Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with the amazing TV show Higher Ground.
Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You guys are the reason I write, so please continue to let me know what you think! My thanks go out to Bluebanana for telling me "the general's" name!
Chapter 4
The car ride home had been a long one. An uneasy hush had hastily stifled any remotely pleasant thoughts that might have crept cautiously into David's mind. He had sat in silence, his head facing out the passenger side window, his eyes glued to the imaginary void that balanced in the sky and filled his heart. As the seemingly lifeless scenery became of increasingly familiar nature, one thought occupied David's entire being: the only place he would ever belong was Horizon.
Getting closer to his old neighborhood, David shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He knew all too well that when his "home" came into view, he would be helplessly frozen to his seat. Suddenly, without warning or clue, the General spoke.
"David, there's something I think you should know." He said sternly. David turned his head slightly to face his father, but couldn't bring himself to raise his eyes enough to actually look at him.
"I was adopted?" David asked hopefully, and immediately regretted the comment. Yet surprisingly, his father didn't react.
"No...I got remarried." The General replied, his voice quieter, with a tone David barely remembered from his childhood. The same tone he had used before David's world had come crashing down; the tone that was recognizable as one thing, and one thing only: love.
"When?" David was barely able to speak. "When did this happen?" he asked when he had found his voice.
"A month ago. Her name is Anne." There was a pause, as if Robert Ruxton was considering his next words, and choosing them carefully. "I expect you to treat her with the utmost respect." The General's voice was once again filled with its trademark severity. David bit his lip.
"Like how you treated me and mom?" David asked, sarcasm dripping from his words like a thick slime.
The blow to David's jaw came fast and hard, and he clenched his seat tightly, feeling the car swerve when his father hit him. The pain was greater than he remembered, swelling throughout his entire body. His jaw felt numb.
"That must have been a record for you, Dad. Four whole hours without hitting me." He stated without hesitation.
"Another comment like that, and the next one will be so hard you won't wake up until Tuesday." It was Saturday, and David cringed at the thought of the amount of pain he would be in.
"It would be better than living through all those days." David muttered, feeling his father's glare drilling through his skull. He didn't dare look at him.
Moments later the car pulled slowly into the Ruxton household driveway. David climbed slowly from the vehicle, his face still throbbing.
"Get your bags." Robert ordered gruffly. David obeyed, his father's eyes observing his every move. "Remember what I said." He added as they stepped over the threshold and into the entranceway.
"Annie, we're home!" Robert called. David flinched at his father's sugar coated tone of voice.
Seconds later, a woman who looked to be in her late forties stepped into the entranceway. Her russet hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she wore a red apron hanging from her neck.
"You must be David." When she smiled, two perfect rows of pearl white teeth appeared, and her hazel eyes danced. David felt his Dad's elbow dig into his spine, and he swallowed.
"It's nice to meet you." He said monotonously. His jaw burned with an intense pain as he spoke.
"Why don't you take your bags upstairs?" Robert interrupted abruptly.
Grabbing his bags, David strode up the stairs as quickly as possible. Already eager to get away from his new life, David stepped into his room and closed the heavy wooden door behind him.
Everything looked the same as it had months ago when his father had initially taken to Horizon. The same bare white walls, an old wooden-framed bed by the window, a cluttered desk shoved into a corner. It all seemed so foreign to his mind; so different from Horizon. Horizon. The word echoed in David's mind like a distant and fading memory. He remembered Peter's words, and found himself questioning their meaning. How could he use his `tools' if he didn't know how to play the game?
Collapsing onto his bed, David closed his eyes against the bright sunlight that poured through his window. He didn't know how it happened, but he was soon asleep. Unaware of the amount of time that had elapsed, the teenager woke to a light knock on his bedroom door. He sprang into a sitting position and pretended to be riffling through his bag for a misplaced possession.
"Who is it?" He asked once he had calmed down enough to speak. The door opened a bit and a young blonde-haired head stuck through the small space. David frowned.
"Who are you?" he asked in confusion. A pair of dark brown eyes stared at him in obvious wonder. "Do you want to come in?" David asked more gently.
The door opened a little more, and a young girl dashed into the room, closing the door behind her.
"I'm David," he said quietly. "What's your name?" he asked. The girl bit her lip.
"Madison." She whispered.
"Why are you whispering?" David asked, lowering his voice to the same quiet tone as hers had been.
"I'm supposed to be having my nap." Madison replied matter-of -a-factly.
"How old are you?" David questioned, unable to ignore his interest in the small, quiet girl. Madison simply held up five fingers in response. "Five? Wow, you're getting old!" David explained, hoping to get the girl to speak a little more.
"Mommy says I'm a baby." The child replied, looking up at David with wide eyes.
"Well you seem like a big girl to me." David replied. Madison beamed up at him.
There was a pause as Madison climbed into David's lap. She leaned back against him, and David could feel the anger in his heart melt into a puddle.
"Do you know who your daddy is?" David asked suddenly. He couldn't remember the last time he had used that word. Madison turned her face so that she could look up at him.
"Mommy said I don't have a real daddy. She says Robert is my Daddy now." She answers softly. David cringed. His heart broke as he held the small girl against him. She was so small, so young, yet her life was already torn at the roots. He sighed sadly. Life was never fair.
The two sat in silence for a few minutes. There were heavy footsteps on the stairs, and David felt Madison's small body tense up. There was a loud knock on the door, and David forced himself to be strong.
"Who is it?" he questioned. The door opened abruptly and the general appeared in the doorway, casting a dark shadow throughout the brightly lit room, and on David's heart.
"Come downstairs for dinner." He said harshly. "And bring the kid with you." He added. The dark haired boy could feel a tremble crawl through Madison's body.
There was silence as The General disappeared in the direction he had come. Slowly David dragged himself off the bed, gently placing Madison on the floor. He stood, waiting for a few seconds, as he watched Madison walk out the door ahead of him. Quietly, he spoke the following words:
"A shadow is cast, and the world grows dark."
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Please let me know what you think! Praise, flames, I don't care! Just please, please, please review!!!!!!!! (Or email me at jd108@hotmail.com)
Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You guys are the reason I write, so please continue to let me know what you think! My thanks go out to Bluebanana for telling me "the general's" name!
Chapter 4
The car ride home had been a long one. An uneasy hush had hastily stifled any remotely pleasant thoughts that might have crept cautiously into David's mind. He had sat in silence, his head facing out the passenger side window, his eyes glued to the imaginary void that balanced in the sky and filled his heart. As the seemingly lifeless scenery became of increasingly familiar nature, one thought occupied David's entire being: the only place he would ever belong was Horizon.
Getting closer to his old neighborhood, David shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He knew all too well that when his "home" came into view, he would be helplessly frozen to his seat. Suddenly, without warning or clue, the General spoke.
"David, there's something I think you should know." He said sternly. David turned his head slightly to face his father, but couldn't bring himself to raise his eyes enough to actually look at him.
"I was adopted?" David asked hopefully, and immediately regretted the comment. Yet surprisingly, his father didn't react.
"No...I got remarried." The General replied, his voice quieter, with a tone David barely remembered from his childhood. The same tone he had used before David's world had come crashing down; the tone that was recognizable as one thing, and one thing only: love.
"When?" David was barely able to speak. "When did this happen?" he asked when he had found his voice.
"A month ago. Her name is Anne." There was a pause, as if Robert Ruxton was considering his next words, and choosing them carefully. "I expect you to treat her with the utmost respect." The General's voice was once again filled with its trademark severity. David bit his lip.
"Like how you treated me and mom?" David asked, sarcasm dripping from his words like a thick slime.
The blow to David's jaw came fast and hard, and he clenched his seat tightly, feeling the car swerve when his father hit him. The pain was greater than he remembered, swelling throughout his entire body. His jaw felt numb.
"That must have been a record for you, Dad. Four whole hours without hitting me." He stated without hesitation.
"Another comment like that, and the next one will be so hard you won't wake up until Tuesday." It was Saturday, and David cringed at the thought of the amount of pain he would be in.
"It would be better than living through all those days." David muttered, feeling his father's glare drilling through his skull. He didn't dare look at him.
Moments later the car pulled slowly into the Ruxton household driveway. David climbed slowly from the vehicle, his face still throbbing.
"Get your bags." Robert ordered gruffly. David obeyed, his father's eyes observing his every move. "Remember what I said." He added as they stepped over the threshold and into the entranceway.
"Annie, we're home!" Robert called. David flinched at his father's sugar coated tone of voice.
Seconds later, a woman who looked to be in her late forties stepped into the entranceway. Her russet hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she wore a red apron hanging from her neck.
"You must be David." When she smiled, two perfect rows of pearl white teeth appeared, and her hazel eyes danced. David felt his Dad's elbow dig into his spine, and he swallowed.
"It's nice to meet you." He said monotonously. His jaw burned with an intense pain as he spoke.
"Why don't you take your bags upstairs?" Robert interrupted abruptly.
Grabbing his bags, David strode up the stairs as quickly as possible. Already eager to get away from his new life, David stepped into his room and closed the heavy wooden door behind him.
Everything looked the same as it had months ago when his father had initially taken to Horizon. The same bare white walls, an old wooden-framed bed by the window, a cluttered desk shoved into a corner. It all seemed so foreign to his mind; so different from Horizon. Horizon. The word echoed in David's mind like a distant and fading memory. He remembered Peter's words, and found himself questioning their meaning. How could he use his `tools' if he didn't know how to play the game?
Collapsing onto his bed, David closed his eyes against the bright sunlight that poured through his window. He didn't know how it happened, but he was soon asleep. Unaware of the amount of time that had elapsed, the teenager woke to a light knock on his bedroom door. He sprang into a sitting position and pretended to be riffling through his bag for a misplaced possession.
"Who is it?" He asked once he had calmed down enough to speak. The door opened a bit and a young blonde-haired head stuck through the small space. David frowned.
"Who are you?" he asked in confusion. A pair of dark brown eyes stared at him in obvious wonder. "Do you want to come in?" David asked more gently.
The door opened a little more, and a young girl dashed into the room, closing the door behind her.
"I'm David," he said quietly. "What's your name?" he asked. The girl bit her lip.
"Madison." She whispered.
"Why are you whispering?" David asked, lowering his voice to the same quiet tone as hers had been.
"I'm supposed to be having my nap." Madison replied matter-of -a-factly.
"How old are you?" David questioned, unable to ignore his interest in the small, quiet girl. Madison simply held up five fingers in response. "Five? Wow, you're getting old!" David explained, hoping to get the girl to speak a little more.
"Mommy says I'm a baby." The child replied, looking up at David with wide eyes.
"Well you seem like a big girl to me." David replied. Madison beamed up at him.
There was a pause as Madison climbed into David's lap. She leaned back against him, and David could feel the anger in his heart melt into a puddle.
"Do you know who your daddy is?" David asked suddenly. He couldn't remember the last time he had used that word. Madison turned her face so that she could look up at him.
"Mommy said I don't have a real daddy. She says Robert is my Daddy now." She answers softly. David cringed. His heart broke as he held the small girl against him. She was so small, so young, yet her life was already torn at the roots. He sighed sadly. Life was never fair.
The two sat in silence for a few minutes. There were heavy footsteps on the stairs, and David felt Madison's small body tense up. There was a loud knock on the door, and David forced himself to be strong.
"Who is it?" he questioned. The door opened abruptly and the general appeared in the doorway, casting a dark shadow throughout the brightly lit room, and on David's heart.
"Come downstairs for dinner." He said harshly. "And bring the kid with you." He added. The dark haired boy could feel a tremble crawl through Madison's body.
There was silence as The General disappeared in the direction he had come. Slowly David dragged himself off the bed, gently placing Madison on the floor. He stood, waiting for a few seconds, as he watched Madison walk out the door ahead of him. Quietly, he spoke the following words:
"A shadow is cast, and the world grows dark."
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Please let me know what you think! Praise, flames, I don't care! Just please, please, please review!!!!!!!! (Or email me at jd108@hotmail.com)
