Hello, and welcome to Justin's Adventure in Malice! The title sucks, I know. This is one particular plot bunny that WOULD NOT BUDGE. My first story, so please don't flame too hard. I apologise for any comma abuse.
Disclaimer- I own nothing, not even the computer I am typing this on.
Justin stomped into his room, and slammed to door so hard he thought it might fall off its hinges. His face and back still smarted. His father's enraged shouting drifted up the stairs, telling him to come down this freaking minute or he'd give him a beating he won't soon forget, but Justin ignored him.
Opening the door, Justin checked that his dad wasn't coming up the stairs. Locking the door he walked over to his wardrobe. Reaching inside, he shoved aside dirty clothes, and finally pulled out a comic.
It was deep red, like blood, with a spiky black M on the front. The wax seal was still intact. Using a pocketknife, Justin carefully pried open the seal and pulled out the comic, hands shaking with anticipation. A boy screamed out at him from the cover, eyes wide in terror as a snarling lizard the size of a horse sprang toward him. A grin spreading across his face, Justin settled back and began to read.
O0o0o0o0O
The door banged open, slamming against the wall. Stumbling, Justin snagged a tissue and pressed it to his nose. It came away stained red. With a scowl, he threw it in the bin, beyond caring about the thick stream of blood now flowing down past his lip. That was it. He shoved his bed to the left, exposing a hole in the wall; the result of one of his worse days. Carefully reaching inside, Justin soon had five items laid out before him; a twig, a black crow's feather, a wad of cat fur, a cigarette lighter and a glass vial that held a single tear. All he needed now was a bowl.
O0o0o0o0O
Creak
Creak
Creak
Justin winced with every step, cursing inwardly. Reaching the hallway, he crept toward the kitchen, pressing himself to the wall, stopping every few metres. He peered in the doorway, and froze. His dad was there. Sprawled in one of the chairs; head back and limbs and strange angles, several empty beer bottles piled on the table beside him. Deep rumbling snores, punctuated by gurgling snorts and grunts, filled the room. Carefully, and achingly slowly, Justin shuffled past, hiding in the shadows. He opened a cupboard, flinching as it squeaked. A mumble came from the figure slumped in the chair. Hurriedly, Justin grabbed an old chipped bowl and snuck back toward his room, past his father. A packet of cigarettes lay on the table. Justin shrugged and reached out. A hand clamped round his wrist.
"No". His dad glared at him, voice rough and eyes still fogged with sleep. His grip tightened painfully. With a gasp, Justin nodded hurriedly and tried to pull his hand away. His dad's hold loosened, though the man still eyed him suspiciously.
"What you doin' out here anyway?" He asked.
Justin's mind froze his jaw working uselessly as he searched for an answer.
Oh god, no… What do I say?
"Uh, j-just, um, getting some… food. Yeah, that's it. I was hungry. I missed dinner, remember?"
Please believe it. Please dad, just this once, believe me.
His father blinked while Justin waited, breathless.
Please believe it, don't punish me, DON"T KEEP ME HERE!
At last, his dad nodded and released Justin's wrist; apparently satisfied, though his eyes never left his son's.
"Just don't drink the booze".
Nodding, Justin ran upstairs, heart still thumping in his chest.
O0o0o0o0O
Twig, feather, fur and tear. All entered the bowl, and the small, flickering flame ignited the cat fur, the smell making Justin gag. Taking a deep breath, he said the words, those five words he'd wanted to say for such a long time.
"Tall Jake, take me away".
He didn't regret this.
"Tall Jake, take me away".
Would it work?
"Tall Jake, take me away".
Would Malice be any better than here?
"Tall Jake, take me away".
He had to do it now, before his nerve gave out.
"Tall Jake, take me away".
He could do this.
"Tall Jake, take me away".
God, how he wanted those words to be true.
Nothing.
The tiny flame still burned; stuttering weakly, casting faint shadows across the walls and ceiling. Showing just how empty, how devoid his room was, of the thing he had pinned all his hopes on.
Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
He shouldn't have gotten his hopes up. Shouldn't have believed that it was anything other than a stupid rumour. Because it wasn't real. None of it was. Tall Jake wasn't real, Malice wasn't real, and he was going to be stuck in this bloody hellhole forever.
Feeling more drained than he had in weeks, Justin heaved himself up and crawled into bed, not bothering to snuff out the flame that still burned in the bowl. His last thoughts before he fell asleep were how angry his dad was going to be in the morning.
The flame winked out.
I am really sorry that this chapter is barely more than a drabble. I'll try and make them a bit longer next time. Updates will be slow, you have been warned.