It was almost his bed time. A couple of weeks passed since he was pulled out of school in the wake of his social inadequacies and the resulting attention from bullies. Although he was happier now that he was around his father more often, there was still a part of him that couldn’t let go of the good things school gave him. Every night since that day, he found it hard to get to sleep at night. He couldn’t stop thinking about his teacher and the words given him to quell his own concerns. Staying up until midnight or later with nothing but thoughts to keep him company – it was becoming more of a habit.
Sneaky and sly were not traits that bound to him very well, and on a few unlucky occasions his Dad caught him up past his bed time. It wasn’t that Azlynn was trying to get into trouble; it was his own concerned mind and inquisitive nature that would keep him up. Strangely enough, his father at the very least suspected it, so he tried not to be too strict. He knew his son was still reeling from having to part with someone who became a good friend to him. Though Robert only thought this was a little out of place, he understood the reason why he and his teacher bonded in the way they did.
“Okay Azzy, time for bed. We have a big day with some new lessons tomorrow and you need all the rest you can get, my son.” Robert said, leaning in from the doorway. He paused for a moment and kissed his son on the cheek. “You’re going to like the new stuff, I promise.”
“Dad, are you sure everything’s going to be alright?” Azlynn asked as he sat back down on his bed. His Dad came in and sat next to him.
“I… don’t know enough about our situation to explain it to you in a way that you’d understand. But I don’t want you to think any of this is your fault. I consider myself lucky that I’m able to do this for you, because I’ll tell you that my parents didn’t step in for me. I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t let my son go through the same thing without recourse.” He bent over and hugged the boy. “You’ll do fine, Azzy. I have faith in you.”
Robert stood up and calmly made his way toward the door. Before he could turn off the light, Azlynn reached out to him. “Dad, wait.” The man turned around. “I had that dream again last night.”
“The same one as before?” his father asked. Azlynn nodded. “Don’t you worry Az, it’s just a dream. I promise… nothing’s going to hurt you. My room is almost next to yours and I’ll keep my door open just in case, okay? I’m going to be right here and I won’t let anything get you. Good night, son.”
“Good night, daddy.”
Azlynn’s ears fluttered as he felt himself get heavier and slipped gradually into sleep. He gasped when he saw himself, apart from his entire gym class, standing inside the gated basketball court. They were all lined up uniformly, separated into teams. He was the only one they didn’t pick.
“Who wants him?” one of the boys asked.
It was strange for Azlynn to see himself in the third person. He watched himself leave the court as the other kids started to play. While his coach was on the other end of the field checking on the rest of the kids, he snuck his way back into the locker room and changed back into his normal clothes. Azlynn could feel the exact same emotions stirring up watching his other half get dressed. Being by himself gave him ample opportunity to think out loud.
“You want it? You want it, huh? Fine, I quit! I fucking quit!” he growled, becoming more incensed by the second.
Slamming the locker shut, he picked up his backpack and headed back outside. He peeked his head around the door frame to see if anyone was watching from a distance. All clear, he dashed his way into the main school building, completely out of sight. The hall to the main entrance was only about ten meters away. He had to make it without being seen by anyone.
Okay Az, he said to himself, you can do this. Quiet and casual.
Azlynn was cautious even to take steps. He was afraid that the rustle of his own shoes would snap someone’s attention and he’d be forced back out to gym. Only so many feet began to feel like miles in his mind. The outer flaps of his checkered flannel shirt waved back and forth as he moved forward. Crap! He caught a glimpse of the school janitor looking right at him and his eyes shot immediately to the floor. He was about to turn toward the exit.
“Hey kid,” the janitor snapped. Azlynn looked back at him. He was giving him a thumbs-up. “Good luck little man.” He smiled and mouthed the words ‘thank you’ before bursting through the front doors – to the open world and freedom. Once outside, he double-paced to get out of sight as quickly as possible, and once his tiny form was obscured by bushes, he slowed to a crawl. That’s when the true nature of everything began to hit him, and he became overwhelmed with sorrow and shame.
It was a hot day, I remember. I tried to book it on the way home. I sort of knew what my father was going to think about it, but I wasn’t trying to get in trouble. I was only concerned with getting out of it. On my way home, I kept thinking about just how easy my escape really was, and how I, of all people, could pull it off without a hitch. I guess that’s what I learned when I ditched school for the first time – it didn’t matter what was going to happen to me, it only mattered that I get away as fast as possible.
The house was a couple miles up the road. It took Azlynn a good hour to walk the distance. Nearing his front doorstep, he bent over to pick up the foot-mat. The house key was sitting conveniently underneath it. “I’m sorry I forgot it again, dad.” he said to himself before entering. The atmosphere inside was slightly stuffed. He set his backpack down next to the door and made way for the bathroom, just down the narrow hallway and almost directly across from his bedroom. At that point, Azlynn began to see things through his own eyes; he was no longer apart from himself. He felt a light chill run down his spine as he emptied his bladder. Zipping up his pants, he didn’t forget to wash his hands.
When he turned off the bathroom light, he noticed refraction in the light coming from the crack underneath his room’s door. He proceeded slowly, placing his hand tightly on the knob and turning it slowly to reveal a wholly empty room. No… no… it can’t happen this time. Azlynn couldn’t control his own physical reactions. He turned to face the wall. No stupid, don’t turn around. Turn back… It was too late. A hand quickly jumped out from nowhere and grabbed him from behind. He immediately began to struggle, screaming his lungs out for help, but the house was empty.
A startled Azlynn woke up immediately, only remembering what happened after that, before he fell out of the dream. Something still wasn't quite right, but he discarded the notion and reached over to turn on his desk lamp. Before he could turn back around, he felt a quick, violent jerk rip him from the bed. The assailant fastened his hand tightly around Azlynn’s mouth, holding a pistol to his head with the other.
“So, you think you can threaten my brother’s life and get away with it, little boy?” the intruder snarled. “How about now?” Azlynn’s claws ripped through his finger tips and he tried to fight his way free, but it was no use. The dark, veiled man was wearing thick enough clothing to ward off any possible scratch attack. “Oh yeah! That’s right little boy.” The man pulled the hammer back on the gun. When Azlynn heard it, he froze into place. With his legs shaking and heart pounding, the tears began to flow. He moaned softly, feeling a warm trickle move down his left leg.
Clearing his throat and walking out into the hallway, Robert saw a dim shade of light coming from Azlynn’s room. Azzy… what’s the problem now? He paused for a moment, feeling that something just wasn’t quite right. He quietly stepped back into his room, grabbing a large knife from underneath his pillow. He unsheathed it and held it out firmly in front of him. Heading back into the hallway, he approached Azlynn’s room with caution. He breathed in and out a couple of times before slowly creaking the door open. His eyes filled with fear the moment he saw it – a man dressed entirely in black with a ski-mask on, holding Azlynn’s head firmly against his chest.
“Drop it.” The man commanded, noting the knife in Robert’s hand. “Or I blow his brains out.” Robert held the knife out flat and let it fall to the floor. Stepping back for a moment, his eyes became fixed on his son. They went wide when he saw urine still gushing out of the boy’s pajamas.
When the intruder removed his hand from Azlynn’s mouth, he whimpered. “Daddy, please… Daddy…”
Though a resilient and robust man, the situation brought Robert to tears. He looked into the intruder’s sharp green eyes. “Please don’t hurt my son. He didn’t do anything to you. Let him go… or take me, just let him go.”
“Did he tell you that he threatened my brother’s life?” the dark man grunted.
“No… Azzy wouldn’t do that. There must be some kind of—”
“Shut up! I’ll do it, I’ll fucking do it.” He tightened his grip around Azlynn’s neck. “Say you’re sorry, you fucking freak.”
“I’m s… so…”
“Say it!”
“I’m sorry I threat….threat…threatened Ian,” he couldn’t control his whimpering now. “Dad…dy… help me…me.”
Robert put hands up. “I know son, I know. Don’t worry baby. Just sit tight.”
“So that’s what this is about?” Robert questioned. “This ‘Ian’ kid, the one who’s been picking on my son since day one?”
“No…” the disturbed man began to tremble. “He said, ‘if you touch me’…” He shook Azlynn violently. “Say it!”
The boy sobbed, “I’ll kill you.”
Robert started to cry again. “Look mister, I don’t know what your problem is but he’s just a boy. It’s what boys do.”
“He threatened my little brother!”
“He’s my son!”
All of the sudden there was silence. Like a moment frozen in time, they were all still. The intruder bobbed his head back and forth. “Alright,” he said, shoving Azlynn into Robert and then clamoring for the windowsill. He hit his knee against the wall on the way out, dropping the gun and falling over the bushes on the other side. Scrambling to his feet, he jolted down the dimly lit street, out of sight and mind. Robert and Azlynn were both breathing heavy, both tired and mesmerized by the whole ordeal. The older man started to wiggle and Azlynn rolled over onto the floor. Staying low, he crept over to the window on his knees, locking it closed and drawing the drapes down. He saw the weapon lying there on the floor. He was careful not to touch the firearm, reminiscent of all the old crime shows he used to watch. Examining it closely, he could see that the loading mechanism was empty. Collapsing on his bum underneath the windowsill, he couldn’t believe how he was played. To Azlynn, the long face and shattered look said it all. He broke into tears.
Azlynn gasped for air and opened his eyes wide. The immediate shock jerked him up, and he sat wrapping his arms around his knees, though the silence wasn’t enough to bring him any comfort. He stepped silently down the hall and into the other room, only stopping when the door made a loud creaking noise. He noticed his father lying belly-up with an arm underneath the pillow.
“Dad,” he whispered, touching the man lightly, “Dad, wake up.” With no response, he repeated himself only this time trying to rock the man back and forth.
“Hmm…huh?” Robert groaned. “What is it, Azzy?”
“I’m sorry daddy, but I had a bad dream again.”
He let out a frustrated groan. “Alright, come here.”
Azlynn carefully climbed over his father’s body and got underneath the blanket next to him. Robert rolled over on his side and put his arm around the boy. Azlynn’s ears twitched as he rubbed his head gently. “Shhh… shhh…” Robert whispered softly. He stopped only for a moment to kiss him on the head. “Nothing to be scared of now, baby.”
The young man sniffled. “I’m so scared, daddy. It seemed so real.”
“Well I’m here right now, baby. I’m as real as they come, okay? You’ll be alright Azzy. Just try not to think so much.” He continued to cry. Robert rubbed his cheek softly. “I’ll always protect you. Just be strong, baby. You’ll pull through. They’re just dreams, they aren’t real, and they can’t hurt you. It’s all in your imagination, I promise.” Even Robert couldn’t keep his eyes dry. “I’ll always be with you. I won’t ever let you go. I won’t ever lead you astray. Listen to what’s in your heart and always believe in yourself. Don’t let darkness consume you, baby, because I’ll be here. I’ll always be here.” He continued to rub his son’s head, only letting up momentarily to see that Azlynn was completely out. The man brought himself closer and wrapped his arms around his son’s body before slowly succumbing to his own weariness.
Robert woke up with his head resting gently over his right arm. His body was sprawled over the bed, with his blanket dipping over the side. He sat up slowly and while rubbing his eyes clean of sleep, he let out a lengthy yawn. He scratched his head briefly, only to look at the clock, it being a quarter after eight in the morning. He shot himself out of the bed and rushed into the shower. God damn it, he thought, late for Azlynn’s lessons again.
Once he was all freshened up, Robert darted out of his bedroom to see his son dressed sharply and sitting at the table, eating his breakfast and going over his previous lessons. “Hey son, sorry I’m late.” He said.
“That’s okay. I didn’t want to wake you up, after what happened last night and all.”
“Did you hear what I said last night, about being strong and believing in yourself?”
He smiled, getting up to give his Dad a hug. “Please keep your promise.”
He knelt down and gave his son a kiss. “You are my king, Azzy. I will always be yours,” he took a deep breath, “Okay, now where were we yesterday? Oh yes, I want to start with your history lesson. Turn to page three sixty-seven in your book. I want you to tell me what caused World War II and who the key players were. Then I want you to answer the questions I wrote down on these cards. Be clear and concise. I don’t want any plain-cake answers. After we get done with your lessons today, I want to take you out for a special treat – just you and me.”
