A/N: A small little story about Ian's troubled past.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Summary: A small side story from 'Welcome Home' concerning Ian. This is his escape. This is his story.
No Guardian Angel
My fragile fingers moved to my throbbing cheek, feeling it pulse until the pain subsided. In front of me stood a figure known to me as: mother. Her arm was raised in mid-air and her face was concealed by ebony strands of hair, shielding her tear filled eyes. Behind that curtain of hair was her face, cloaked in darkness… cloaked in fear.
"Weakling!" she hissed.
I was no weakling; she was. Within her troubled mind, she thought I was the one who should be disposed of. I should be the one who should be condemned into the purity of white. Pushing myself off the ground, I shot a look into her eyes. All the things I wanted to say were at the edge of my tongue, ready to be discharged into her malice filled heart. Instead, I remain silent.
She understood I challenged her authority. Releasing a war cry, she lunged toward my neck with nails piercing my flesh.
Go ahead. I thought feeling my life slowly slip away through her fingers. Break it.
"You should be dead… That woman should have died with you!" she said, her fingers constrict tighter.
Maybe I should be. The only mistake I ever made was being born from my mother whom was despised by this woman. Although I was young, I still knew what was right and what was wrong. What she was doing was wrong but somehow, I knew it felt right. Since mom died long ago, I could barely remember anything. I don't even remember dad's face; all I remember was that he was a shadow. Feeling her grip tighten, my mind took me back trying to remember the faces of my parents.
What faces?
I suddenly felt her grip loosen around my neck. Opening my eyes, I saw my step-mother crumble onto the floor with hands shielding her face. Behind her was my father, or that's who I thought he was. The man behind her held her tight whispering into her ear. I didn't quite understand what they were saying but I knew it wasn't good. My grip tightened on my teddy almost waiting for the final verdict.
"That child does not belong here," I heard through muffled sobs. Even at the age of five, I understood what that meant.
"Then he shall be gone."
I nodded, walking to the other room where my things were neatly kept in a small bag. My small hands moved to my throat where it hurt but nothing was worse than the thing pounding in my chest. I didn't understand what the feeling meant but I knew I had to go. Stuffing teddy into my backpack, I've decided to be consumed by the snow. Pushing the door open, I took one last glance at my 'parents'.
They're not mommy or daddy…
I thought walking pass them listening to my rubber shoes come in contact with the wooden floorboards, I felt eyes on me. With every exhaled breath, I know that they were waiting for me to open this door and… disappear. Getting on my toes, I turned the doorknob. It whipped opened, sending me to tumble backwards. I grunted, pushing myself off the ground walking to the door. The moment I was about to step out, my body involuntarily lurched forward. My feet didn't command my movements.
"GET OUT YOU RAT!"
My step-mother grabbed me from behind, tossing me into the blizzard. My head knocked onto a large boulder sending shocks through my skull. Shaking my head, I pushed myself off the ground and spun around. 'Mother' stood in the doorway screaming out things a child shouldn't hear. She told me to die. She told me that I shouldn't exist. She told me I was worthless garbage.
Dusting snow off my winter coat, I watched my father appearing behind the beast, pulling her back into the comforts of home.
"The strong shall live, the weak shall die,"
I recited that line so many times, I lost count. Making my way through the blizzard was difficult; my small body didn't take the cold so well. I walked and walked, rubbing my hands together pressing on. There was no place for me to go to except forward, walking alone in the blanket of snow. I knew that soon death would come and greet me…
Falling onto my knees I breathed hard as the dry air moved into my lungs, freezing every inch of it. I knew I didn't have much time.
"The strong shall live, the weak shall die," I whispered.
My arm shook from desperation. I decided I was going to beat all odds. I was going to survive! I was going to survive for myself! I was going to—
"Ugh…"
A cold gush of wind knocked me forward as my face planted into the snow. My fingers twitched.
"She was no guardian angel…" I said quietly as my voice was overcome by the howling wind. "No guardian angel…"
Before I closed my eyes hoping for a long, comforting sleep, my eyes focused onto a black mass in front of me. It got closer… closer… closer.
"The strong shall live, the weak shall die…"
Since that snowy day, I survived. I lived. I'm alive.