The 14-year-old photographer stood alone outside his step dad Joey's house after just seeing his half sister, Angie. He took some pictures of his surroundings and started to walk home feeling a pang of anxiety rise within him. A pain he can't rid himself of, he's hurt, hurt in a place that needs a special kind of healing. He put his hand over his chest ….the pain was from his heart. A most troublesome territory, and the heart can only be healed by something called love, which he was yet to receive, especially from his own father. Craig walked through the door and saw Albert sitting at the table with his fingers massaging his temples in frustration and looked at Craig with a glare. A glare full of bitterness, impatience, and pure anger towards the teenager that had just walked in.

Craig was terrified. Completely and utterly full of fear of his father's cruel intentions, which he had already experienced, and he didn't look forward to anymore physical abuse, from whom he had called father. Craig tried to love him…but deep down in his heart had always despised Albert. He just couldn't, HE COULD"NT ANYMORE!! Why is it me he has to lash out on, why me!?!? Albert rose from his seat acting as cold as usually as he advanced towards Craig.

"Dad….w-what's going on?" Albert shot Craig an infuriated glance.

"Just shut up and come with me!"

Craig paced himself for what is father had in mind and why. Craig followed his dad upstairs, they went into Craig's room and Albert slammed and locked the door behind them.

"Now Craiger…what did I tell you!!" Craig didn't understand what his father meant but was startled by his sudden outburst. He took a step back as his father snatched his camera out of Craig's hands and tossed it fiercely into the wall and Craig felt crushed as the pieces of what was once his beloved camera had scattered to the carpeting. Craig looked up and expected an explanation for- his father smashing one of his most precious belongings, but instead got a harsh punch in the face. Craig fell to the floor; Albert stomped towards him and gave Craig two more blows in the face from each side. Just then, he grabbed Craig by the collar with a look of hatred in his eyes. He choked Craig as he lifted him up to the wall tightening his hold on Craig's neck.

"DON'T BE A DUMBASS!! WHY DID YOU GO TO THAT MORON'S HOUSE!?" Just then Albert leaned in next to Craig's ear, and whispered, "You know he doesn't care about you...like I do". Albert then released his hold on Craig's neck and shoved him into his closet shutting him into darkness. Craig lay stunned in the closet as he heard the door slam and sat up reaching for the way out and when he finally did and tried to open the door and failed he realized, Great ….I'm locked in.

Hours later, Craig awoke finding himself still locked in darkness. Craig was saddened by this because when he had fallen asleep hours ago he was hoping it was just a nightmare but it turns out it wasn't. He heard footsteps coming from up the stairs growing closer, Craig's heart began to beat fast, each beat hurting him even more. He heard the door to his bedroom open and in faster then he could keep up his father had unlocked and thrust open the closet door. Craig squinted at the light since he had been in a dark closet for the past five hours.

Looking very stern Albert said, "Get up! Dinner's downstairs." Albert walked out and slammed the bedroom door, Craig stood up cringing at the fresh pain from his most recent beatings this afternoon. After Albert had left the bedroom, he began stomping down to the kitchen. Craig stepped out and began to clean up the bits and pieces of the smashed camera that still lay strewn across the bedroom floor.