Wild Child
~Chapter One~
The Boy
He wiped away his tears and put on his socks and shoes. He started packing his things. His favorite story book. His water bottle. The rest of the chocolate chip cookies. The Batman action figure Grandpa bought him as a birthday gift. And the map he'd printed out from the Internet.
He turned off the light and closed his bedroom door. His parents' room was very quiet. His father had stormed out of the front door and in anger driven away. His mother had, once again, cried herself to sleep. Their old family dog had passed away the year before the last. He had no one left to say goodbye to.
Slowly he walked down the stairs. With every step he calmed down a little more. He was a big boy now. He wasn't afraid. He wouldn't get lost. His backpack wasn't that heavy. Without a backward glance he left his home and walked into the night. He had one goal in mind. Like all the heroes in stories, he had to set out to find his destiny. He had to leave everything behind. His journey might be uneven or maybe full of danger. He would be brave. He would make smart choices.
Light spring breeze blows through his curly hair. He kept his brown eyes on the road ahead. The streets were quiet. The houses by the side of the road were mostly dark. From time to time a dog barked. From time to time someone laughed. From time to time he felt like crying. He held back the tears. He needed the answer now. He would not turn back. He was still too young to understand the concept of life. However, he had had enough. No one told him anything. Something had been very wrong. He would find the truth all by himself. Everyone told him he was a clever kid.
He stopped to drink some water and ate a cookie. He checked the map. He looked straight ahead and saw the building. His heart raced in his rib cage. He braced himself and resumed walking. Finally, he stopped in front of the building. He walked in. The man behind the desk in the lobby looked at him without expression. He carefully took the slightly wrinkled business card out of his pocket and asked for the owner of the company. He took the elevator to the 5th floor. He looked around the empty conference room and started feeling a little bit nervous. A man walked in. Tall. Dark. Without making a sound.
"Mr. Manoso?" His voice cracked a little. The man held his gaze and nodded. Suddenly he felt very small and tiny. The long walk had worn him down and he had a taste of true helplessness for the very first time. "My name is Justin Morelli." The boy blinked and swallowed hard:
"Are you my real father?"