A/N: So last chapter we had good ol' Stan bring up Brookie's mother - Here we go into the past and find out a little more about her and our Brooklyn's upbringing.
Round of applause for Roy who did this chapter allllll by herself.
Enjoy!
K.
Chapter 26 - Ms. Masefield
"Tag! You're it!"
Through a shrieky giggle, a beaming face skid to a halt on the grass, turning himself to run back after the one who just tapped him, vibrant red hair flopping as his small body ran.
Not far away, teal eyes watched diligently under her own mop of matching red hair, thrown up in a messy bun on top of her head.
She slouched a little more on the bench, wrapping her slightly worn out navy jacket tighter round herself.
Five more minutes...
Her eyes came off her son for the briefest moment to side glance the small group of women huddled like penguins on the next bench.
...Whispering...
She didn't like them...
But that was fine. She was here for one person and one person only.
They could judge away.
"Tag! Now you're it!"
"Nuh uh! I had my barrier up to protect me! You're still it..."
"No fair! We said no barriers!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did nootttt!"
The round face puffed, getting redder than his hair.
He always did this! He didn't like it!
"Did too!"
The herd of mothers snapped their heads as crying pierced through their ears, seeing the red haired boy standing and the other on the floor rubbing his bumped butt.
"Oscar!?" the blubbing child's mother exclaimed, snapping her head to the loner on the other bench, making the other penguins do the same.
"Are you not going to do something about your son!?" she spat angrily, still moving to go check her baby.
On the bench, the shoulder pads and arms of the navy coat shrugged, palms facing up with an unbothered little smile on her face.
"They did say no barriers..."
She got a seething look back.
"Come on Oscar...it's time to go." she spat out, picking up her wounded prince to get away from the weirdo and her spawn as quickly as possible.
Ohhhh she would have a mother's meeting about this!
Waving goodbye, the lone mother turned her attention back to her own son.
"I guess it's time for us to go home as well, Brook!" she called over.
The little boy came over with a guilty looking pout.
Stupid Oscar...he never played fair.
And then his mommy always blamed him for it!
At least his own mommy was on his side...
They walked quietly down the gradually darkening streets, turning off to the run down looking apartment block where the same five flights of stairs waited to be climbed.
His little legs carried him as he huffed and puffed, but eventually they made it to their front door.
Her key turned, shouldering the door for the extra oomph it needed to open.
Finally, holy and safe ground...
And as always, coming in from the outside had the same ritual.
Shoes off.
Coat off.
Wash hands.
Gargle.
Bath.
It didn't matter how well off little Oscar was. He was still a child and likely still riddled with germs that she didn't want Brooklyn to carry.
Shampooed and squeaky clean, she turned on the kotatsu since the evenings were getting colder now.
And like every night, while she went to fix something for dinner, he asked to watch some TV.
As she ferried in two bowls of his favourite twirly pasta, her eyes went to Brooklyn sat staring at the TV while half playing with her bowl of crystals to the screen, lifting a brow at the images of ghosts and weird creatures.
"This is Halloween! This is Halloween! Pumpkins scream in the dead of night!"
She lowered herself down beside him, kicking her legs under the kotatsu blanket.
"What's this Brookie?"
His tilted head stayed fixated on the screen for a few moments before it twigged he was being spoken to.
"Nightmare Before Christmas...but I don't get it? Its Halloween, not Christmas?"
"Well, if we watch we'll find out, won't we?" she smiled as she set his smaller bowl down in front of him.
"Thank you."
"Welcome."
They went quiet, watching on as the Skeleton slipped in to another realm outside the dark and spooky and landed in some kind of Christmas land.
"There's children throwing snowballs instead of throwing heads, they're busy building toys absolutely no one's dead! There's frost in ever—"
The colorful screen fizzed in static.
"-eel the warmt-"
His mother tutted.
"Stupid thing..." she muttered, crawling herself over to give it a tap on the top.
Why did this always happen when they were actually enjoying something? The reception was immaculate when the baseball was on.
Neither of them cared for sports.
No matter what she did, the screen colors jumped and crackled. It was making her head feel weird.
"I'm sorry darling..." she apologised as she turned it off, "Maybe at the weekend we can go rent the video if you want to watch it?"
Brooklyn's disappointed face nodded, quietly going back to his dinner.
She felt bad as she went back to her spot beside him. She wished she could just go out and buy a new TV...
Luckily, Brooklyn was fairly easily entertained with the toys he had or going to the scrap paper drawer and sitting with his box of color pencils until bed.
She rolled out the futon in the small bedroom, fluffing pillows and laying out the blankets before taking him with her to get their teeth brushed.
Climbing in, Brooklyn got a deep pang of anxiousness about lights out.
He immediately rolled on to his side, shifting his legs and hips to shimmy close to her to cuddle right in.
"You all right?" she asked in a concerned tone.
He had been rather quiet. But then again, he never was an overly noisy little boy.
Brooklyn shook his head, making her hug right back.
"What's wrong baby?"
He stayed quiet a minute.
All over his classroom there were skeletons and ghosts and Jack-o'-lanterns...he hadn't thought anything of it really.
But somehow now all he could think about were ghouls and monsters...
"Mommy are ghosts real?"
"Sure they are!" she replied brightly.
His huge teal eyes snapped up from her chest, lip wobbling as huge beads of tears quickly formed in the corners of his eyes.
She felt her stomach drop as he let out a whimper.
He wasn't much of a crier either, so when he did she knew he was properly upset.
"Aw Sweety, no no no." she comforted, laying an assault of kisses on his head, "There's no need to cry! Most ghosts are really nice!"
Brooklyn sniffled, upset not ceasing.
"W-What about the ones that a-ren't nice?!"
"Ohhhhh don't you need to worry about those ones!"
Her words weren't quite cutting it...
She gave him a moment, hand rubbing his back to try and soothe him.
"You know, I've met a ghost before."
His big eyes popped up again.
"You h-ave?"
"Mmhmm. She was actually my best friend for a while. See, long before you came, no one wanted to be my friend. I was all alone. And I didn't like that. It made me sad..." she explained, "Then one day, I had a really bad day...some bigger girls who liked to bully me came over and started to push me. Teased me and said really mean things."
Brooklyn gasped.
Noooo...why would someone do that to his mommy?
"Why did they do that?" he asked as his deeply upset eyes bore in to her.
She shrugged.
"Because some people aren't nice. That night I was home all by myself. Again. I was trying to do my homework, but I was feeling too sad. But then, out of nowhere, I heard someone talking to me. And it was a ghost."
Brooklyn's eyes doubled in size.
"What did they say?!"
"She told me it was going to be okay and made me feel better. That she was going to stay with me. After that she always dropped by when I needed her. Or sometimes just because."
"...Does she still drop by now?"
Her face softened.
"Not really...after a while, mommy got sick and went to the hospital. When I came out, she stopped coming to see me. Maybe she went on to help someone else, hm?"
"Oh..." Brooklyn said sadly before he remembered his original grievance, "But what about the bad ones?!"
She gave his hair a little ruffle.
"Wait here."
Throwing back her side of the blankets, she got herself up off the floor, taking herself out the room where Brooklyn waited anxiously for her to come back.
Luckily it only took a matter of moments.
"Look." she smiled, getting herself back down and holding a green colored stone out, "You remember what this one is?"
"Peridot?"
"Yehhhhh! Ooooh, you are such a clever boy!" she praised as she nuzzled him affectionately.
"See this one gets rid of allll the bad energy that might be around. So if we have this, no bad ghosts can come near us 'cause they're made of bad energy." she explained as she put it in his hands. "You want to hold on to it tonight?"
Brooklyn held it in his hand and squeezed it.
His mom was always using her magic stones when one of them wasn't feeling well.
"Yes please..."
"Okay baby..." she cooed, running her fingers through his hair a little longer before getting up to turn out the light.
"I'm right here too, okay?" she reassured, feeling him wriggle closer as soon as the room went dark.
It wasn't until after Halloween that Brooklyn started to wean off sleeping with the stone.
The last warmth of summer that clung on to autumn tapered off as October rolled in to November.
Now it wasn't so much ghosts and ghouls they needed to worry about. It was keeping their home warm enough...
For now, an extra sweater or extra blanket was enough. But it wouldn't stay that way long.
The winters here were harsh...they'd need heat.
She waited for a call or letter every day with more urgency,
Where was the damn cheque?
They said they would look in to it for her...
They said it would take time. But it was taking too long...
Last month it was a choice between the rent on this dive or food and the bills.
The landlord could wait. She wouldn't let Brooklyn starve.
This month though, there wasn't enough to stretch over one or the other...
She sighed as she tried to rearrange the plate of mish-mashed frozen food that was left in the freezer to pass off as a thought out meal.
A few potato smileys mixed in with the handful of oven fries that was left at the back.
She wondered why she'd even bothered putting that amount back in there and hadn't finished them off last time.
But now she was glad she hadn't.
Some sad looking mixed peas and sweetcorn, a pizza roll.
This would have to do for the next few days.
Thank god they had a full bottle of ketchup at least...
She put on a smile as she carried it in to the living room.
Instead of the sounds of the TV, Brooklyn lay on his belly poking out of the kotatsu blanket with a soldier toy in each hand.
The stupid thing kept cutting out, so her son had taken to a new hobby of inventing his own movies.
Her bowl of stones lay out on the floor with some plastic dinosaurs around them.
"Sir! We've located the treasure! Excellent! Move in! But we can't! The entire island is surrounded by dinosaurs! That's an order, private! Oh. Well okaaaay. But I don't think we can get it...AHHHHHHHH! MY LEGS!"
She both grimaced and chuckled at the weird combination of innocence and grotesqueness.
"Brookie! Dinner."
He wriggled himself around, sitting himself up and looking over his plate.
Oooooh! Pizza roll!
"Thank you."
"Welcome sweety."
She settled next to him as usual with the silence from lack of cartoons or anything else to fill it.
As she did, Brooklyn glanced at his mom's plate and frowned.
Why did she only have one Smiley when he had three?
He picked one up from his and transferred it over.
"Oh, no Brook, that's yours."
He frowned harder.
"But that's not fair?"
"Oh it is! I'm just not very hungry. I had a big lunch." she lied, "I know you like these, so you have an extra one!" she insisted as she put it back on his plate.
He didn't question that. And he did love a Smiley.
The 7th soon came round.
The day the rent was due.
Needless to say, nothing came out her account.
Which was why she wasn't surprised when there was a knock on her door a few days after...
She opened the door just enough to make the chain tighten, peering through to see the sandy blonde haired man in his forties.
"Ms. Masefield..." he nodded.
Her eyes shone with apology.
"Mr. Klein, look, I know my rent is late but please. My cheque is coming. I just need a little more time..."
"Ah. Problem with 'the cheque' again, is it?" he asked in an icy sympathetic tone.
She nodded.
"B-but they said they were looking in to it, I assure y-"
"Yeeeh...it's just, it's not the first time, is it?"
"Well no...But like the last time, the second I have it in my account it'll come right over to you."
He clicked his tongue.
"Thing is...Ms. Masefield...is that its the landlord that decides when payment is due, not the tenants..."
She held a hand up apologetically.
"I understand that. But please. I don't have it to give you. Just a little more time..."
He let out a deep, annoyed sigh.
"I'll give you til the end of the week..." he said quite bluntly, walking away before she could respond.
She slowly shut the door.
It was already Tuesday. Maybe it would come this week?
The following Monday though, there was another knock on the door.
"Ah. Ms. Masefield..."
After telling him she still didn't have it, he asked to come in for a chat.
Everything in her told her to shut the door. But at the same time, the door technically belonged to him.
So he came in.
She made tea politely, bringing it through to him as he made himself comfortable in the living room.
He patted the space beside him.
"Thank you." he nodded as the cup was placed in front of him. "Now, about this little predicament we're in..."
The more he talked, the more his manners faded.
Her voice box froze in her throat as he talked, offering his solution with a hand brushing over her thigh.
She didn't like that option. But really, what other choice did she have?
All she could do was hold in the sound of disgust trying to get out when his lips met her neck.
And during the rest of it.
A little after 3:15, Brooklyn toddled with his bag on his back scanning the crowd until he caught the familiar mop of red hair waving to get his attention with a smile.
"Hi baby! You have a good day?"
"Uh huh! Look what I made!" he beamed with pride as he lifted up a mess of cardboard and bottle caps messily taped up together.
"Ooooh. What's that?"
"It's a rocket!"
"Oh woooow! Amazing! Such a clever boy!"
Brooklyn beamed, staying light as they walked home together with his new toy he'd made all by himself.
Tonight's movie would be Space Dinosaurs...
With an enormous sigh of relief, a letter came a few days later.
Little too late. But also better late than never.
Thank god. The food situation was getting dire.
After dropping Brooklyn off at kindergarten, she walked feeling so much lighter to the supermarket.
She'd make him his favorite tonight. Make up for the crap he'd been forced to eat recently.
But first, a trip to the ATM.
She pushed her card in almost hungrily, punching in her pin.
Her heart sank as the balance popped up on the screen.
That wasn't as much as she'd first thought...
Wait. No. That couldn't be right?
She checked the statement.
Ah. Rent and bills. Back payments...
Well, that explained it. And thank goodness those were covered.
Would just need to be very careful, that was all.
But come December 8th, there was a violent knock at the door.
"I know you're in there, Ms. Masefield..."
She shuddered at the prowling voice as she stood silently in her kitchen, pretending she wasn't in.
Thankfully, he grew tired after a while. However...
"You have 48 hours..."
Her bottom lip wobbled.
Her next cheque wasn't due until January...
At 3:15, Brooklyn toddled out wrapped in his coat and scarf with the dinosaur backpack almost as big as he was, hands full of yet more of his handmade masterpieces.
"Hi baby! Did you have a good day? What's all this?" Mommy asked as she crouched down.
His body almost seized up in excitement, since his arms were full and restricted his movement.
"This one is...is...this one's a robot." he stuttered, "And this one we all made today. It's a snowman picture. S'got glitter on it. I wanted to use the red glitter, but teacher said it wasn't a snow color...And this one..."
She smiled and nodded at his rambling. Such a creative little boy.
Despite trying her hardest, her eyes watered.
Whatever it took to keep a roof over his head and keep him fed and warm...
She took his masterpieces in one hand and held his in the other as they walked home in the chill.
As they walked, Brooklyn looked around and through the windows of the houses they passed.
There were a lot of things different about these houses and their one.
They were houses for one, not apartments.
Didn't have to climb all those stairs to get there. Looked like their TVs worked.
But theirs was better because mom was in it.
There was one new edition in all the windows however that made him slightly envious.
"Mommy?"
"Yes baby?"
"When are we going to put up our Christmas tree?"
She felt herself sink.
Ohhhh no...
She forced a smile.
"We don't have one sweety..."
He stared at her a minute.
"Oh...Well...Shall I ask Santa to bring us one?"
Fuck...
She went quiet and carried on walking until they were home, getting him washed and cleaned as usual the second they came in.
He stood between her legs wrapped in a towel as she towel dried his hair, lifting it off to reveal a damp puff of red fluff.
"Baby...? About Santa..."
Teal eyes blinked and blew away strands of hair.
"Yeh?"
Her hands went round to rub the towel on his back to gently dry him.
"Well, you know how he goes allllll the way around the world?"
"Yeh?"
"Mm. In just one night right? That means he's suuuuuper busy, doesn't it?"
Brooklyn giggled.
"Yeh! His reindeer take him. Must be tired and sleep all year til next Christmas huh?"
"Heh...yeh...But see, thing is Brookie, that means that sometimes Santa can't make it to everyone's house..."
Brooklyn nodded wisely. He was a big boy. He knew the way it worked.
"I know. He doesn't go to the bad kids' houses."
She felt her stomach drop.
"N-no- Well yes, he doesn't give presents to the bad kids. But if he doesn't come, it doesn't always mean you've been bad. Just that he ran out of time..." she scrambled.
Brooklyn's head tilted a little as he tried to make sure he had all the info.
"So...he might not come? Even if we've been good?"
She nodded.
"Maybe...B-but if he doesn't come, you'll probably get yours a little later is all!" she tried to soften the blow.
Her soul fell along with his face.
"Oh..."
Her brain scrambled for a diversion as the silence fell.
"So. What movie are you making tonight?"
Luckily, it was enough.
"Robot and Snowman Adventures!"
Urgh. She hated life sometimes...What kind of mother ruined Christmas for her baby?
It wouldn't be long before she hated it even more though.
Forty-eight hours later to be exact.
Which made it Saturday afternoon.
Surely, she'd thought, he wouldn't come knocking knowing Brooklyn was there...
But a knock at the door did indeed come.
Brooklyn tilted his head as his mother remained seated.
Maybe she hadn't heard?
"I'llll gettt itttt!" he announced proudly, getting to his feet only to get hissed at to be quiet.
He startled.
It wasn't very often she was like that with him...
"I know you're there, Ms. Masefield...You know, I'm within my rights to fetch the spare key..."
She admitted defeat quickly.
The door opened until the chain went tight, her teal eyes appearing in the gap pleading.
"Please...Brooklyn is home."
He scoffed.
"And? Shove him in front of Bugs Bunny or something."
"TV doesn't work..."
He huffed a mean laugh, leaning in and lowering his voice.
"Then I guess you'll just have to contain yourself..."
Brooklyn looked up from his coloring page on the floor as his mother came back in to the room and crouched down beside him.
"Brookie? I need you to listen, okay?"
He blinked and nodded.
"Mommy needs to talk to Mr. Klein a minute. We have some grown up stuff to talk about. So I need you to stay in here, all right?"
He nodded again, but something didn't feel right.
Mommy didn't look right...
She gave him a more pointed stare.
"I mean it. You stay here until I come tell you we're finished. Understand?"
"Yes mommy..."
"Good boy..."
He watched her walk out. And heard the door to the next room close. Their bedroom.
He wasn't sure what he was heard next.
All he knew was that he didn't want to move.
A while later, the door to their bedroom opened, hearing footsteps too heavy to be mommy.
It was okay though, he left right away.
But then suddenly it wasn't okay again.
He heard mommy crying...
He quietly walked out the living room towards their room, and the quiet crying got clearer.
"Mommy? Are you oka-"
"I said stay in there until I tell you!" she screamed a watery scream at him.
He almost fell over his feet backtracking on himself, running back to the living room where he dived under the kotatsu and instantly sniffled.
Mommy was sad.
And she yelled at him...
She never yelled at him.
Was all Mr. Whoever's fault...
His little body curled in to hug itself.
He didn't like him.
He stayed under there and waited for her.
He didn't want her to yell again.
But she was in the bathroom a long time.
When she finally did come back, she gave him lots of cuddles and said sorry for shouting.
He forgave her, relieved it was over.
When his friends were mean to him, he got really mad too.
The evening was quiet. Really quiet.
So was Sunday.
On Monday, when they were leaving to walk to school, they saw Mr. Whoever on the stairway.
Brooklyn held her hand tighter.
Sounded like they had another grown-up talk...
Which made his mom look sad again.
For the first time since his very first week of kindergarten, Brooklyn cried as she dropped him off.
Hysterical and beside himself as he got overwhelmed by anxiousness at being separated from her.
His teacher managed to free her from him to let her leave, but him crying out for her tore her apart.
He wasn't old enough to understand. But he knew something bad had happened.
She'd never forgive herself for that...
As the week rolled on, she had several phone calls from his kindergarten with Brooklyn distraught begging her to come get him.
She and the teacher thought it best not to go pick him up. Would just set a bad habit. But he could call her so he could be comforted that she was there.
He charged her when the time actually came for her to come and get him.
Due to spending so much time in melt down, he didn't have as many handmade masterpieces for her.
She lifted her head to see his frumpy but kind looking teacher coming towards them with thick red glasses, Christmas jumper and a pleasant smile.
"Mrs. Mas-"
"Ms."
"Apologies. Ms. Masefield. Would you mind if we had a little chat in privacy?"
She nodded, taking Brooklyn's hand and walking in to the colorful, christmassy classroom.
"Brooklyn, dear. Why don't you sit with Mrs. Mavis and read a story for just a minute while me and your mommy talk?"
The teacher's assistant held her hand out to him, offering for him to come choose a book.
She was lead in to a different, empty classroom and offered a seat.
"First of all, thank you for your cooperation during this difficult phase Brooklyn seems to be going through. I'm sure its hard hearing him cry like that."
Her shoulders dropped.
Of course. It was even worse than it was her fault to begin with.
"Sure is..."
The teacher eased herself down in to a chair opposite her.
"Ms. Masefield..." she said in a more solemn tone, "We do everything we can to try and calm him when he starts up. Sit with him, comfort him, talk to him...and today he said something that was a little disturbing..."
She tensed up and waited. And the teacher took her silence as the go ahead to continue.
"He said that a 'bad man' was coming to your apartment. That he made you cry...And that he keeps coming over while he's at school which is why he's so desperate to go home..."
She watched the teal eyes shine in panic and her body shift uncomfortably.
"Now I know it isn't my business-"
"It isn't!" she snapped back angrily.
"But please." she persisted, "If you, or Brooklyn, are in some kind of danger or trouble, there are people we can call...people who can help you..."
She felt herself get angry.
Help?
That's what they always said...
They were there to help her. Help Brooklyn.
She always ended up on her own anyway.
If they helped like they said they would, she wouldn't be getting fucked for the privelidge of a rundown shithole to sleep in.
She took a breath and rolled back her shoulders.
"I appreciate your concern. But my son is doing what children do and misunderstanding situations. There is no 'bad man'..." she forced a scoff, "We had quite a rude repairman come to fix some lighting and I got frustrated and shed a few tears. That's all it was." she lied through her teeth, "Brooklyn is a very sensitive little boy. I'm sorry he saw it and it affected him this much."
The teacher's eyes dimmed in defeat.
She knew she was lying. But unless she gave the word or Brooklyn came in with bruises, her hands were tied and she was forced to silence.
"I see...well then. My apologies for wasting your time Ms. Masefield..."
Meanwhile, with the story over, Brooklyn looked at the colorful, festive displays on he walls and felt the cogs in his mind turn.
Green and brown construction paper formed the shape of a tree while paper ornaments decorated with his and his classmates handprints dotted around it.
The door flew open and his mother came in.
"Come on, Brook. Home time."
He waved at his teachers and toddled after her to get hold of her hand.
Mommy didn't say much on the way home. Or at dinner.
She just looked upset...again.
Which made him feel sad.
Left to his own devices while she washed the dishes, he went to the drawer of paper and fetched his coloring pencils.
He had work to do...
Had to do something to make them happy again...
Mindlessly wiping the counters, she felt him creep up behind her.
"Mommy?"
She knew it wasn't his fault. He was only little...She should have anticipated he'd say something and tried to stop it.
But still. She was just angry...
"Hm?"
"Do you know how to cut a star?"
She finally looked over her shoulder with an arched brow.
Following him in to the living room, she didn't know if she sunk lower or lifted up.
Roughly taped on to the wall was crudely colored in papers joined together that formed an oddly shaped, but yet still very clear, Christmas tree.
"I tried making a star and couldn't...will you help me?"
She brushed her fingers lightly through his hair.
"Of course, baby..."
...What did she do to deserve a son like him?
And what had either of them done to deserve living like this?
It wasn't fair...
Neither was having to see the look on his face when he realised that indeed Santa had been too busy to stop by.
Or trying to comfort his crying because he was hungry while her own stomach ached from hunger.
Or shivering together as they lay under the blankets together fully clothed and yet still cold.
It was almost January though.
New year, new start...
It couldn't possibly get worse than this.
With the new year holidays keeping offices and banks closed, the check was of course late.
Which meant come rent day, she had nothing for Mr. Klein.
To her biggest shock though, no knock came...
Perhaps he was away visiting family?
Who cared. As long as he was staying away from hers, that was all that mattered.
Even more miraculously, it wasn't long after rent day that she got a letter through.
Apparently had been entitled to more money somehow the past few months. Why, she had no clue.
But that meant this month she was getting more to make up for it. The number printed at the bottom wanting to make her cry.
It was enough to get him fed up again, pay for the roof over their heads and afford some proper heat.
Brooklyn came home from kindergarten to a warmed up apartment, a big bowl of hot stew and even more incredible...
Santa had been while he was at school. He left a note saying he was sorry he was late and had presents waiting for him.
He got plastic zoo animals and some toy sports cars!
Tonight's movie would bezoo races!
For the first time in what felt like a lifetime to Brooklyn, they snuggled down in to the futon in their normal pyjamas without shivering and cuddled while she told him a story.
And for the first time in what felt like a lifetime to her, she could sleep without the weight of everything crushing her.
She wasn't a complete idiot though. She knew it wouldn't last...
It was a few Sundays later when it happened.
She sat down to dinner with Brooklyn, watching some video after managing to figure out how to get the VCR to work when they heard their front door open on its own.
Within seconds, the large figure staggered in to the doorway and Brooklyn froze in a fear he'd never endured in his young life.
"Evening Ms. Mason..."
She tensed and quickly stood herself up.
He let himself in?
Just let himself in to their home!?
"I paid you for this month..."
He seemed amused.
"You diiiiiid...but four days late." he slurred, "I'm here for my late fee..."
She took a few more steps closer, wishing he hadn't as the stench of stale alcohol on him dried out her eyes.
"Not now..." she said in a deep, warning tone.
There was no way she'd let him traumatise Brooklyn any more than he had.
She got a mocking laugh back.
"I'm sorry, what was that?"
She stood her ground.
"I said...not now...Leave!"
There was an awful silence. And then the next thing she knew he came at her and grabbed her by the front of her shirt.
"You do not dictate to me, slut!" he yelled groggily as his strong yet swaying body started to drag her.
Brooklyn sat stunned and panicked, instantly letting out frightened cries and covering his ears.
"Shut up!" the bad man bellowed in his direction, "Sit there and shut up or I really will give you somethin' to cry about!"
Shaking, snivelling and whimpering, he watched his mom get dragged around the doorway and out of sight.
But through the walls he heard struggling, clambering.
And then cries...
He felt his insides burn.
He hated him!
His legs picked him up and charged him round through the kitchen to their room, running through the door to find him pinning her to the floor with their clothes all pulled out.
He threw himself at him, arms and legs flailing to punch, kick and scratch in whatever capacity he could while he screamed blue murder.
The bad man tried to nudge him off while keeping his hold on her, but the little fucker was persistent and he was starting to lose his temper.
Which lead to his big mistake.
Letting her wrists go, he turned himself and swung his powerful arm which sent the child hurtling back.
She watched as if time stopped as he hit the floor. And it was then everything went black.
When she came back, his nose was bloody and his face covered in scratches.
And he was retreating.
"You stupid bitch..." his voice snarled, wiping some blood off with shakey hands, "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
"Get out..." she snarled just as ferociously.
He pointed his unsteady finger at her.
"You...and your little bastard...I want you both out first thing...consider yourselves evicted!"
He left, slamming the door behind him which shook the apartment before leaving it in another awful silence for a few more seconds until Brooklyn melted down completely.
That man was scary!
That had been horrible!
He didn't like seeing mommy be scary like that either!
Despite feeling like she wanted to cry and vomit at the same time, she did whatever she could to try and calm him and let him know it was all okay now.
Even though it wasn't...
Were they fucking homeless now?
It took hours, but Brooklyn had cried so hard for so long he finally knocked himself out.
She carefully put him in to bed, waiting a little while to make sure he was out for the count before she quietly took herself out to freshen herself up.
And then slip on her shoes...
She walked down the few flights of stairs and stood outside the door, willing her arm to raise and knock.
It took a few minutes longer, but she managed it, and it was answered.
She left feeling sick to the stomach and yet again aching between her legs.
She lingered on the stairway as warm tears quickly chilled in the cold down her face.
The man had broken in to their home...was going to hold her down and rape her with her son in the next room.
He'd dared lay a hand on her son.
And yet...she'd had to go down with her tail between her legs and then spread them for him. Apologise to him.
Pretend she wasn't hating it to soothe his bruised ego.
Were these really her two choices?
Endure him or die on the side of the road?
If it were just her to think about, she'd rather go out like the Little Match Girl.
But she'd offer herself up if it stopped him becoming the Little Match Boy.
It just...was getting too much to handle.
She had to be strong for Brooklyn and pass off everything was all right.
But once he was at school, or asleep, all she had were the four walls.
Now she didn't feel safe inside them.
She quietly slipped off her shoes back in the apartment, quickly poking her head in to check on him.
Still sound asleep. For which she was glad...
But at the same time, selfishly, made her feel all the more lonely.
She took herself to the kitchen to make some tea. Something to try and calm her a little.
She flipped the lightswitch, jumping out her skin as arms held out waiting for her.
Her bottom lip trembled at the wash of relief and comfort, rushing to them.
"You came back..."
Just like Brooklyn, she managed to sleep after crying so hard on the shoulder that presented itself.
Just when she needed it.
Just like last time...
When she woke up, it felt like a brighter day somehow. Able to get through the day knowing finally there was someone to hold her hand.
But it wasn't quite the same for Brooklyn.
He woke up alone in his bed and instantly threw a fit and took a while to calm even after she rushed in.
After deliberating, she thought it best to keep him home from kindergarten. She thought perhaps the distraction might be good rather than staying here thinking about it, but he was far too upset and frazzled. And who could blame him? Not to mention she couldn't trust him to stay quiet while he was still so shaken.
She made the excuse of a stomach bug, figuring she could easily stretch that a few days more if needed.
And it was.
But despite spinning tales of a ghastly bug making them spew, they needed supplies to feast on.
Brooklyn was thrilled at the rare treat of getting to go to the supermarket with his mom. She usually did it all when he was at kindy.
He brought one of his late Christmas race cars with him on the adventure.
They wrapped up and set out on the voyage, going carefully down the many flights of stairs while he also drove his car along the railings.
With his thick gloves, his grip wasn't quite what it could have been.
As they got to the second floor, he let out a yelp as his car drove off the side and plummeted.
"My car!"
His mother looked over the side to see where it landed, seeing a woman down below moving from her car to the bushes where the toy car had vanished in to to aid in the rescue.
By the time they made it down and round in to the car park, the middle aged woman held the shiny, red, and now slightly damp toy car.
"Here you are young man!" she cooed, giving a warm smile as his face burst with relief and happiness as he took it back.
"I'd put that in your pocket if I were you. Don't want to lose it now do you? Or better yet, why don't you give it to your mommy to hold on to?" she suggested.
The boy nodded.
What an ingenius suggestion.
As he handed it to her to hold for him, she touched his head.
"What do you say to the nice lady Brooklyn?"
"Thank you nice lady!"
He got a giggle back.
"You're welcome. What a well mannered young man you are! So nice to see!" she continued to coo as she pat his head, "And what a lovely name for such a handsome boy too! Brooklyn.."
"Thanks. My mom gave it to me." he informed her.
She chuckled harder.
"That was kind of her, wasn't it?"
Her eyes wandered to his mother.
"Have you lived here long? I can't recall ever seeing you around here." she enquired.
She got a slight frown back.
"Just under a year I guess...you live here too?"
Weird. She hadn't seen her either...
Odd...
The other woman tilted her head side to side gently.
"Well, yes and no. Technically I do, but I've had to spend the past year taking care of my mother. I come back when I can to see my husband and make sure he hasn't got the place in a squalor. Would have been easier to bring her to us, but no way she could manage these stairs, love her." she told her.
"I see..."
Did she ask about the mother or-?
"Yesss...dementia truly is an savage beast..." she shook her head sadly, "Losing your mother at any age is devastating. But then so is knowing they're living their days completely confused and not knowing their own family..."
The redheaded woman opposite tensed up and nodded politely.
Well. That got intense fast...
"I'm sorry to hear..."
She caught herself and waved it off.
"Thank you dear, excuse the expulsion won't you?" she excused with a small titter, "I should let you get on. You going somewhere nice?" she asked the boy.
"We're getting groceries!" he beamed, "Mom said 'cause I've been good I can have chicken dinosaurs! They're T-rex shaped. They got...they got little arms like this!" he rambled as brought his arms in to mimick tyrannosaurus arms.
She threw her head back slightly and let out an amused chortle.
"Ohhh he's a pip!" she sighed, "I hope we see each other more now I'm back. And if there's any issues with your apartment, make sure you come to me now and not my husband. Lord knows he can be a gruff old goat."
She suddenly turned queasy.
"Your husband...?"
"Yes! The landlord, Mr. Klein. I happen to be Mrs. Klein."
Just like that she felt her color drain.
"..I see..."
"See you again! Bye Brooklyn!"
"Bye nice lady!" he waved, watching her go and turning to see his mom just stood there.
"Can we go now?" he asked.
"Hm? Yeh. Let's go baby..."
She walked around the store almost on autopilot, reaching for things on the shelf and dropping them in the basket.
...So the cunt had a wife?
Hadn't been around a good while. Apparently had some itches that needed scratching...
Did she know?
How could she not know what kind of man he was? She was married to him for Christ sake..
Then again, talk shows and magazines had plenty of clueless women who had no idea they were married to monsters.
And she seemed so pleasant? Kind?
Appearances could be decieving though...
What if she didn't know? What did that mean for her now?
Would he stop now?
Did she have an arrow in her quiver now? Some levarage?
If he threatened her, she could threaten him...
Or...if Mrs. Klein was as monsterous under that nice lady facade, it could mean falling a few more rungs in to hell.
She guessed time would tell. Wait and see if his lordship was satisfied at home now or still desperate for some puss by any means necessary like some kind of primate.
"Mommy?"
She snapped out of her trance.
"Yeh baby?"
"Can we get the dinosaurs?" he asked with big eyes as they wandered further away from the frozen section.
Oh shit. She'd forgotten.
As shitty as this whole thing was for her, she knew it wasn't easy for him.
He had to endure going to bed cold and hungry. He too feared him and had been affected by him.
He could have all the dinosaur shaped junk she could afford.
"Of course! We have to get them last okay? They'll melt otherwise. You know what? I saw some dinosaur candy bars on the way in too. Shall we go have a look?"
He lit up.
A nice dose of medicine for her. Even just a little.
Having picked up the dino nuggets as promised, she hoisted the bags and started the walk home with him in toe.
As soon as they reached the apartment, it was the usual shoes off, washing hands and gargling before letting him play while she put the food away.
"She will only bring you both more pain..."
She closed the cupboard to see the familiar face staring back.
"How do you know?"
"Don't you see it love?" the sad and scared voice asked while two hands cupped her face, "They're all after you both. All of them. They know Brooklyn is special. They'll do anything go take him from you."
She felt herself get scared.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean it's clearly a plot. First he forces himself on my poor, sweet girl..." the voice wobbled in anguish, "He knows about the past. He knows he can turn it on you. Make it your fault. Make you the unfit mother with no morals. Doing that with him there... He just needs it to come out, which is where the teacher comes in...she's in on it too."
Her teal eyes widened.
Of course...
"And just for extra measure...it's a little conveinient that suddenly after all this time a wife shows up, isn't it? Seemed very interested in Brooklyn, didn't she?"
She nodded.
Yes...yes she had!
It was suspicious!
"They've been trying to rip him from you since the moment he was discovered in your belly..."
Her lip trembled.
It was true.
Had they had their way, Brooklyn would never have been born.
"And now they've realised you've mothered a miracle, they want him for themselves."
She thought about it.
Brooklyn was special...
Clearly gifted at his young age.
There were a handful of incidents from the moment he was born questioning whether she could handle him. Whether she was fit to parent him.
From the very people that nosey teacher wanted to get 'help' from...
Of course. It all made sense. It was so clear now.
They were trying to push her off a cliff.
Set her up.
Have grounds to take him away from her.
Her eyes watered in panic.
"...What do I do?"
"Mommy?"
Her head snapped to the side as her son looked at her both confused and spooked.
"Who are you talking to...?"
Though her eyes were still watery, she smiled and crouched down to him.
"My friend."
Brooklyn looked at the counter where she'd been stood.
"...But there's no one there?"
She rubbed his shoulders.
"Do you remember me telling you about that friend I had once?"
Brooklyn nodded as his bottom lip stuck out.
"...You mean the ghost?"
She nodded.
"Yeh! She came back to me..."
Letting out a scared, high pitched whine, Brooklyn pulled himself out her grip and tripped over his feet as he bolted back in to living room.
"Brooklyn!" she called after him.
He ran back moments later with a strained face and the cry stuck in his throat, charging her with a green stone held up.
He clung to her for dear life and finally, the distressed cry came out.
"M-ake it go a-a-way!"
She cuddled him tightly.
"Baby, it's oka-"
"Make it go away!" his voice pierced in an angry scream.
She recoiled at the shrill voice bellowing in her ear.
"I don't want any more bad things!"
She sank and pulled him in more to rub his back.
"Baby. Listen to me. I promise it's all right. You know I would never let anyone or anything hurt you, right?"
He hiccuped and nodded in to her shoulder.
"She's trying to help us. Okay? She doesn't want any more bad things for us either. That's why she came back." she explained softly.
Brooklyn kept his eyes on the kitchen counter.
"...You promise?"
"I promise."
One Week Later.
Sighing as the dial tone on the end of the reciever continued to go unanswered yet again, Mrs. Reed admitted defeat and hung up.
It was almost two weeks since Brooklyn had last been at school.
His mother had called saying he had a stomach bug. Called again saying he still wasn't over it. And then again the couple day afters saying she now had it.
Then she just stopped calling...
No matter what time of day she called, or how many times she called, Ms. Masefield wouldn't pick up.
Her mind was racing...
Despite having to take her word for it, she didn't believe either of them were ill now.
Neither did she believe the story about the rude repairman one iota. Something bad was going on at home.
She was worried for the poor woman and even more so the defenseless little boy.
Anything could have happened...
They either really were both so ill that she couldn't call, in hospital maybe?
Unlikely, but not altogether improbable.
Or the 'bad man' Brooklyn spoke of was the reason...
She'd checked Brooklyn's records. There was no father listed. Or any other family.
His mother was very quick to correct her when she called her Mrs instead of Ms...
Was he some kind of abuser that had come back?
Or was there a new boyfriend that was prooving to be a violent thug?
Her conscience wouldn't let her stay quiet any more.
She wandered back over to the office in search of a new number.
Maybe the information she had wasn't sufficient, but she would let Social Services be the judge of that...
Late that afternoon, Mrs. Klein waddled up the seemingly endless stairs carrying her shopping feeling the sweat build inside her thick coat and the bitter chill on her bare face.
Urgh, she despised winter.
Couldn't wait to get inside, delayer and make a nice hot cup of-
"Ms. Masefield? This is Social Services. Please open the door..."
Tea...
She stopped short of her front door and wracked her brain. She was quite rusty at the whole Landlady role, not to mention people had come and gone in her absence.
Masefield?
Well, there was a family with an eleven or so year old. But they were on the second floor. The voices were coming from the fifth...
The only other child she knew of in this whole building was little Brooklyn...
She hurried herself back in to her flat, needing to sniff around,
"I'm home!"
"Hi love."
Kicking off her shoes, she took a few moments to enjoy taking off the stupid coat before wandering through to the kitchen.
"They didn't have that ham you liked, so I got the regular one instead."
"Fine."
She left it a few minutes while she put the food away.
"Coffee?" she asked as she poked her head through.
"Ooh, please love." he answered without putting his paper down.
She nodded, disappearing back in to the kitchen.
"Oh, I wanted to ask. Who are is Ms. Masefield?"
The paper came down pretty quick, feeling a spasm of panic in his chest.
"Who?"
"Masefield. One of our tenants aren't they? Which ones are they again?"
He eyed the doorway warily.
"...Why do you ask?"
"Oh, there was a letter that must have slipped out the mailbox downstairs. I put it back. But just trying to put a face to the name is all."
He relaxed a little.
"Hn. She's the unemployed waste of space with a kid sucking money from us hardworking taxpayers and still not bothering to pay rent on time..." he bit.
"...The redheads?" she pried.
"Mm."
There were a few seconds of silence before she appeared in the doorway again, frowning.
"You ought not be so quick to judge dear. The life of a single mother isn't an easy one. A woman will do the best she can for her child, and we can afford to give a little leeway and show some compassion."
He rolled his eyes.
"Oh, don't be soft." he scoffed, "Everyone has their hardships. Doesn't mean the rules of life don't apply to them."
She gave him 'the look'.
"We shall be sympathetic..." she said with an ordering tone.
While he grumbled and lifted his paper back up, there was a knock at the door.
She stalked the front door, looking out the peephole.
Oh lord...two people in suits.
She eyed the doorway to the livingroom and pushed the door open, slipping out and shutting it behind her.
"Yes?"
The two women showed their ID.
"We're here from Child Protective Services. Are you the landlady of this building?"
"I am, yes."
"We were wondering if you could confirm that one of your tenants still lives here? A Ms. Masefield?"
She pretended to be surprised.
"Well yes, she lives on the fifth floor with her son. Sweet little lad he is."
"May we ask if you've seen either of them in person recently?"
She thought about it.
"Well...I did spot her maybe a week ago coming back from shopping. Wasn't close enough to speak to her though."
"Was her son with her?"
"He was, yes."
They waited to see if she had anything to add, any comment to imply something was wrong.
"I see. Thank you for your time."
"Is...something the matter?"
She got a polite and forced smile back.
"Nothing for you to concern yourself with madam."
She smiled back until their backs were turned, when it quickly fell.
'Madam'...how old did they think she was?! The cheek...
"Who was that?" her husband's voice came through the doorway as she stepped back in.
"Ohh just some kiddies selling cookies."
"Did you buy some? Would love one with my coffee."
She flinched.
Stupid thing to say.
"Oh, they only had those peanut ones left."
"Urgh."
"Exactly. So I gave them a few hundred yen for their little charity and sent them off."
"Oh for fucks sake woman..."
She ignored him and went back to making the coffee, wondering what on earth was going on with Ms. Masefield and Brooklyn...
"You're a sitting duck! Stupid girl! "
She trembled, pressing her hands to her ears with the discomfort of the knife handle pushing in to her right one.
"Where the fuck am I supposed to go huh?!"
"Anywhere but here! You should have found a new place to live! Moved away!"
"And how do you propose I do that when you told me not to go outside?!" she cried.
She couldn't stand it when she was angry with her.
She became mean...she didn't like it.
Near her, Brooklyn mirrored her trembling.
"Mommy..."
He was terrified.
She'd dragged him to their room when the knock came. Held her hand over his mouth so tightly he almost couldn't breathe.
She had the biggest knife from their kitchen in her hand ready and waiting, watching the door braced for intrusion.
And now she and the ghost were fighting...
The ghost made mommy cry again...
"I-it's okay baby..." she wept, setting the knife aside and pulling him in for a cuddle.
"What part of this is okay, you stupid little bitch?!"
She grit her teeth and rubbed his back.
"It's okay..."
"Ohhhh. I see how it is...You want him to come back, don't you?"
"No..."
"That's it, isn't it?" the voice jeered, "You tell yourself you hate it, but really you love it."
"Shut up!"
"That's the only way anyone will ever love you, isn't it? When you're on your back...Isn't like anyone would love you for your mind is it, Mad Little Masefield..."
She let out a pleading sob and scrunched her eyes shut.
"Please...stop it."
It seemed more friends came to join in.
"Fruitcake..."
"Haha! Nut job..."
"Go away...leave me alone."
"Cuckoo...cuckoo...cuckoo..."
"Schizo..."
"You said you loved me..."
"When you're on all fours..."
"Hahaha! Remember that one you quite liked? Quite the performance you gave him wasn't it? Oooooh yeh...Ooohh God..."
"Aww...didn't hang around though, did he?"
"Tell us, did Klein get you off?"
"I love you mommy..."
She opened her sore eyes and leaned back to get a look at her favorite face.
He was the only one that truly did love her.
And no one loved this precious miracle but her.
Which was why she had to just grit her teeth and endure this until it was over.
They needed each other.
Brooklyn frowned.
He hated seeing his mommy cry...
He didn't like it when friends were mean.
And if they were being mean to her, it meant they were bad ghosts now. Bad energy.
He pulled the green stone out his pocket and shook it violently over his mom's shoulder.
"You leave her alone, you big meanies! Go away!"
He stuck his tongue out and blew for added insult.
"Did it work?" he asked hopefully.
She sat still.
It had gone quiet...
"I think so...thank you baby..."
He gave a pleased nod.
He sure showed them...
Maybe when he grew up, he could be a Ghostbuster...
After the adrenaline from the afternoon of bad people and bad spirits, the two stayed huddled and flopped in the bedroom.
Brooklyn sighed and looked at the window that had had the curtains closed for what felt like a year now.
He wasn't allowed to look outside, incase the bad people were watching.
Or go outside for the same reason.
He sure didn't want the bad people to get them. But at the same time, he was bored. He wanted to go to school again and make things. Play games.
Have story time with Mrs. Mavis. She always did funny voices.
He even wanted to go to the park. Play tag with Oscar. Even if he was a stinky little cheat and had an angry mom.
He finished making his tower of dominoes and rolled his head towards his mom, still flopped on the floor not looking right.
She never smiled any more.
Her face was always just blank or sad.
She didn't wash her hair anymore or take baths, so it was all messy and dirty.
She didn't cook any more either...he missed her yummy dinners.
Now all they are were chips and snacks. Sometimes it made gave him tummyache.
But he was starving...
"Mommy?"
"...Hm?"
"I'm hungry..." he told her in a sad whine.
Her head rolled over to him.
"Kay...I'll see what we've got..." she lulled as she pulled herself up, feeling a bit dizzy as she did.
He sat and watched her go, feeling sad.
He knew very well it wasn't going to be his favorite twirly pasta...
In the kitchen, her head spun as she lazily opened the cupboard.
She wanted to eat too, but just couldn't stomach it.
Just like she wanted to sleep desperately, but just couldn't.
How could she sleep? Leave them both defenseless?
She had to be vigilant at all times.
Sometimes she was slipped and had short naps until Brooklyn woke her. But it wasn't enough to shift the deep purple rings under her eyes.
She sighed as she looked at the supplies.
She would have to sneak out again soon...was starting to get low.
Which one would she go to this time?
She knew very well they knew which supermarket she shopped at. There was no way she could step foot in there.
So she had to be clever.
She'd wait until the ungodly hours of the night to sneak out with Brooklyn and carry him to a 24hour conveinience store. Stock up on things that lasted.
Instant ramen. Chips. Cookies.
Bottles of water. No way she could trust the tap water now...
Then when they ran low, she'd make sure to go to a different one incase they knew where she'd been.
She grabbed the pack of animal crackers, quielty taking herself back to give them to him.
She opened the pack for him and resumed her position on the floor.
"Mommy?"
"Hm?"
"It's cold..."
She looked at him.
Was it?
"Okay. I'll turn the heat on. But just a little, okay? Need to make it last as long as we can."
He nodded sadly as she pushed the button on the small kerosene heater, waiting for it to whir in to life and pump the small room with the familiar smell of fumes.
It gave him a headache...
His mom too...
She haaatted these heaters. But it was that or go cold.
She'd always been told growing up that you had to open the windows with these things. Let some fresh air in every so often.
But she told her not to open the windows. It would let them know they were home. Give them away.
She opened the bedroom door from time to time. That helped some...
True to her word, as soon as the room was heated enough to take the chill off, she pushed the button to shut it off, giving yet another jet of bad smelling fumes.
The price they paid for some temporary comfort...
As the sun set on another day in hiding, she hustled to get Brooklyn cleaned up before it got too dark to see.
The lights had to stay off...
Instead of the warm baths of before, he got a damp washcloth that scrubbed and scratched over his skin.
They went back to lay in the now dark room, futon out with musty sheets that hadn't been changed in a while.
"Mommy?" he whispered after a while of laying in dark silence.
"Yeh baby?"
"...Why are there bad people after us?"
She turned herself on to her side to face him, propping her head up as her eyes adjusted to the dark enough to make out his little face.
"Because..." she started as she stroked his hair gently, "They know you're special."
"What does that mean?"
She paused. How could she make him understand?
"I never told you how you got in my tummy, did I?"
He shook his head.
Last time he asked why he didn't have a daddy, she didn't really answer him.
She did her best to explain it to him in a way he could comprehend.
And he listened.
"So..." he started, his young mind trying to put it together, "I got in your tummy by magic? Not by a daddy?"
"In a way, yes." she smiled.
The powers that be brought him to her.
A gift for her loneliness.
A gift for the world.
He was a real, living, breathing miracle...
"But...no other mommies get babies in their tummies like that?"
"Nope."
"So...that means you're special too?"
"Well not as such I wouldn't say. Just lucky."
"But they would only pick the best mommy wouldn't they?"
Her face fell a moment and her eyes watered.
She'd never thought of it that way...
"Time for sleep now..." she diverted, giving him a cuddle and a kiss, feeling more awake now her desire to protect him surged even more.
Anyone dared step foot through that door, she'd slit their throat in a heartbeat.
It was a few days later when her friends attacked her again.
Out of nowhere.
Unprovoked.
Viciously and in voices that thundered and roared like never before.
They deafened and stunned her.
Frightened, mocked and threatened her.
"Kill yourself! DO IT!"
"You're dead anyway."
"It's only a matter of time now."
"It's all your fault! He will suffer because of you!"
"They're going to take him away then rape you til there's nothing left..."
"Hnhnhn...I'll tell them where you are..."
"Save yourself the grief. End it now. Or shall I do it for you?"
"He will only remember you as a whore..."
"He won't even remember you."
"But they would only pick the best mommy for meeeee...HA! They picked a wide open cunt..."
"Brace yourself...they're coming...hnhnhn ready or not, here they coooommmeee..."
Despite the deafening noise in her ears, all Brooklyn heard was his mother scream, cry and cower pleading for them to stop.
The stone wasn't working...
He didn't know what to do...
All he could do was the same. Cry and beg them to leave her alone.
Beneath the floorboards, an irrate pair of eyes burned holes in to the ceiling.
Again...
What the actual fuck was going on up there?!
He'd spoken to her months ago, asking nicely for the little one to keep it down a bit and not jump round as much since he started work in the middle of the night.
She had been perfectly pleasant and apologetic. Never had a problem after that.
Until now...
The kid was screaming and hollering. And so was she.
Was no sign of a third party though?
Far as he knew though, was just the two of them that lived there.
"Go away! Go away!"
His pissed off face dropped as the muffled and frantic hollering suddenly sent down that shrill but clear message.
...That was it. He was calling the police.
The room glowed red almost as the setting sun sent the warm colors through the gaps in the curtains.
It was quiet...
Brooklyn sniffled on his side while his mother slumped on hers numbly staring at the ceiling.
She was just glad for quiet...
She was tired...Physically and mentally.
And so tired of being scared all the time.
She froze as a hard knock came at the door.
"Ms. Masefield?"
Her heart beat so slowly but so hard it hurt.
Her head snapped to Brooklyn, ushering for him to come over to her quietly.
He did as he was told, getting pushed behind her as she picked up the big knife again.
The banging came in harder.
"Ms. Masefield? This is the police! Please open the door..."
She sucked in some suffocated breaths.
"We're here to help Ms. Masefield." another voice came through, "To make sure you and your son are okay..."
How many of them were out there?!
They'd really gone and told them she was there...
Made them come for them...
Her mind was static and blind panic.
It was happening. They were coming to take him away...
One more round of knocks came through.
"If you do not comply and open the door willingly, we have a warrant to enter forcefully..."
Her hand gripped the knife with everything she had while the terror in her chest broke her down.
"GO AWAY!"
Brooklyn began to cry, terrified at the scream and the people at their door and clung to the back of her shirt.
"Ms. Mase-"
"GO AWAAAAY!"
Everything that followed was a blur.
After some ominous rustling, the door opened.
People came in, filling the small room and seeming to replace the air in it to make it suffocating.
His mother screamed and yelled, swiping the knife in warning while they kept distance and tried to reason with her.
They were there to help, they said.
No one was here to harm them, they said.
"What was going on?" They asked.
"How old is your little lad?" they asked, as if they were friends.
But his mother would not stand down.
Demanded they get out.
They asked her to set down the knife.
She refused.
The strange sense of chaos mixed with calm didn't last.
With a little more talking from the bad people, more of them flooded the room, the bodies and voices drowning them.
Trapped between the corner of the room and the protective shielding of his mother, he couldn't see exactly what was going on.
But there was an assault of struggling, scuffling, waves of voices both calm and shouting that got lost within each other.
With each jerk of his mother's body, his own small one was knocked against the wall and back again.
A few more violent knocks later, his mother let out a blood curdling scream as the shield ripped away from him.
Now he could see faces.
Quickly, some came towards him and hands grabbed hold of him.
Snapped out of his shock, he tried to hit them, struggle and pull himself away.
"Let goooo!" he cried out in distress, "Mooommmmyyyyy!"
His desperate cries made her struggle and scream harder among what felt like the sea of bodies that were pulling them both apart.
The arms round him tried to hold tighter.
"It's okay sweetie...You're all right..."
It meant nothing, reaching out and squirming with everything he had while he wailed.
"Moommmmyyyyy!"
She got more frantic as he got carried closer and closer to the door.
"Bring him back! He's mine! He's my baby!"
The ferral sound that came out of her as he was taken out, like that of a wounded animal sent chills and tugged at heartstrings of everyone involved.
"Brooklyn!"
The situations like this never got any easier...
But the poor woman clearly wasn't well...she needed help.