"H-hurts... hurts..."

A hoarse, crying voice called out between sobs. Echoing from wall to wall in pitch darkness. A nine year old boy sat against the wall, hugging the smallest, darkest corner within the small room he lived in. Nose stinging with a vile smell, lungs filling with dust as he took small shallow breaths.

Knees tightly pressed against his chest the boy kept repeating the one word he could choke out. "Hurts... hurts... hurts..." his small balled fists tapped against his head, the noise was loud, too loud... the yelling hurt his ears, his head, it hurt... it hurt ithurtithurtithurt...

The sobbing continued as the young boy's eyes looked through the darkness of the room. From wall to wall there were scratches, almost animalistic looking, all markers of his escape attempts. As for the door... unlike the walls the door's scratches were marked with blood. Some old, looking a nasty dull brown, but more recently were the ones covered in still wet crimson liquid. He had tried again, not that long ago, but like every other time it only ended in failure. He wanted to be where the light was... he didn't want to be here anymore.

Body quivering the boy closed his eyes as if trying to escape the enclosing darkness. His balled fists unrolling, revealing chipped and broken nails. Long skinny fingers snaking their way through a field of snow-white hair. Grasping tightly he tried to curl his body more. Ignoring the searing pain of doing so. His head continued to pound, continued to scream. He pulled and pulled trying in vain to tear his head off. His movement causing him to hit the wall repeatedly.

As though someone were to knock on a wall his head kept moving back and forth. Nails digging into his scalp, hard enough to draw the slightest amount of blood. He tried to claw the things that hurt his head. Still that didn't stop it, the yelling getting louder and louder. "No...No...No!" his voiced raised in a wailing sob, he couldn't keep it quiet. They be mad but it hurt! "No hurt!" He screamed, his ailing body squirming in both discomfort and pain. He could not hear anything anymore, not the rapid banging on the door, nor the sound of his head hitting the wall only the yelling!

"I said quiet down! Don't pretend you can't hear me!" the yelling was replaced by another voice, meekly the boy's eyes opened all before he scrambled even further into the corner, eyes filled with fear as he clawed the wall. 'Mad! Mad!' they were mad. 'No! No hurt!' If they grabbed him, the hurt would come. He knew this and so he clawed even more, the wall in front of him streaking with blood.

His attempt was quickly stopped. A large hand grabbing his wrist. The fact light had flooded the room failed to register. The boy only focused on the hand that grabbed him trying in vain to pull his arm away. His skin a sickly pale, bones almost showing through, all while bruises and brown dirtied bandages plotted themselves over parts of his body.

Back covered in vicious burns, chest covered in scars, and the flesh of his ribs tinted a strange black. Bracing his feet against the floor he pulled even greater, his chest rising and lowering rapidly. Each breath coming fast. His thoughts screaming. He didn't even see who it was who grabbed him. He only knew that he had to get away. Opening his mouth the boy bit down onto the hand holding him drawing a small amount of blood.

He succeeded and almost instantly he dove back into the corner, teeth gnashing as he looked to the figure's feet much like that of a dog. His body trembled and for a moment the pain he was in did not exist.

"Gah! You little shit!"

The voice got louder more mad. It was only then that he looked to who it was. In that instant the boy froze, tears appearing in his eyes, he couldn't breath. 'No... man... mad!' He knew the man, it was him who hurt most. His broken thoughts only giving an even greater fear. Head tucking into his arms as he fully turned pushed his head into the wall. Back showing he quivered hoping that punishment wouldn't come. But his hopes were quickly snuffed. His ankle grabbed with even greater strength he was hoisted from the corner. Clawing at the ground he again tried to escape as the grip made his pale skin turn red with irritation.

"Biting me?! You must have lost your mind!" The man bellowed with rage. His strength growing stronger and stronger before unceremoniously tossing the small child into the brightly lit room.

The boy's eyes tried hard to adjust, the light blinding him. Closing his eyes he braced himself as soon after a boot heel was placed against his back. He cried out in pain and his tears increased with each twist of the heel. Still they seemed to make the man even madder, the pressure increasing all while a small snicker could be heard somewhere away. For a second the boy's eyes looked and as soon as he caught a glimpse he cowered. Her green hair falling past her shoulders while her forest green eyes held something similar to that of amusement. Not that the boy could focus on her, not when the blonde man above him continued to push his weight onto his back.

"Not listening!? Biting me!? Who do you think you are?!" He asked question that the boy couldn't know how to answer.

He really didn't hear him! He didn't mean to bite! "Sorry! Sorry!" He called out trying to stop the man. He could only keep repeating the word more and more as the heel left his back. Curling up he kept yelling. "Sorry! I sorry!" His speech broken, missing several parts as he continued to speak "No mad! Sorry!" his sobs causing the snicker to grow louder until it resulted in full blown laughter. Head throbbing the boy kept speaking in his hoarse voice and only stopped when the man spoke again.

"Quiet!" Hand raised the man held something he wasn't before. A brown leather belt, the metal plate attached covered in old blood. The first glance was enough for the boy to scramble. Arms going to cover the back of his head. The belt whipped downward with extreme hostility. The boy cried as the buckle cut into the skin of his back, the lashings he received only increasing with each scream. Then as if it were her turn the woman stepped closer, in her hands the belt although lighter struck at his head and at his fingers.

It only took one strike to cause his hands to fall in pain, leaving his head unprotected. There was no mercy, all the woman would target was the top of his skull. At the attacks the screaming inside only grew louder and louder. His head throbbed and the back of his head was quickly covered in blood. His thoughts scrambled and his teeth bared within his tucked body. 'Hurts... it hurts! It hurts!' A voice so loud! his body trembled even after the attacks had stopped. With his hands he covered his ears trying anything to stop the voice. He didn't want to listen!

He didn't want to talk with it! It was too loud! It always screamed at him! Even when he closed his eyes it would speak! It would scream! Yell! It hurt!

Despite his punishment being over the boy could not hear himself screaming out loud, though everyone else had. The man and woman looked on as he screamed for dear life, head digging into the floor as the boy pulled on his ears. There was no sympathy in their looks, one held disgust... the other amusement. Not that the boy would be able to tell which. After the first few blows his vision had gone blurry and he could barely see the floor beneath him.

Eventually his hands left his ears and began scratching at floor. His breathing growing rapid, chest getting hotter and hotter. Jaw clenching harder than ever before, a low growl tearing from his throat. However that was quickly quieted. It was swift. A single kick was enough to cause the air in his lungs to leave. Dry heaving as he laid on the floor, tears streaming from his eyes.

The blonde haired man, shook his head, all before a large smile split his face. "Izumi sweetie. Was it too loud?"

Izumi. That was the only name the boy knew. The only name the man or woman said without yelling.

It was as though a switch had flipped in them both, immediately when their green haired, blue-eyed daughter made her appearance known they were docile, gentle, wrapped in warmth. Turning his gaze upward, he could see her. A young girl 2 years younger than he was, on her face a small smile. She acted, looked exactly like them, especially those eyes.

Closing his own the boy kept heaving, capturing air was harder than ever before. Moving his body was even worse. With wheezing breaths the boy's body began to curl, anything to make himself smaller. It was always like this. Forced to watch as the pair left him on the ground, only to envelop the girl in a large hug. With a single eye opening he watched the scene breath hitching with each passing moment.

If he made a noise they would go back to hurting him. Still he couldn't help but whimper a few small sobs. Such a thing couldn't go unpunished, the pleasant conversation the trio were having paused. It took only second for a hand to grasp his hair tightly. "Ah!" Yelling he reach upward to hold the man's wrist. His body dragged along the floor. 'No!' he didn't want to go back! Not to the dark! The door grew closer and closer.

He couldn't see it but he could tell. At this the feeling returned, teeth gnashed, his feet kicked wildly at the floor below. It did nothing, not even making the journey longer before he was tossed back into his home. With a slam the door closed again and the boy could do nothing but lay there, head dripping with blood. He couldn't even move his body nor could he distract himself when it started to scream.

...

The feeling the boy had woken up to was cold. Eyes fluttering open he could feel it. The liquid that came from underneath the door. Tongue out he lapped out whatever it was. The taste was metallic, his blood had mixed with it. Still he drank what was offered to him. He could hear the chuckle from the other side of the door, the noises he made trying to devourer whatever the fluid was causing the person behind the door glee. As soon as he licked any remaining drop, the boy retreated back into the corner letting the screams continue.

He couldn't stop them.

As he sat a voice came from the door. The words becoming a jumbled mess that he could not understand. Whatever they said was drowned out by his own voice. "no... st...op..." his head still throbbed violently. Nails scratching into his skin while his voice failed to capture his words. For hours he sat there listening, speaking, to no one but himself. There was no indication he heard the movement from beyond the walls. The shuffling of furniture or the preparation of food. Smell illuded him, not that it mattered, he was already occupied. Teeth gnawing at his own lip. Already he had drank something but he had yet to be fed.

The hunger, the pain... why? He could neither answer or ask this question his head hurt too much for him to be able to. His chest burned too hot, his skin crawled. Again came a low growl from his throat. Through his hazy vision and the darkness he glared at the door.

And this time his growl was allowed to continue. His throat ran dry and sore but he did not stop. Back pressed against the wall he continued to stare. His trembling body only conveying that he was still alive. That was when he heard it. It was loud enough to cut through his growls.

"Happy Birthday Izumi!"

"Hapy... day... Izu...mi" He repeated what he heard but again the words only came through a jumbled mess. "Heh...Haha..." a few laughs echoed from his mouth, though the reason was unknown. Eventually the laughs quieted down and with it the door to the closet swung open. Perhaps for the first time the boy wanted to turn away from the light. Eyes stinging in pain and head throbbing once more. He tried to cover his eyes but light still leaked from the middle of his fingers.

Soon he wasn't able to hide at all. His wrists grabbed wrapped around with something, his ankles too. The sensation caused him to panic, reaching down he tried to gnaw at what kept his hands tied but quickly felt a pain resonate through his face. His gnawed lip being bit down on by his teeth opening a large gash and filling his mouth. His struggle stopped when he was dragged forward.

There was no strength to be found and the light that even pierced through his closed eyelids began to cause his chest to heat up once more. Fists clenching at the irritation. While dragged sound came from every side, yet he could scarcely hear any of it. All just messes of words which had no meaning.

"Haha...ha!"

Broken up laughter that attacked his ringing ears. He hadn't even realized he was on the floor, limbs bound he could only lay outstretched. He could no longer curl up his body, hide his head, he could only stare at the brown wood beneath him.

"Izu... Sh... Ka..."

Again words spoken, none understood. Only three pairs of shoes standing in front of him before... A scream came from his mouth. The feeling was recognizable, burning. Extreme burning. hot enough to scorch his fragile skin on contact. He could only vaguely recall the one who could do it. Red, blond... only two colors were what he remembered. No name, no face...

Then cold... so cold... 'Hu...' not even his thought could finish before the pain became too much. He cried, wailing, his skin cold. Pins and needles probing at his nerves, piercing through flesh. Again he tried to remember, 'whi...te... bl...ue...' anymore and his head began to throb violently.

Laughter, so much of it... so loud...

Feet, fists, crashing down on top of him.

'N...o...hu..rt' he wanted it to stop, for the pain to stop. Heart thumping rapidly as they didn't relent. The air that was already hard to take in becoming even harder to capture, coughs coming in-between the screams. Chest crushing, limbs aching. He struggled, the binding on his wrists and ankles cutting into his skin. 'N...O...HURT!' his jaw clenched, more than the pain, he wanted to... He could only see an inch past his nose, he waited, his body waited. As soon as he saw something get closer to him.

His mouth opened, teeth baring with saliva and blood, the only thing he could do was bite. Teeth clamped down hard, a scream resonated within his ears, his mouth joined with hot liquid and even more as his jaw tightened further. He could feel it, teeth tearing through something soft. He pulled away as fast as he could taking what little he got with him. In his mouth was something soft. Hunger... he tried to chew but before he could his entire body flipped over.

A large hand gripping his throat roughly.

"Hos... now! Y-ou! Bast...!"

Air and words failed to reach him, he choked on his own spit, what he had bitten was gone from his mouth. He only tried to struggle his bound wrists going upward to scratch whoever held him. Another scream came but that did not stop the hand on his neck. The pressure growing stronger and stronger.

His legs kicked wildly, body convulsing as he tried to move, eyes leaking with tears. Pain, he wanted to get away!

Those thoughts ended when his vision was darkened.

...

A gasp of air...

Alive.

Vision covered in dark.

Ears ringing with the patter of something above him.

'Up!... Up!' his thoughts beckoned, yelled.

He moved, his throbbing head hitting something above him hard.

Covered in darkness he moved his hands.

Still bound together.

His teeth, once more.

He tore through the dark veil.

It was a garbage bag, the black shiny material tearing with his teeth.

A putrid smell assaulting him.

He raised his hands pushing what covered him up.

His strength didn't allow him to do so fully.

He could only see a small opening.

No other way.

He crawled.

Squeezing himself through the smallest gap.

A growl emanating from his throat as he dropped down and onto the wet floor.

Rain pelted his nearly naked form.

It was cold.

Even with hands and feet tied he crawled.

Forward.

Forward.

Forward.

Pain.

Hunger.

He crawled.

Neck irritated, hurting.

"G...o"

Voice now a husk of what once was.

Finally his hand rested.

It was hard, brown, sleek.

A shoe.

The rain stopped hitting his head.

Eyes drooping slightly while his hand clenched around the object.

A man with one eye stared down at him.

A smile on his face.

"He survived."