an abusive father at home. It explained a lot of things, like why Dalby put on such a tough act. It also explained why the kid flinched away any time an adult got too close to him. As Dalby continues to rant Dan is filled with guilt. As a counsellor, he should be able to stop it. But he knows that all he can do for now is listen.