Page 1 of Oblivion
PROLOGUE
Storm
4 Years Old
It was dark.
It was so, so dark, and I was hungry. But Mommy said I had to be a good boy to eat. I had to be good, otherwise she wouldn’t let me out.
I was bad—very, very bad.
I ate the bread from the counter, and Daddy got mad. He was so mad, and I started crying.
He doesn’t like it when I cry.
Mommy doesn’t like it when I cry either, but I was hungry and they weren’t here. The bread wasn’t tasty, nope, but my tummy hurt so much and Mommy always gave me bread when I was a good boy.
I promise, I promise, Mommy, I won’t take it again.
“Mommy,” I cried out, trying to open the door. She told me to stay in the wardrobe, and she would let me out later. But I was scared.
I am so scared.
“Daddy,” I tried to yell out again, but my voice only echoed around me. “Please let me out. I’ll be a good boy. I promise I won’t eat again without you. I’m scared… Mommy.”
They weren’t coming.
They weren’t coming, and it was so cold. My blankie wasn’t with me and Mommy said I didn’t deserve it.
And my hand hurt. Daddy squeezed it too hard, but he loved me. Mommy told me he loved me. He just didn’t know his strength.
But I had to stop crying. If they came back and saw me crying, they would keep me here. And I didn’t wanna be here anymore.
Maybe if I sat down and kept quiet, they would come back. They must. They’re probably just taking their medicine now, but they would come for me.
Mommy told me it was a very special time when they took their medicine, and I had to keep quiet. If I didn’t, they became very angry, and I didn’t like it when they got angry.
It hurts when they get angry. Daddy tells me he hates me.
He told me all the time, but Mommy said he loved me.
Maybe if I was a good boy, they would also buy me that toy I saw on the big box. He had a cape, and he was a superhero. He saved people.
I wanted to be a superhero when I grew up. I wanted to be just like him, flying around with my cape. I used my blankie as my cape now.
Mommy told me I couldn’t get it because I was a bad boy, and bad boys couldn’t get gifts. But I was trying to be good.
Look, Mommy, I’m sitting. I’m a good boy.
I pulled my knees up, wincing as my hand connected with the ouchie there. I fell when Daddy pushed me, but it wasn’t his fault. He just needed to take his medicine, and I was in the way. He told me I was always in his way, but I didn’t want to be. Blankie wasn’t with me, and I needed my blankie.
He got angry. He didn’t want to push me, he told me so himself. He cleaned the red goo that came out of my knee, and I promised I’d stop crying. And I did.
I saw it on the big box one day. The lady bit her lip and she stopped crying, and I did too. Daddy smiled when I stopped crying, and my tummy danced as well. I smiled too.
But they got angry yesterday because I was bad again, and Mommy hit me. My face hurt, but I knew she wouldn’t have done it if I'd behaved.
I think it was yesterday.
