Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Aires POV

We were having dinner, just Jasmine, mum, and I, as usual, dad was not around, although, I didn't feel like eating, I struggled to make the mashed potatoes mum had prepared to pass my throat, I didn't want her to feel bad or worry unnecessarily, I was about to swallow my third spoon of the potatoes when dad entered, a different kind of air immediately filled the room, a tensed and uncomfortable environment, he paused and stared at us and then his eyes zeroed on me and immediately darkened in anger, I knew that I was going to get it hot from him today as soon as our school principal had decided to call him earlier, I braced myself for the backlash that will soon be bequeathed to me, slowly, I stood up from the table and stared straight at him, willing him to hit me so that we can get it over with, my mum stood up along with Jasmine, all three of us stood facing him, his nostrils flare as he stared at me,

"Aires, go inside" my mum instructed me, trying her best to deflate the ticking time bomb,

I didn't budge, I knew that if I left, she would be the one to bear the brunt of his anger, I won't let her bear the punishment for my sins,

"I said go inside" she repeated, shoving me toward my room

"He is going nowhere" my dad clenched out, moving past mum and Jasmine, he walked towards me and stood right in front of me, "he won't take a step away from here until he has received his punishment for embarrassing me"

"Please dad, don't do anything to him, please" Jasmine pleaded,

She ran to stand in front of me, trying to protect me from the impending doom, my dad glared at her and simply pushed her out of his way,

"You know what you did wrong right?" He snarled

"Yes Sir," I replied,

Oh, well, according to him, I am tarnishing his image, I had to be a perfect son, or else I get punished for every little mistake that I did, I remember those years of hard work that I put in everything I do, just to get a recommendation from him, he never noticed that, but just a little mistake from me and he will blow the trumpet

"You are going to the red room, right now" I nodded and simply swallowed

"No dad, please, not the red room" Jasmine pleaded on my behalf, she was on her knees with her hands stuck in a pleading gesture,

The red room was where father usually punished any of us that goes contrary to him, Jasmine and I have been punished there but I have been punished there the most, there was a time when even the mention of the red room got me shivering but right now, I am used to all the whips, what new method does he want to use now to punish me, my heart had ached from his constant Ill treatment until it had stopped aching, all that is left in me is a cold, black heart, without looking at either my mum or Jasmine, I simply walked to the red room, my heart pierced a bit when I heard him come in behind me with a whip in his hand.

My hands and feet were tied together and I was tied up to the ceiling as his whip met me from all corners, I swallowed the pain of each whip and didn't even whimper in pain, I felt the gashes on my body as blood trickled out,

"Wanna show me how tough you are huh?" My father snarled, pissed with the fact that I was not sobbing and begging for mercy, well, I will not beg for mercy from him even if it kills me, I won't scream out him pain, I gnashed my teeth as another whip connects with my body, I could feel my body growing weak, I tasted blood in my mouth and my eyes were already swollen shut, the last thing I remember was the pounding in the door and the cries of Jasmine and my mother before I slipped into unconsciousness.

*

*

I had a very strange dream, I dreamt of a baby, being left in a boat by a sad mother, she cried as the baby floated away with the water when I opened my eyes, I saw Jasmine and my mum beside me, mum was holding my hands with tears in her eyes, I immediately tried to sit up,

"I'm fine mother, you do not have to cry for me" my voice was hoarse and irrecognizable to me,

Mum pushed me back down, "you do not have to stand up, lie still, I am so sorry my son" she sobbed and I stared at her in confusion,

"Why are you sorry mum?"

"I...I... should have done more to protect you, I should have done something when I noticed that your father was going too far with you, but I won't stand for this anymore, I promise you"

I sighed inwardly, no need for her to make promises we both know she can't fulfill, I have come to realize that my father is a tyrant and even my mum is not spared from him, I simply forced a smile and watched her leave the room, probably to have one of her usual fights with her husband.

I turned and stared at my silent sister, she was looking at me with so much pity and worry in his eyes, yark!!! I hate pity,

"Now, wipe that look off your face," I told her, frowning my displeasure, she said nothing, simply walked towards me and hugged me while I was still lying down, I felt touched, I felt she was the only one that cared about me in this world,

"Hey, don't act weird, I'm not gonna die," I said, trying to make light of the matter

"I'll spank you so hard if you ever say such a thing again" she warned, sniffing as she stared hard at me,

I grimaced, "just stop crying already, will you? It's not even painful anymore, I'm so used to it by now"

"You shouldn't be used to such a thing, I feel so angry right now"

"Do not act out in dad's presence, you know that he doesn't spare anyone, it's better he keeps hitting me than for him to lay a finger on you"

Jasmine stood up without saying anything and went out but soon came back with a bowl of water and a towel, "let's get you cleaned up"

"I can do that myself"

"I am going to clean you up and that's it, now let's take off your shirt and this amulet that you always wear around your neck"

It was useless to argue with her, so, I just allowed her to have her way, she gently took off my shirt and I groaned a little in pain, next she carefully took off my amulet and I felt strange as I watched her removed it from around me, I always have it with me, although, I am yet to ask how I got it, it was probably my mother that gave it to me and for some reasons, it gives me a sense of protection each time and thus, I always have it with me, I waited for Jasmine to go ahead with her clean up but she was staring at me wide-eyed, I frowned at her odd behavior,

"What's wrong? Ain't you going to clean me up again, or did you change your mind?" She shook her head at my question and pointed at my body,

"Your bruises have disappeared"

"What do you mean disappear?" I asked staring down at my body and I gaped in wonder, my skin is as good as new, not a trace of any bruise, in fact, it was like it never happened to me, I stared at Jasmine, mouth agape, "what the...how did that happen?"

Jasmine stared at me and then at my amulet, "immediately I got this off, they started to heal on their own"

I stood up, I didn't feel even a bit of pain, "what could this mean? Who am I? Am I a freak?"

"Shhh, if cause you are not, you are Aires, my little brother, for now, let's keep this between us until we find out what it could mean alright?"

"Perhaps, dad knew already that I am a freak, that must be the reason he hates me so much"

"No, no, no, that's not it"

"How would you know, you sound so sure, do you know something that you are not telling me? Do you know why dad hates me"

Jasmine carefully avoided my gaze as she shook her head, I think there's something she is not telling me but I will let it go for now, sooner or later, I will find out what it is that she is hiding from me.