The young boy remained still, his legs dangling over the couch as the laughter of mockery danced in his mind. The flashing moments of a surrounding group of children with twisted smiles spread across their faces as they spat and kicked him. He remembered the pain of being rained down with fists and stomps, their tongues showering down venomous mockery to crush his soul. He tensed, tears bristling in his eyes as he squeezed his best friend for comfort. However, another painful memory forced its way into play as he was reminded how he was forced to watch the gang of children torture his friend. Their laughter echoed as they tore the ears and eyes off the teddy bear's face, slamming the pieces onto him as they continued to rip the arms and legs away before chucking the toy down onto the mud. Then, when they have reached satisfaction they finished with a final spit of disgust, engraving the word freak into his soul before leaving him to stagger back home. He squeezed his friend again, his only friend, as he whimpered how sorry he was for getting him injured. His body trembled as his posture hunched, trying to hide as droplets of distress fell down his eyes. His breathing became erratic as his facial expressions clinched, tears streaming down of what he tried to hold back. He felt so alone. A light touch told him otherwise as he raised his head to check over his shoulder.
"Momma...?" His mother smiled down at him, giving his shoulder a slight squeeze as she took her place next to him.
"Oh dear, what happened here?" She inquired gently, taking the bear from his hands to examine it. He drew his gaze away, allowing his hands to slip away as the tears began to leak in a more steady flow. "
The kids, they-they-" He grew silent as he felt his tongue quiver and tremble, his words sloshing to gibberish as his figure tightened. His mother kept quiet as she watched her son shatter before her, the delicate boy shaking uncontrollably and beginning to sob violently. Firm tender arms wrapped around the feeble child in a loving embrace, pulling him close to her as she lightly squeezed him for comfort. "Why do they hurt me.."He muttered softly, tilting his head up to meet her warming expression, an inquiry he repeated daily to her. Her smile slightly stretched as her hands leaned over to cup his face, releasing a chuckle of care as she pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Because you're different Jason." The words did not carry any foul attempt as her thumb gently caressed a fraction of bloated skin.
"You carry so much strength and courage. All laying down in here." Her smile grew as she laid a finger on his forehead and his chest causing him to slightly slide a wavy giggle. She released a loving laugh as well as she went to wipe a stray tear from his drooped eye. "Oh Jason, my special, special boy." She cooed as she returned him back to a welcoming hug. "Do you now know what your gift is?" He nuzzles his way closer to her before tilting his face back up to meet an affectionate gaze. An enormous smile is spread across his lips that carries a sense of joy and happiness, brightening through the deformity he was cursed with before he nods. She chuckles once more out of love as she leans over to press a kiss against his cheek. "I'm proud child. You were destined to do many great things."