by G L Rathweg
There are a couple different types of broken bones. Most of mine were hairline fractures not compound ones or worse. The human body is an amazing thing and the sadistic boys hadn’t been quite strong enough to shatter or really break me up. Lucky for me they didn’t use any tools or weapons.
Every movement hurt and it felt like I was getting cut with knives with each step. But I toughed it out and slowly stumbled my way home, only stopping every few dozen feet or so to catch another painful breath.
I still lived with my stepmom and stepsiblings at the time and my dad was gone out of town for work as usual. That’s why no one came to look for me and I didn’t go look for anyone else. My stepmom was out as usual when I finally made it home about an hour later. That’s how long it took my battered and exhausted body to make it four blocks. My stepsister was whoring out on the computer as usual, so she didn’t even notice me enter. The only thing I had left to worry about was my stepbrother.
Again, lucky for me he was N-word after N-word deep into Call of Duty, so he didn’t notice me either. He was the kind of white prick who shouted the N-word online because no one could see him. He also was a fucking piece of shit, so I guess they came hand in hand.
I made it to my closet of a room and curled up in the fetal position and immediately passed out. The first time I woke up was at least a day and half later because my stomach felt like the rest of my body. Having starved for days at a time I could tell the feeling. That became my pattern while I healed. I’d stay in my room all day and night then sneak out and grab whatever food I could while everyone was asleep or gone.
My grandma came over a couple weeks later after I had mostly recuperated, but she could tell something was wrong and took me to the doctor. My bones had already begun healing, some a little crooked. It cost way too much money to rebreak and reset the bones, so the doctor said I would just have to grow with them the way they were.
My grandma gave him a few choice words about his parentage then took me to her house where she made me my favorite meal. A plate heaping with fried chicken, mashed potatoes with country gravy, and fresh buttery corn on the cob was set before me. I wolfed it down and followed it up with three slices of homemade warm chocolate pie topped with whipped cream.
“Wow grandma that was great! Thanks for the meal but it’s not my birthday today why did you make it?” I asked, putting my napkin down and sitting back contentedly.
“It’s a special day Hiro. I think you should move in with me, tonight.” My grandma said.
I sat up and looked questioningly at her not sure I heard her quite right.
“Huh?” I asked.
“I said you should move in here today. You don’t need to go back to that horrible woman’s house again. I’ll tell your father and that’s the end of it.” My grandma stated.
Tears sprang to my eyes and I began to cry uncontrollably. I couldn’t help it. And that was that. I never went back to my old home. My grandma went back and told my stepmom and retrieved all my stuff. It wasn’t hard I only had a small suitcase worth of clothing and barely any personal items. This was the best time of my short life. Moving in with my grandma even with my newly deformed body was more than I could ever have asked for.
Before then my grandma had lived with my grandfather who was not actually my grandfather. He was my step grandfather not my biological one and he didn’t like me or my dad’s family at all. It was the main reason my grandmother let me know later on why she hadn’t taken me in earlier. But the old bastard had died when I had been injured and that’s why my grandma had come. The timing had just worked out that way.
The next six months were the happiest I had ever experienced, and my grandma and I had a blast. We converted the basement into my room. It was huge, the whole thing was as big as the house above, and it was all mine. I had my own kitchen, bathroom, shower, along with a huge loft style living area. My grandma had been an interior decorator in a previous life she had explained, and we made the place amazing.
We bought Japanese style partitions and sectioned off a living room area, dining room area, and bedroom area. Each one separated by the stylish dividers. We went secondhand shopping and bought a comfortable couch and love seat, coffee table, and entertainment center. She splurged on a TV, a gaming console, and a PC. My dead grandpa had left her Social Security and a pension. So, thanks for that I guess, you old coot.
We had superfast T1 internet installed and then my grandma decked out the kitchen and the bathroom the way only a lady can. After that, a few Amazon orders and anime wall scroll delivery’s later, and the Fortress of Solitude was complete. Yep, that is what I called it because I loved Superman and I don’t have to defend shit because he is awesome.
The season was a changing and school had ended for summer. I had missed the last few weeks due to being beat up, so my grandma had gone to my school and retrieved all the work I needed to do to finish the school year. Then she also arranged for me to do my schooling from home until I finished up junior high. The two of us spent that summer hanging out together and fixing up her house. My grandpa hadn’t been very mobile, and my grandma said she didn’t see the need to do it before I came. But now that I was here, she felt like she had a new lease on life.
I didn’t blame her I felt the same way. We scrubbed, hosed, scraped, painted, glued, swept, mopped, and every other damn thing there is for cleaning and renovating an old neglected house from 1940’s cold war era. Most homes built during this time had fallout shelters and that’s what my basement room was originally.
The house was actually built into a small hillock one of a certain type found all over Florida. There were thousands of them all around the state. People didn’t realize it, but they were actually old Native American burial mounds. They were just so old and built over that most people didn’t know. My grandma had told me the story. The original Pensacola Indians were from here and they still had their descendants in the area. These hills had magical powers she had always said.
I always thought she was teasing me until everything changed. Anyway, that’s for later on in the story. All things in their proper order as my granny would always say.
After the house was fixed up, we spent the rest of the summer playing games together. We played video games that I loved but she hated. Then we’d play card games that she loved but I hated. But since we loved and respected each other we each did it for the other balancing it all out. She also cooked everyday breakfast, lunch, and dinner every single day. I had never eaten so good in my life.
I put on about twenty pounds that summer and I loved it. Bacon, sausage, homemade biscuits and gravy, scratch pancakes and waffles, and all the eggs I could eat for breakfast. Lunch was sandwiches made from leftovers whether it was meatloaf, roast beef, fried chicken, or whatever, with homemade bread. It was always delicious. Dinner was one of those always homecooked country meals unless we ordered out for pizza or Chinese because we both agreed they did it better than we could. There had been a few unsuccessful attempts before we finally admitted defeat.
It was the greatest time in my life and then it ended. My grandma had a stroke. One moment we were talking and laughing and then she stopped and turned as pale as a ghost. She grabbed her left arm and gave me a look that I’d never seen on her face before.
“Hiro, well shit I think I’m having a stoke.” She said, then fell back against the couch.
“Grandma!” I screamed, as I leaped up to grab my phone and call 911.
The next few days had been a blur. The ambulance came and rushed my grandma to the hospital. They let me ride along and I spent the night in the waiting room while they stabilized her. The next two days I was there while she remained unconscious. When she finally woke up on day three, she was paralyzed on the whole right side of her body.
They let me take her home then and I became her caretaker. She had some Medicaid money and some other rental income, but it wasn’t enough. So that’s when I got the part time job. I made just enough money to help pay
the medical bills and the regular bills with me working. That was how the next few years went. My grandma’s condition worsened, and the medical bills began to get bigger and bigger.
I had hoped my dad would have come back to help us but that never happened. In fact, except for a few postcards from different countries around the world I didn’t hear shit from him.
That brought us to the now and my current situation. I shook my head and got it back to the present. Then turned from the door and began sweeping the coffee shop. Ten minutes later the bell chimed. I turned quickly surprised that the door had opened. I realized I forgot to lock it while I was musing and watched as Mailman Scott walked in carrying a small package.
TRACK 2 – WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER – QUEEN
“Hiro, how’s it going my man?” Mailman Scott asked, tossing me a small wave as he headed over to me.
“Hey Scott, not much. What’s going on with you?” I replied, setting the broom aside. I always like Mailman Scott. He was always nice to me and just seem like a cool dude.
“Not much just last delivery for the day. This is for you.” He said, handing me the package and typing some things in on his pad then gesturing for me to sign.
I did so and then saw the package address and noticed it was from my dad. Holy crap!
“See ya Hiro. I’m gonna go out and party tonight.” Mailman Scott said, waved and walked out.
I barely saw him leave let alone say goodbye I was so engrossed with the package. I walked over to the coffee bar and grabbed a knife then opened the small brown box. The first thing inside was a folded piece of paper which I opened and read.
Dear Hiro,
Hey pal! It’s been awhile. Sorry I haven’t seen you in so long, but works been really busy, and I haven’t had any time to get back.
Anyway, I heard from your grandma that you moved in with her and that you no longer live with your stepmom and stepsiblings. I didn’t realize it was so hard for you there. I thought that it would be better for you to have a mom and some other kids to grow up with, but guess I was wrong about that.
Anyway, I’ve stopped sending them money and will be sending it to my mom, your grandma, to take care of you. I’m in Asia now and probably won’t be able to send you another letter for some time so take care of your grandma and be safe. I found this in Korea and thought you’d like it.
Take Care,
Dad
(P.S. It’s supposed to be magical. Ha Ha!)
I read the letter a few more times and then set it down. I couldn’t believe he sent me a letter and I couldn’t’ believe it was over two years old! The letter was written when I was sixteen. How could he be so outdated with information. No wonder my life was crappy, he didn’t know shit. I shook my head and then took a deep breath and blew it out. Well, fuck it. I never counted on him before why should I now? I looked back in the box and saw a small black container inside the popcorn packaging. I took it out and handled gingerly.
The box was light and made of some type of onyx colored wood. I turned it over in my hand as I studied it and admired the craftsmanship. My attention focused down to just the box and I felt an energy begin to emanate from it and I couldn’t’ contain my growing curiosity. The lid opened with a click and I stood mesmerized at the contents. Sitting inside was a small silver and gold pedant which looked like a dragon shaped around a yin yang.
I reached a hand in and brushed the little amulet with the tips of my fingers and time seemed to stop. It felt like my soul was connecting with the little dragon and I could feel something starting to happen.
“Hiro, are you done out there? I’m finished in here and am going to change and clean up in the bathroom.” Tiffany called, waking me from my trance.
“Uh… yeah…” I replied, still staring at the amulet when then the door chimed again.
I snapped the box shut and turned to the door expecting to see Mailman Scott again, but when I looked up no one was there. I set the black box down on the counter and hurried over to the door. This time I made sure it was locked. When I turned around, I almost pissed my pants because standing not two feet in front of me was Nick.
“Hey, you piece of shit. You think you can laugh at me?” He growled, as he rushed forward and punched me right in the gut.
I doubled over all the breath gone from my lungs and he followed up his punch with a knee to my face. My nose crunched from the blow and blackness and stars exploded in my vision as I crumpled to the ground.
“That’s right you little fucking bitch. You don’t ever get to laugh at me ever again. I guess you didn’t learn your lesson last time. I’ll make sure this time you’ll never forget it again.” Nick said vehemently, then spit at me and followed it up with a few choice punches to my already broken nose.
I blacked out again for a moment as the back of my head hit the hard terrazzo floor. When I came to this time Nick was walking to the front door and it was like I was watching a stop motion film. He stop-walked to the door unlocked and opened it and then his crew filed in one after the other in some insane parody of a real life horror movie. When they all were inside, he relocked the door. My senses started to comeback one by one then time restarted and my vision went back to normal.
“Hiro? Nick? What the fuck are you guys doing in here?” Tiffany yelled, from the entrance to the girl’s bathroom.
I tried to cry out, but my throat was choked with my own blood and my lungs still hadn’t caught their breath. Nick made a gesture and I watched his crew fan out and move sinisterly towards Tiffany. She finally caught sight of me, and I watched her face go white and show surprise and real fear for the first time.
“Oh my god! Hiro are you ok? Nick you are gonna go to fucking jail for…” She started to say.
“Shut the fuck up you dumb bitch. You aren’t going to say shit. Take her in the bathroom and get her ready.” Nick ordered, then turned his attention back to me and ignoring his posse and the girl.
“Get the fuck off me! No! Fuck off you pieces of shit!” Tiffany screamed, her voice continued in a more muffled fashion as they dragged her into the girl’s bathroom and closed the door.
“Now that we’re alone again it’s time to get this party started.” Nick said, with gleeful malice in his eyes and an evil smirk across his face.
Terror, mind numbing fear struck me to the core of my being. I realized that not only was Nick going to beat me up, he was going to kill me. I was going to die tonight. My breathing went shallow and I started hyperventilating against my will. Nick saw this and started laughing and snorting from his position above me.
“Yeah, looks like you finally get it. I’m going to fuck you up just like all those animals you saw before.” Nick whispered menacingly, then hefted me up and held me off the ground with one hand.
I didn’t think it was possible, but even more fear coursed through me then. I stared wide eyed at Nick who grinned wickedly at me, his face resembling a skeleton. Then he spit in my eyes. Temporarily blinded, he chose that moment and hit me in stomach a few times then pushed me back to the ground as I threw up involuntarily. If you have never been choking and throwing up at the same time, I don’t recommend it. It’s the worst. Imagine drowning in your own vomit while not being able to get any breath. Yeah, like I said I highly don’t recommend it.
“Ugh, you’re fucking disgusting. Puke it up puke boy.” Nick cackled, turning his head to the sounds of Tiffany still screaming in the bathroom. “Don’t you fuck her yet. I go first you fucking twats!”
Oh no, it wasn’t just me that was going to die it was Tiffany as well. I mustered what strength I had left and lurched to my feet then grappled onto Nick’s back. He had turned his attention from me to the screaming girl and I caught him by surprise. It didn’t matter though. He just laughed and turned while slapping me across the side of the head and sending me sprawling into the coffee bar and then careening into some table and chairs.
“Don’t worry sweetheart. I haven’t forgotten about you. Just hold tight for a
sec your girlfriend needs some personal attention. Hey, wait for me you shithead horndogs!” He yelled, smiling broadly as he squatted over me.
He accentuated his point by punching me in the face a few more times and knocking my head against the ground again. My consciousness went in and out, but I could see Nick head to the bathroom in fits and starts as I passed out again.
Wake up!
Get up you stupid shit!
What the fuck? Where was I? Who was yelling at me?
I was sitting in a black void. At least some part of me was. I felt like I was not in my body and it was just my consciousness floating into the nothingness.
Finally, that’s a start. Your subconscious is awake. Give me your consent and I will save you.
“Who the fuck are you?” I asked, in my mind.
I am the Heavenly Son, the Celestial Emperor, Dangun the Beneficent. Bow before me mortal for you are in the presence of divine greatness. It has been over a thousand years since I have met someone that can talk with me. You have the innate Ki type that connects with mine. It is a one in a million chance that we would meet, and our Ki’s would be compatible. Now, give me your consent and I will take control of your body and mind then defeat your enemies.
“Ok, well that’s nice and all but you can go fuck yourself. I’m not giving myself to you I’d rather die in control of myself thank you very much.” I shot back.
You foolish boy! I am a god and am giving you the chance to get vengeance on your enemies and save your woman. You will never get this chance again. Hurry and decide, I can tell by the young girl’s screams time is running short and the demon will be back in a moment.
“My life has always been shit, but at least it has always been mine. It seems like you need me because you said that you hadn’t met anyone like me in a thousand years. I don’t mind dying because I’m pretty much living a dead person’s life now anyway. So, here’s my terms you old prick. You help me kick these guy’s asses and save Tiffany. If you do, I’ll keep you around.” I said, not really seeing him take the deal but I figured it was worth a try. I mean what did I have to lose except my crappy life.
