Family Affairs Chapter 7

Carry sat on a cot in the corner of the basement while Steven paced the floor checking each window to see if it could be a possible way out.

“There is no way out. You heard what Tyler said.” Carry lay back on the cot. “You might want to get some rest.”

“Just because he said there was no way out doesn’t mean that it’s true. How can you sleep in a time like this? Don’t you know what he could do if he found us in that vulnerable of a position?” Steven could not believe that Carry was so calm about their situation.

“I’m well aware of what he could do. But what you don’t seem to understand is that this was my life for ten years. This is how I lived. This is even where I lived.”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. I lived like this for almost my entire life. I’m used to it by now.”

“Not that, what do you mean this is where you lived?”

“This is our old house.”

“How do you know that?”

Carry got up and went over to a set of pipes in a closet of the room. He reached behind them and pulled off a key.

“What does it go to?”

“A crawl space. My father used to lock Tyler and me up in a crawl space for hours when he got upset. Tyler and I hid the key down here when we got a hold of it. He never found it. His hands were always to big to reach behind the pipes and he would never think to look there.”

“Why didn’t you two ever destroy it?”

Tyler’s voice came from the doorway. “After we hid it we were too afraid to touch it again. We were afraid of what he’d do if we got caught with it.” The boys turned around to face Tyler. “You two need to be careful about what you talk about and who hears it. I’d put that away. He’s still looking for it.”

“At least he doesn’t have it.” Steven said.

“On the contrary, he had a locksmith come in and make him a new one.” Tyler replied. “Good luck getting a hold of it.”

“How do you know that?” Steven asked.

“I was locked down there for two weeks after he took me because I refused to help him.”

Carry returned the key to its hiding place and walked over to Tyler.

Tyler looked at Carry seriously. “He’s going after Leah tomorrow night.”

Before they could continue their conversation the boys heard heavy footsteps come down the stairs. Carry and Tyler backed away from the door, and each other.

When Robert stepped in the doorway Steven grabbed Tyler’s gun and held it to Tyler’s head. “I’ll blow his brains out, I swear to Christ I will.” Steven threatened.

Robert laughed at Steven. “Go ahead.”

“You’d let your own son get shot?”

“Boy, you’re a bigger fool than I could have imagined. Do you really think I would trust him with a loaded gun?” Robert unholstered his gun and aimed it at Carry’s head. “This one however is loaded and I will shoot. Now give Tyler back the gun.”

Steven thought for a moment and then handed the gun to Tyler and let him go.

Robert held his hand out for the gun. “Your careless ass can keep your newfound friends company. I’ll get you when it’s time to go.”

Tyler handed the gun to his father and backed away. “Dad, I’m…”

“Don’t even apologize to me. I swear you’re in some sort of conspiracy against me. Sometimes you boys piss me off so bad I could just…” Without a second thought Robert aimed his gun and shot Steven in the side. He then closed the door and locked it behind him.

Carry and Tyler tended to Steven. Tyler lifted Steven’s shirt and inspected the gash in his side. “It’s only a flesh wound. You’ll be fine, the bullet just grazed you.” Tyler explained.

“I realize it’s a flesh wound, but it fucking hurts.” Steven held his shirt up as Tyler took his bandana out of his pocket and pressed it to his side. “Oww… That hurts.”

“Well hero, you can live with it. I need to stop the bleeding. I told you not to try anything. Carry get me the first aid kit out of the bathroom.”

Carry went to the bathroom, opened the medicine cabinet and brought the kit to Tyler. Tyler then cleaned and bandaged Steven’s wound.

“So how did you end up with this one Care?” Tyler practically ignored Steven.

“Mom went out tonight with his dad. She didn’t want to leave me alone so he stayed with me.” Carry walked over to the cots and picked up a sandwich. “Peanut butter and jelly? My favorite.” He took a bite then set the sandwich down.

“You always get lucky with the heroes. They think they’re invincible.” Tyler rattled on as he dressed Steven’s wound.

“Where are you going?” Carry asked.

“I told you, he wants Leah. We’re going down to the coastline to get her soon. He wants to get there before the hurricane hits.” Tyler explained.

“What happens after you all get a hold of Leah?” Steven asked.

“I assume we’ll bring her back here and then he’ll go after Carry’s mom.” Tyler said.

“Except you won’t be going, you little snot-rag.” Robert’s booming voice shocked the boys out of their little conversation. “You little fucking traitor. I should have left you in that crawlspace from the day you were born. Now get your ass over here.”

Steven shook his head for Tyler not to move, but Tyler got up anyways. He knew better than to disobey his father face to face. Once he had walked over to Robert, Robert grabbed him by his hair and pulled him into the hallway closing the door behind him. Soon they heard the repeated lashing of what they assumed to be Robert’s belt.

“Why’d he do that?” Steven asked.

Carry wasn’t listening though. He ran to the door and threw it open. Steven watched as Carry knelt over his brother and took lashings from their father’s belt.

“God damn kids. I should have killed you all when you were younger!” Robert was getting irritated with his boys and pulled Carry off of Tyler and threw him into a side table.

Steven realized that now was the perfect time to escape, but he was so stricken by fear that he couldn’t move. He lived a sheltered life. He had heard his father talk, but had never witnessed anything like this.

He watched as Carry and Tyler made no attempt at escaping just trying to help each other. He watched as Robert became frustrated with his boys to the point where he threw Carry into the room with Steven and locked Tyler in the bathroom.

Robert exited the room louder than he had entered it. Carry didn’t run to the door and attempt to escape; instead he ran to the bathroom and started kicking at the door to get his brother out.

“Tyler? Tyler? Can you hear me?” Carry asked.

There was no reply.

Carry looked at Steven. “Help me get the door open.”

Steven and Carry kicked at the handle of the door until they had busted pieces of it away. Steven could not believe his eyes when he saw Tyler.

Tyler no longer looked as stately and threatening as he once had. He didn’t even look his age. Instead he looked as vulnerable and helpless as child.

Steven helped Carry drag Tyler to the cot and lay him down. He then watched as Carry revived him.

“I’ll be fine. I just need to rest a bit.” Tyler mumbled.

“Come on, you know you can’t do that. You got your head hit pretty hard out there. You might have a concussion.”

Tyler sat up and looked at Carry. “You shouldn’t have done that. I thought you said you weren’t going to play hero?”

“Yeah, well, I acted without thinking.” Carry said.

They were joking about what had just transpired. How could they joke at a time like this?

They started laughing when they saw the look on Steven’s face.

“What’s so funny?” Steven asked.

“The look on your face.” Tyler replied.

“You act as if that was as common as watching a movie or something.” Steven said.

“Welcome to what was our life. What we had left behind until yesterday.” Carry said.

“He did that to you on a regular basis?” Steven looked at the boys with disbelief.

“I wish. No, he usually did much worse to us. That was going easy on us. You should have seen the shit he did to us before he was thrown in prison.” Tyler said. He stood up, pulled something out of his pocket and walked over to the door.

“What are you doing?” Steven asked.

“He’s going after Leah. I have to save her.” Tyler replied. “She’s not going to be dragged into this.”