The boy is scared.
He sees his father cough more and more often with wracking tremors that shake his whole body. His father is so strong. He cannot be weak. His father loves him. His father understands him. His father trusts him. His father makes him promise to keep silent. To delete those concerns about those barking, bloody coughs.
But the boy is scared.
He cannot lose his father.
So the boy tries his best to breathe as he approaches the woman that so terrifies him. Darlene cannot help. The boy cannot help. But his mother can. So he must be strong.
He can be strong.
He will be strong.
His mother's dark eyes pierce holes through his body and he trembles.
"What?"
Only whispers emerge. His mother begins to turn away.
"Dad," he manages, "I'm worried about Dad."
His mother's eyes narrow as he explains about the doctors appointments and the coughs and the secrets. His heart stops banging so loudly against his ribs.
Later that night he hears the yelling. His mother's and father's voices twining and intermingling in a harsh dance.
The worry begins to creep back in.
"Elliot."
The boy turns to see his father in the doorway.
"Da-"
"Why did you tell her, Elliot?" his father interrupts.
"I-"
"Why did you betray my trust?" his father's voice gets louder. "You were supposed to be with me, Elliot. We were supposed to be partners!"
The boy feels tears prickle at his eyes.
"No," his father says, taking a step forward, "You don't get to cry."
The boy can feel the hot, harsh breath of his father on his head now.
"We had a deal and you let me down," he barked.
"I'm-"
"I was trying to protect you, Elliot! Can't you see? I was trying to protect all of us!"
"Dad, I-"
"Don't you dare interrupt me!" His father yells, large hands squeezing his shoulders.
The boy tries to take a step forward. A desperate attempt to break through and reach the kind, understanding and loving father that he knew.
But instead, he feels himself wrench backwards, falling, falling, falling.
And as the crashing of the glass window runs mutedly through his mind, he sees the fear in his father's eyes.
Then nothing.
System shut down.