Carlos felt a presence in the room when he woke up in the morning, sitting up quickly he saw his mother sitting in one of the battered armchairs with his laptop on her pointed knee.
"mom?" Carlos breathed.
Cruella slowly looked up from the screen, a strange look in her bloodshot eyes, "are these security codes?" she finally asked.
Carlos lost his breath for a moment before he remembered that nothing on his laptop wold work here, "yeah, but…"
"so with a simple click of this button," her finger lingered on the enter key, "I could open the barrier and release us all." There was greedy hope in her voice.
For the longest moment Carlos didn't know what to say, if he angered her then he would be beaten but if he lied then he would be beaten, so he took a breath to explain the lose-lose situation, "it won't work here, there's no wifi, no connection." He explained as carefully as possible.
Cruella's face twitched and her smile fell, "well then make a connection." She hissed.
Carlos stepped back, out of her reach, "I can't…"
"don't lie!" Cruella screamed jumped to her feet, laptop clutched tightly in her hands, "I've seen your school reports you tried to hide from me, I know you're some kind of genius, so build a connection!" she demanded approaching her small son quickly.
Stumbling backwards Carlos found himself in the warm ashes of the long dead fire, he coughed as he tried to brush off the soot, "it's not possible!" he stressed.
Cruella was quiet, which only meant danger, "fine." She hissed quietly, "you want to be like that." And she left the room.
Carlos hauled himself out of the fireplace, soot flying into the air as he brushed as much of it off but he was still stained black from head to toe; he was shaking out his shoes when his mother re-entered the room.
In her hand was a red leather dog collar, "come here." She demanded.
Very slowly Carlos approached his mother, eyes never leaving the collar, "now, find a way to open the barrier or I'll tie you to the tree outside like the runt you are." Cruella threatened in a low voice.
Carlos's mouth went very dry, "there, there isn't a way." He stated again.
Cruella slapped him hard on the arm with the leather collar, leaving a stinging mark, before wrapping it tightly around his neck, "hold still." She ordered.
Wedging his fingers under the collar Carlos tried to stop his mother from tightening it too much, the thick leather rubbed at his skin and his mother's sharp fingers worked quickly to do up the collar; the next thing he knew she was holding a lighter near his face.
"now's your chance to think of a way to get a connection." Cruella cooed like she wasn't holding fire to her young son's face.
Carlos felt the burn on his skin, even if he could think of any possibilities they weren't the first thing in his panic stricken brain, all he could do was concentrate on breathing.
Silence wasn't something Cruella liked when she asked for something so she began to heat the metal clasp, melting it together.
The young De Vil could feel it burning on his throat but it wasn't the first time he'd been burnt; once the clasp had melted together she didn't let go but forced him outside.
It was mid-morning and the wind had picked up but there was no sound of life anywhere; Carlos was dragged barefoot across the uneven driveway and onto the knarled garden around the back of the house.
There stood a huge oak tree, it had been dead for as long as Carlos had been alive, he used to climb up it to escape his mother and he remembered falling out of it a few times; around the base of the tree was a leash.
"now, you'll stay here till that little brain of yours remembers how to open the barrier." Cruella told him as she pulled the collar closer to the tree.
Carlos tried to pull back but he was having trouble breathing, "you can't leave me out here!" he managed to exclaim.
But Cruella had every intention of leaving him outside, without shoes or a coat, as she began to burn the metal clasp connecting the lease to the collar.
"any time you manage to think of a way just give me a shout." Cruella called as she sauntered back to the house.
Pulling at both lease and collar Carlos shouted after his mother, begging not to be left but as the slamming door echoed across the garden he knew every word had fallen on deaf ears; sliding down to sit on the damp grass the freckled teen realised how hungry he really was.
While cleaning the young De Vil had managed to steal a few slices of stale bread but he'd become a bit too used to the three meal a day plan in Auradon, plus all the chocolate he could eat.
The day went past in a haze, as did the night, which became bitter cold and Carlos lost feeling in his fingers and toes; he didn't sleep much that night.
As the sun began to rise for the next morning Carlos knew he had to leave, by any means possible; he missed Auradon, he missed his friends even if he didn't see them, at least at school he was safe and somewhat cared for.
He figured he'd been so determined to return was for something familiar, even if it was the abuse from his mother.
Carlos glanced over the other end of the garden to see a pile of wood and metal poles, he frowned; it was his old den, it must have been destroyed either by the weather or by Cruella.
Then his tired brain clicked; all those years ago before Auradon he'd made a small connection though those metal poles.
It was possible that it would never work but if Carlos convinced his mother to take him to town with promises of opening the barrier than there might be a chance he could escape; if not off the Isle than at least away from Cruella.
Carlos pulled himself up on shaking legs, "mom!" he called in a weak voice, clearing his throat, "mom! I thought of a way!"
Cruella's bedroom window flew open to reveal the face masked fashionista, "about time too runt." She screeched, slamming the window shut again.
The moments ticked by as Carlos waited for her to come out and when she finally did he felt his stomach quiver in fear as he was about to lie to his mother.
"well done Carlos." She cooed softly, patting his head, "now, what do we have to do?"
Carlos swallowed, "I, um, need batteries and wire and, um, a soldering iron. and an amp." He rattled off some things he'd used before.
"that stuff sounds expensive." Cruella snapped.
"but think about all the fame and money you'll get once the barrier is open, and it'll all be because of you." The young De Vil told her in the best gushing, complimentary voice he could muster.
The greedy look was back in Cruella's eyes; pulling a knife she cut the leash from the tree, leaving enough for her to grab, "come on then."
Carlos pulled back, gripping the leash tightly, "wait, I need my laptop." He said quickly, "I can make the connection right outside the shop!"
"it's right here." Cruella pulled the laptop from her coat but didn't hand it to him.
Before they even made it to the car Cruella paused, she'd lit a cigarette and turned dangerously to her small son, "this had better not be a trick." She growled lowly.
Panic slammed into Carlos's stomach but he put on his most convincing smile, "of course not, I wouldn't lie to you mom."
"because if it is." Cruella approached him quickly and docked out her fresh cigarette on his exposed collarbone.
Flinching back Carlos couldn't escape the cooking smell coming from his skin, he knew the punishments would be worse if he couldn't get away; he nodded quickly and she let the cigarette fall to the ground.