A/N: Strong Language. Adult scenes. Featuring Brendan Brady from TV Show Hollyoaks. In this Story Brendan's Seventeen.
How many times had Brendan Brady run away? He couldn't count anymore. It didn't matter if the neighbour ratted him out. Or his friend's mother called the house. It always ended the same. His Nan would cry. She'd leave the room. His Dad would come in and shut the curtains. "You're a coward, Brendan. Just like your mother" His Dad would say. As Brendan got older he thought his Dad would think twice about hitting him. But he was wrong. The beatings would be worse every week.
Brendan could feel the pain before his Dad touched him, but Daddy's punishment would have to be put on hold. His sister Cheryl had got back from school and they could hear her calling his name, hoping that he was back home. "Bren!" She shouted. His Dad backed away from him disappointed that they'd been interrupted. "Go to her" He ordered. Brendan got off the bed. They could both smell the urine. He stayed on the bed as his Dad threw him a pair of fresh trousers. His Dad left and Brendan changed.
"He's back Chez!" Seamus shouted. Cheryl went upstairs to see her brother. "Bren….are you okay?" She asked hugging him. "I'm…fine" Brendan said faking a smile to cheer his little sister up. "All this running away all the time…where do you go? Can I come with you next time?" Cheryl asked. Brendan shook his head. He couldn't let Cheryl be dragged into his darkness. He'd never forgive himself. To celebrate Brendan being at home safe and sound Nan cooked a dinner. Brendan didn't eat much even under the prodding of his father.
"Brendan don't be so ungrateful….eat up" His Dad said. Brendan prodded at the vegetables and nibbled on a potato wedge. He watched TV with his sister until she fell asleep. Nan took her upstairs. Then she made herself a cup of tea before going to her room. Just what their father wanted. Brendan on the sofa unaware. Brendan went to his room and lit a cigarette. He didn't smoke it. He didn't like to smoke cigarettes, he only smoked occasionally when his friends did. He sat the ashtray on the drawers and kept burning the tip of the cigarette, the flames turning amber soothed him before they faded into dark ashes.
Brendan sniffed it before he heard the creak of the door. He put the ashes in-between his fingers. If only he could disappear like the flames did…"Brendan, what have I said…about smoking?" His Dad whispered. "Dad I'm not….." He couldn't finish the sentence as his father hoisted him up onto the bed. "Running away Brendan? Why would you do that? To you Nana? To your sister? They care about you, they love you….but…..not as much as I do" His father Seamus said punching Brendan in the face and turning him around on the bed.
"We don't wanna wake your sister do we?" Seamus asked. Brendan squirmed as his Dad started pulling down his trousers. Blood oozed down his lip and his face was beginning to stick to his quilt. As Seamus' hand slid into him, Brendan grabbed his father's wrist like he'd done so many times before. Only this time, it had the desired effect. Seamus yelled and fell back on the floor in pain. Brendan slowly turned around. "What the fuck did you do to me?" Seamus growled. They looked at his wound. It was a burn. Seamus' skin was red, blisters were bubbling up at the surface of his wrist.
"Burning me with cigarettes….you bastard" Seamus said getting up and walking out. Brendan Sat up unsure of what happened. He looked at the cigarette and couldn't remember grabbing it. Afraid of bumping into his Dad in the morning Brendan wiped the blood off of his face with a dirty T-shirt from his hamper. He packed a bag full of clothes in a rucksack and travelled out of town for what he thought was for good. He thought he could pick-pocket in the first bar he came across. All the drunkards wouldn't know what day of the week it was…..they'd be easy pickings. He went into the bar and ordered tap water, it was the only thing that was free. He was sipping water looking at other guys getting drunker when he heard a loud voice on a microphone.
"Who's up next?" The man on the microphone asked. Brendan heard loud shouting and screaming from the back of the bar. He wondered closer towards the sounds only to see spectators standing and cheering around a well built cage.
"Are you gonna let him take your hard-earned money?" The host asked.
"No!" The crowd screamed. Brendan had to move around a few giant drunks before he got to see who everyone was yelling at. A tall muscular guy was standing in there, leaning his head against the wire. He was shirtless with dark pants on. Brendan couldn't see this guy's face, but he was already scared of him.
"I'll fight him!" A huge bald guy said. Brendan thought he looked like a biker. He was tall and looked strong. He got in the cage and was instructed by the Referee to stay away from the guy's crown jewels.
"Thought you said anything goes?" The guy said.
"It does, but that just pisses him off" The Referee said. Brendan saw the battle. The bald biker guy struck first with powerful punches in the guy's face and stomach. The guy fell on the floor dazed. The biker guy went for the kill until the other guy kicked him in the face. In a fierce frenzy the guy jabbed and struck the biker until he was knocked out on the floor. The biker got dragged away by what looked like a high-school rate medic.
"Ladies and Gents here is your winner…..Wolverine!" The host said. He got boos from the crowd but Brendan thought the way that "Wolverine" fought back was amazing. It like something out of a boxing movie. He stayed around hoping that Wolverine would show his face again. After going the toilet to leak out his sixteenth tap water he came out and saw Wolverine sipping from a beer bottle at the bar. Brendan had to speak to him, only if it was just to say a clumsy "Hi"
Brendan made his way to the bar smiling at Wolverine, but he didn't pay attention. He cringed when Wolverine turned away from him watch the television. Wolverine didn't notice that the biker he'd beaten was swimming around him like an angry shark. The biker tapped Wolverine on the shoulder and said: " You think I don't know what the fuck you are? I want my money" The biker said.
"Get lost" Wolverine snapped. He thought it was over until Brendan saw the biker get out a pen-knife.
"Look out!" Brendan shouted. In a blink of an eye metallic claws came out of Wolverine's skin like unleashed swords. Brendan's jaw dropped.
The bar owner pointed a gun at Wolverine's head. Threatening customers like that wasn't good for business.
"Get out of my bar, freak" He said cocking the gun. Wolverine left and Brendan followed him. He got into the back of Wolverine's van without him noticing.
Or so Brendan thought.
Two minutes or so later Wolverine stopped his van and opened the doors. He peeled back the sheet gently.
"Get out" Wolverine said. Brendan shook his head, but seeing Wolverine's stubborn face, it convinced him to get out.
"I've got no-where else to go" Brendan said.
"Don't care" Wolverine said.
"I saved your life" Brendan said, but those words fell on deaf ears as Wolverine shut the doors and drove away. Brendan had no choice but to walk alongside the road. His trainers were sticking in the mud and the clouds were turning from a misty white to a worrying grey when he saw Wolverine's van. Without thinking Brendan ran up to the van and knocked on it.
"Ummm…..are you okay?" Brendan asked.
"Get in" Wolverine said gruffly. Brendan got in the passenger seat and shut the van door before Wolverine could change his mind.
"How far's home?" Wolverine asked.
"Home?...I don't have one" Brendan lied.