My little brother is watching Catch That Kid and pointing to Kristen Stuart chanting, "She's a whore. She's a whore."
Ah... eleven-year-old innocence...
Arthur Kirkland stared at the television. His little brother Peter was running around with a toy gun he had gotten for his birthday.
Peter snuck up behind Arthur and pressed the plastic end to his head and pulled the trigger, "BAM!"
Arthur laughed a little, "You're twelve Peter, you're acting like you're five."
Peter smiled and sat next to his brother, "I am not! I just like this toy gun!"
Arthur rolled his eyes. Their father was probably out getting drunk again and their mother was... out of the story. They were pretty much home alone all the time except for when his dad somehow makes it home at four-thirty in the morning and leaves around seven a.m. Arthur pretty much has to be there for Peter all the time. He's more of a father than their actual dad ever was.
His father started becoming an alcoholic when his mother died while giving birth to Peter. His father blamed him and started drinking a lot. He had become quite abusive towards Peter and to Arthur when he tried to make it stop.
"I'm hungry," Peter whined.
"Do you want me to make something?"
"No, I kinda want pizza!"
He rolled his eyes, "Fine, I'll order pizza," he got up to and walked over the phone.
Peter smiled and watched the screen.
When Arthur was about to pick it up it rang, he answered, "Hello?"
"Hello, is Arthur Kirkland available to speak?"
"Speaking."
"Hello Arthur, I've got a bit of sad news here but you're father was just in a car accident. He was injured pretty badly. He collided with two other cars and he's going to have to stay in the hospital for a few weeks but first we're going to have to have you, the oldest in the household, bring all the health insurance papers."
"Uh... yeah of course."
Arthur hung up the phone and looked at his little brother, "Peter? Dad was in a car crash so I need to get the health insurance stuff, okay?"
Peter's eyes turned dark, he smiled a little but his eyes showed every negative emotion, "Okay."
"I'll be gone for a few minutes, I'll be back soon."
Peter nodded and stared at the television screen.
Arthur went through a file cabinet that was next to a large bookshelf. When he picked out the appropriate papers he rushed out of the house. He sat in his car for a little bit, hesitating putting the car into gear. He knew Peter didn't want his father to come home, leave, get drunk, and hurt him. And Arthur didn't want that either.
He remembered his dad's sadness beginning. Arthur was called into the hospital room. His mother lying there, pale and shallow breaths, sweat clinging to her face. His dad was holding her hand and holding Peter in the other. He was smiling, softly tickling Peter every once in a while and squeezing his mother's hand.
Arthur was smiling at Peter, grateful he now had a baby brother. And he glanced at his dad whose face was worried and he held Peter tight against his chest.
"Mary?" his father called.
But it was too late. Her heart has stopped beating.
Anger grew in his eyes, tears threatening to form. He quickly handed Peter to Arthur and ran out of the hospital, leaving a confused Arthur holding a baby and a dead woman. His father didn't come back after that, Arthur was driven home by his aunt.
When he got inside his house he saw his father slouched over the table with several bottles in front of him. Some were beer bottles, some were even empty rum bottles.
Arthur quickly shook back the memories, he put the car into drive and drove to the hospital and handed the doctor the insurance papers. Then he went into the room to see his father, he was bruised badly and asleep.
The nurse suggested he come back later.
Arthur quickly drove back home and walked inside the house. Peter was still glued to the television screen.
Arthur sat next to him, "So, dad's okay. He's just bruised pretty badly and he might have a few broken bones but he'll be fine," he smiled, trying to be a little optimistic.
Peter frowned, "Oh okay."
Arthur sighed and wrapped his arm around Peter, "Look, I know you don't want him to come home but it's something we have to live with. But you'll be okay, I'll keep you safe."
A tear slowly slid down Peter's cheek, "You always say that! And then you don't!" he stood and ran up the stairs and into his room.
The words cut through Arthur like a blade. He looked at the floor, trying to interpret what just happened. Of course he's tried to keep Peter safe. But most of the time it just doesn't work out.
Two years before
Mr. Kirkland stumbled through the doorway, upset to see that Peter and Arthur were still awake. It was really late, or really early.
"What the fuck?" his father yelled when he walked into the living room to see Arthur and Peter watching television together.
Peter rolled his eyes, he knew the routine. He didn't bother to turn around and look at his drunken dad. But he was forced to look at him when his father roughly grabbed his arm and squeezed. The pain shot up Peter's arm and he tried to hold back tears.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you, dunce!"
Peter blinked away the threat of tears and looked his father in the eye, "What made you so upset this time?"
Arthur looked at Peter in disbelief. Peter was going to get in a lot of trouble for talking to his father that way.
The man let go of his arm then slammed his palm against his throat. Tears were forced out of the young boy's eyes and he coughed, "Don't you fucking talk to me like that!"
Peter glared at his father and managed to choke out, "Let me go!"
Arthur stood and tried to peel his father's hand away from Peter's throat, "Look, can we just stop this madness? I'm sure the neighbors will he-" he was interrupted by a hand smacking his cheek. Arthur glared at his dad and tried harder to stop the abuse, "They might call the cops."
His dad let go of Peter, who stumbled to the ground gasping for air, "Arthur, I know for a fact you don't want to know what I've gone through tonight!" he raised his fist in the air and punched Arthur.
Arthur fell backwards and his hand flew to his face, his nose was now bloodied.
"Exactly what have you gone through?" Peter mocked, "Get lost trying to find your way home?"
Arthur glared at Peter, "Peter, please stop it."
His father then attacked the little boy. He grabbed him by the hair and smashed his head onto the tile floor. Soon the white floor was painted red with the blood. When his father was content with how much pain Peter was in he punched him in the right eye. The grown man then walked away and up the stairs as if nothing happened.
Arthur rushed to Peter's side, "See what you get for trying to fight back?"
Peter didn't respond.
"Peter? Are you okay?" he lightly smacked his cheek but there was still no response, "Shit! Fuck!" he ran to the bathroom and pulled out a first aid kit and then to the kitchen where he took an ice bag out of the freezer. He cleaned the blood off his face and quickly bandaged up the wounds. Then he held an ice bag to Peter's head until he became the slightest bit responsive.
When he became least a little conscious he carefully carried Peter up the stairs and into the little boys bedroom where he wrapped him up with blankets.
Arthur locked the door and slept on the floor beside Peter's bed, just in case his father decided to try and take more anger out on his little brother.
That was the first night his father beat Peter unconscious.
Present
Arthur wiped the tears off of his face, he should try harder. Peter was ten back then, and he shouldn't have to go through that. With the abuse the young boy had to go through, it was unbelievable that he was still alive.
The telephone rang, snapping him out of his negative memories. It was a nurse, telling him that his father was awake and that he should come by and check on him. Arthur didn't want to, but he and his brother would go through hell if he didn't.
He walked up the stairs to Peter's room and knocked on the door. When it wasn't opened he just walked in. Peter was lying on his stomach on his mattress with his face buried in his pillow.
"Go away," he said, muffled.
"I'm going to check on dad. I'll be home in about an hour."
"I don't care."
Arthur looked down at his feet, "Want to come with? We can go out for ice cream later."
"No!" Peter sat up and threw the pillow at him, "Go without me! Now leave!"
Arthur wasn't affected by the pillow by much, he just picked it up and placed the pillow on the edge of the bed, "Goodbye then," he turned and shut the door behind him.
At the hospital
Arthur slouched in the chair, listening to his father ramble on about how he should have been there sooner. He was grateful when the nurse walked in and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Arthur? Do you know a young man named Matthew Williams?" she asked.
He nodded, "Yeah, he's my ex's brother. Why?"
"He's in the next room, he wants to talk to you."
He thought about it for a minute, "How does he know I'm here?"
"He was involved in the crash."
"Oh my god!" he stood and followed the nurse to the room. When he saw Matthew there he gasped. He was in worse shape than his father.
He had bruises all over his face and bandages. His arm was inside a cast.
"Matthew?"
Matthew's eyes shot to Arthur and he giggled a bit, "Oh hi Arthur! When I found out that one of the people involved in the crash was your father I just wanted to see you!"
"... Why?"
"I wanted to say sorry. I lost control of the car and I crashed into your father!"
There was something off about the Canadian. He couldn't put his finger on it, he sat down in the chair, "Wow, that's crazy! I mean, the fact you were there."
Mattie nodded, "Yeah, Alfred's car is stupid. The brakes are broken or something."
Arthur nodded, "They stick a bit. Unfortunately, I found that out when I drove in the car with him," he laughed a little bit.
He nodded and stared at the wall, "So, Arthur, you're father was swerving as he was driving. I was trying to stop the car before I hit him but he swerved right into me. What was up with him?"
Arthur shrugged, "He was probably drunk," he looked at the clock, "I gotta go. I have to make sure Peter doesn't starve."
"How is Peter?"
Arthur laughed a bit, "He's a being a little difficult but he's like that a lot."
Matthew nodded, "Bye!"
Arthur waved, "Bye!" he walked out and noticed something strange. The aura outside of Matthew's room seemed lighter. It almost seemed like he could breathe better. It was weird, a light aura in a hospital.
Arthur quickly walked out of the hospital.
For some reason my brother think abusive, alcoholic father's and dead mother's is hilarious... So, I think that this is a bad chapter. But I would very much enjoy reviews...