Sequel: Running With Scissors ›
Those Worse Off Than You
Part 13
I was scared. I didn't understand any of what he was talking about. Pills? Heachaches? His dad?
"No- it hurts," he whimpered, rocking back and forth. "It will hurt you- he will hurt you. Don't... get too close."
"What do you mean- Ace, you're scaring me."
I cautiously approached Ace's trembling body as he gave off silent cries. He was probably harmless- no matter what kind of state he was in, but I barely knew him, I'd only met him yesterday. Perhaps this was a side I hadn't seen yet.
"Ace... are you okay," I asked. He only replied by making small whimpers as a result. "Please stop, you're scaring me," I repeated, kneeling in front of him. I reached my arm out, only placing on his shoulder. "Look at me- Ace, tell me what happened."
After a few minutes, he finally looked up. I moved my hand up to his face, carefully sweeping his hair from his face to reveal a deep gash on his forehead, and a surrounding dark bruise. My mouth dropped open and my eyes lit up with sympathy, "What happened? Did someone do this to you? Try to explain as best as you can"
He whimpered. "When I came back from school... Dad-was mad... he was screaming and he... hurt my head. He said it was my fault. It was all my fault. I was a bad kid... and no one wants me... not even the school. They were mad too. I never did my homework. You understand, don't you? Angels... angels. Dad said I was useless- stupid boy."
"Ace, what kind of pills did you take?"
"I don't know... they were white. I thought they were aspirin."
"Jeez- okay, uh... let's get you cleaned up," I said in a panic- at first not understanding the situation; and not knowing what to do. In most cases, I would have asked one of my parents for help, but the fact that they were angry at my wasn't convincing. Neither was the fact that the boy they didn't even know, yet hated so much for only being a friend, was with me, alone in my room.
"No- it hurts," he whimpered, rocking back and forth. "It will hurt you- he will hurt you. Don't... get too close."
"What do you mean- Ace, you're scaring me."
I cautiously approached Ace's trembling body as he gave off silent cries. He was probably harmless- no matter what kind of state he was in, but I barely knew him, I'd only met him yesterday. Perhaps this was a side I hadn't seen yet.
"Ace... are you okay," I asked. He only replied by making small whimpers as a result. "Please stop, you're scaring me," I repeated, kneeling in front of him. I reached my arm out, only placing on his shoulder. "Look at me- Ace, tell me what happened."
After a few minutes, he finally looked up. I moved my hand up to his face, carefully sweeping his hair from his face to reveal a deep gash on his forehead, and a surrounding dark bruise. My mouth dropped open and my eyes lit up with sympathy, "What happened? Did someone do this to you? Try to explain as best as you can"
He whimpered. "When I came back from school... Dad-was mad... he was screaming and he... hurt my head. He said it was my fault. It was all my fault. I was a bad kid... and no one wants me... not even the school. They were mad too. I never did my homework. You understand, don't you? Angels... angels. Dad said I was useless- stupid boy."
"Ace, what kind of pills did you take?"
"I don't know... they were white. I thought they were aspirin."
"Jeez- okay, uh... let's get you cleaned up," I said in a panic- at first not understanding the situation; and not knowing what to do. In most cases, I would have asked one of my parents for help, but the fact that they were angry at my wasn't convincing. Neither was the fact that the boy they didn't even know, yet hated so much for only being a friend, was with me, alone in my room.