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Chapter Three: Line of Fire

As Brax opened the front door of their Mangrove River house, he was confronted with darkness and silence. He had hoped that his mother would be home by now, but evidently the house had remained empty in their absence. It was not unusual for Cheryl Braxton to disappear for hours at a time but Brax could not help but worry on this occasion. Her home away from home, The Mangrove River RSL Club, was no place for a lady who was 8-months pregnant and suffered from an alcohol addiction. Brax had lost count of the number of times the police had dropped her back home after she had written herself off at the club. He had hoped that being pregnant with her third child would be enough of a motivation to stay off the alcohol for a few months. Unfortunately even the health of her unborn child was not enough to stop her though and Brax was filled with shame every time the officers had handed him his extremely drunk mother in the last few months. The judgment in their eyes was almost too much for him to bear.

"Is Mum home Brax?" questioned Heath.

"No, it's just you and me mate. Why don't you grab your homework and I'll help you get it finished before it gets too late."

"Aww, I hate homework Brax. Can't we just watch TV instead?" Heath complained.

"No! Stop whinging and lets just get it done ay!" Brax stated firmly. He hated homework too but he saw it as a necessary evil. He did not want Heath to be in any more trouble with his teacher than he already was. Brax also saw education as a potential way of changing his life. If he could just find a way of getting himself and Heath through school then maybe, just maybe, they could rise above the lives their parents had created for them. A life of options, rather than of crime and poverty.

The boys sat around the dining table working through their homework. Heath struggled to make any sense of the spelling activities he had to complete but luckily for him, Brax patiently helped him complete each task. Brax knew that Heath found all schoolwork difficult and it was for this reason that Heath was often disruptive in class. While Brax himself did not love school, he did not find it as challenging as his brother and he tried to help Heath as much as he could.

Brax heard the rough jingle of keys coming from the front door and dropped his pencil immediately. He would know that sound anywhere and a wave of terror instantly washed over him. "Heath, just leave that now. Go to your room, close the door and I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Why Brax?" asked Heath, confused by the sudden change in his brother's mood.

"GO!" Brax yelled impatiently at his brother and shoved him off the chair to get him moving. Heath was not sure what was going on but his brother looked scared and in no mood to be questioned, so he made his way down the hall to his bedroom.

Brax turned towards the front door and was greeted with the terrifying image of his father entering the house. Danny Braxton was a tall man with an intimidating presence. His arms were covered in tattoos and he wore black head-to-toe. He was a man that you did not mess with! His first- born son knew this more than most. It only took Brax a few seconds to realise that his initial fears were accurate. He had come to learn that when his father returned from one of his trips away, he invariably returned home drunk. Drunk and looking for trouble and that is why Brax had to get Heath out of the firing line.

As Danny stumbled down the hallway towards the living area, Brax tried to remain calm. As his heart thumped in his chest as he desperately tried to keep his composure. He knew what was coming and that it could not be stopped. He also knew that if he did not face his father head on, that Danny would find an even easier target to take his anger out on. Brax closed his eyes and prayed that Heath would listen for once and stay in his room.

"Darryl!" Danny slurred.

"Dad!" Brax replied looking into his father's glassy eyes.

"Where is your mother? I want some dinner."

"She isn't home," Brax slowly replied.

"Where is she? Pissin' away me money again I suppose?" the anger was gradually starting to build in Danny's voice.

"I don't know where she is."

"Well, you'll just have to get me somethin' then. Make it snappy cos I'm starvin'! I'll deal with her later!" Danny barked at his son and slumped onto the couch.

Brax very cautiously replied to the request. "I can't get you anything to eat dad, there's no food left."

It took a while for Danny to process that his order had been denied. He gradually stood up and walked over to his son grabbing his t-shirt with both hands. "Where has it all gone? Have you and your brother been stuffin' yourselves stupid?" Danny was now yelling and Brax steeled himself for what was coming next.

"I'm sorry dad," Brax cried in a final attempt to calm his father but it was to no avail.

"SHUT UP! I don't want to hear it! You're all useless! All three of you! What did I do to deserve such a pathetic, good-for-nothin' family?" Danny screamed as he slammed Brax into the wall. Brax fell to the floor from the impact and Danny began to kick him. Brax closed his eyes and clenched his body as he endured blow after blow from his father's boot. He held in the sobs because he did not want Heath to hear him and come to his aid and he tried to picture the ocean in his mind. Every time the boot slammed into his body he imagined it was a wave. A wave trying to knock him from his board as he happily surfed the ocean.

Brax slowly opened his eyes as the blows finally came to a stop. It was at that moment that he saw Danny pick up Heath's cricket bat and slam it into his chest. Then Danny's foot come towards Brax's face and pressed down onto his throat. Brax couldn't breathe as his father continually applied pressure, cutting off his airflow. "Get up Darryl! No son of mine will stay lyin' on the floor like a big girl!" Danny sneered as he removed his foot from his son's throat. Brax coughed and struggled for air as he stumbled back onto his feet. "Now get out of me face, I don't want to look at you!" boomed Danny as he made his way back to the couch.

Brax staggered away from the living area and into Heath's room. As he opened the door he saw his little brother shaking with fear, cowering under the bed. Seeing Brax covered in blood and bruises did not help to calm him. Brax was in too much pain to comfort his brother, so he made his way straight to the bed, lay down and closed his eyes. After a few minutes, Heath crawled out from under the bed and stood looking at his brother. Even though he was only twelve, Brax was strong and smart and Heath always felt safe with his brother by his side. No one at school would mess with Brax and Heath knew that he was always protectively looking out for him. Heath also knew that the one person Brax feared was their father. When you crossed Danny Braxton, you did not escape unscathed and that included family. Especially Brax! Seeing his brother like this frightened Heath. Brax was the strong one and Heath needed him. "Braxxxx, wake-up! Are you OK?" Heath pleaded as he shook his big brother.

"Yeah, I'm fine Heath!" Brax whispered. "You don't have to worry about me. And don't worry about dad. I'll stay in here with you tonight, so you are safe. He'll never hurt you while I am here." Brax's voice was soft and hoarse as he tried the muster the strength to talk. "Come on, hop up. It's bed time." Heath carefully slid onto the bed next to his brother and pulled the blanket over them both.