CHAPTER TWO

TOBIAS POV

We walk up to my house and I see my father standing at the door. I can already see the anger in his eyes, even before he sneers for me to get into the house. I don't know how I am going to survive this beating. The last few nights have been constant beatings and by the look in his eye this is going to be a bad night.

I walk into the house and I just hope that Tris has gone home and isn't going to try to bust through the door and help. She would do that, it is just the type of person she is. But I don't have time to think any more of it before I am pushed onto the floor and I can see he has his belt out.

I try to get up but he kicks me and yells for me to stay down. I hear the swoosh of the belt as he raises his arm and then whips the belt toward my back. I hear as it connects to my skin and I can't help but to scream out. This only enrages him further and I keep hearing the swoosh as he raises it again and again. I can't stop, every time it hits my back I scream again.

Just as I think I can take no more I hear the front door open and all I can think please don't let that be Tris.

"Marcus what are you doing?" It is a male voice but I can't picture who it belongs too. I am in too much pain and I'm tense waiting for the next blow to come.

"This does not concern you Andrew," I hear him say.

"Marcus I will ask you again. What do you think you are doing?"

"It's for his own good"

I hear the swoosh of the belt and I tense waiting for the belt to hit me but instead I hear it hit something else. I look up to see the belt is wrapped around Andrew Prior's hand. He grabs the belt out of my father's hand and he pushes my father back.

"Tobias, can you get up?" He asks me.

I nod. "Good, now let's get you out of here."

We walk in the front door of the Prior house and Mr Prior calls out, "Natalie we need the first aid kit."

"Tobias," Tris yells and tries to engulf me in a hug without hurting my back. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I had to tell. I could see him going for his belt before I left and I couldn't let him hurt you again," she says with tears in her eyes.

"Tris," I say. But this is the only word I can get out. Between the pain, the shock and the relief that it was her dad and not Tris that came to my house I just stand there with my head on Tris's shoulder hugging her as tightly as I can.

"Come and lie down," Mrs Prior says to me as she directs me to the couch. She helps me to take my shirt off and lays me down. Tris gets a pillow to put under my head. I just want to lay here and cry. Nobody has been this nice to me since my mother died. All I have had is harsh words and beatings for the last two years.

"Tobias this is going to hurt," Mrs Prior says.

"No, he's been through enough," I hear Tris cry out to her mum.

"Beatrice I need to do this. We have to stop it from getting infected," Mrs Prior says.

"It's okay Tris. I'll be okay," I say.

While Mrs Prior opens her first aid kit I can feel Tris playing with my hair. This is when the first tear rolls down my face. I know I should try to be strong but I can't help it. I never thought I would ever have anyone be nice to me again, to help me.

Then Mrs Prior rubs something on my back and the pain is so great that I can't even scream out, everything just goes black.

I don't know how long it has been but I can see that it is now dark outside and I can hear voices talking close by.

"He can't go back there Andrew."

"I know that. It's just what do we do?"

"Well I made a promise to his mother if anything ever happened to her that I would look out for him. He can stay with us. He needs people who love him. We have always loved him, he needs us Andrew."

"I agree. There is no way I will let Marcus touch him ever again. It made me sick when I walked in that door and saw what he was doing. What's wrong with that man? He lost his wife and he treats his son like this. I don't understand it."

"Well he shouldn't have to sleep on the couch. We are going to have to organise something more permanent."

"I will discuss this with Marcus tomorrow. There are a few four bedroom homes on the outskirts of Abnegation that are unoccupied. We don't have much use for them. So it will get Tobias further from Marcus and give each child their own room. I will make sure Marcus will agree to it."

"He should be made factionless. He doesn't deserve to be the leader of Abnegation."

"I agree. But the council won't see it that way. They will want us to forgive him; they will take pity on him because he is a widower. The best we can do to keep Tobias safe is this. We will tell Marcus that he is to tell people that he thought it would be better for Tobias to be raised in a family environment. That he couldn't cope looking after the boy by himself."

"What if he doesn't agree?"

"Natalie that man is evil. He would not want people to know just what he is really like. I think he will make a big show of it, he will have the whole city throwing him a pity party."

"It doesn't feel like it is right. I almost feel I'm letting Tobias down."

"No you're not," I whisper. I hope that they don't hear me. I am enjoying listening to the Prior's talk. Knowing that they are trying to keep me safe. Knowing that they know the truth of just what my father is.

"Tobias," Mrs Prior says. "Oh sweetie, how are you feeling?"

"I'm tired," I say.

"Well you lay there and get some rest," she says.

"Did you mean it?" I ask.

"Did I mean what?"

"Did you mean I could stay? I don't have to live with him anymore?"

"Yes honey. We are going to do everything we can to protect you."

"Thank you," I say. And before I can hear her response I fall back to sleep.

Thank you to everyone who has responded to this story. Wow it has blown me away the support you are showing me. Thank you all so much.