"If it isn't Ethan...what are you doing there? Come on in." The man said with a smile. "Don't be like that" he said with fake hurt as he saw Ethan hesitating on the porch.
Ethan said a silent prayer to whoever was listening out there and took a step forward. One..two, three. Nothing was happening. Ethan thought his stepfather would have acted by now.
The street was empty and the neighbors were sure to be asleep by now. ' maybe he's waiting for me to get inside first' Ethan said in his head as he made his way through the door.
The man stepped aside as Ethan made his way into their small living room. He smiled as he saw how tense the boy was. This was gonna be fun.
Immediately Ethan made it safely into the house he navigated his way about the lone sofa and table in the middle of the room, made a right turn, and walked past the kitchen with the groceries still in his possession.
There was no time to unload his shopping into the fridge. Maybe at dawn he'll do it.' three or four steps more and I'll be in my room.' he said in his head as he power-walked to his door. Just then he heard fast-approaching footsteps.
The steps were heavy and fast. Ethan didn't need to turn to know who those steps belonged to. There was only one baboon in this house. He threw all pretense to the wind as he made a mad dash to his door, ' too slo..' Ethan a felt thick heavy hand grab him by the scruff of his neck as he was yanked back.
The groceries were the first to go, followed by Ethan as he landed hard on his back. "Oomph!!" He felt the air escape from his lungs as a large foot stomped on his stomach.
The large man, whose name was 'Dred', a name he took pride in since it sounded like 'Dread' had seen Ethan take off immediately he walked into the room. He grinned as he saw this and immediately took after the boy.
He would have given him some more time to make things much more interesting but their house was way too small for that and Ethan could escape into his room if he took any longer.
The boy didn't get far as Dred wasn't only big, he was fast as well. He yanked the boy onto the floor and stomped on his belly for good measure. "Why try to escape son? You know I'll catch you another time even if you managed to. Now hand it over " he said gently whiles applying pressure on the boy's belly from where his foot was still connected to the boy.
"Get off of me!" Ethan shouted angrily as he threw a flurry of punches at the leg on him.
"Hahahaha..what do you think you're doing?, Do you call those 'blows'? Pathetic. Lemme show you the real thing".
Ethan's eyes widened as he saw Dred pull his fist back and throw a powerful punch that was heading straight for his face. Ethan wasn't stupid. Dred was huge and powerful. Ethan knew that if that punch connected, he would get K.O'ed before he could say asshole.
He immediately raised his arms whiles still on the floor to protect his face just in time for the punch to connect with his forearms. The punch was so strong that if he wasn't already on the floor, he would have fallen flat on his ass. His forearms throbbed with pain as he could already feel the bruising start.
"Now, that is a real pun...AAAAHH!!!". Dred screamed in pain as Ethan's teeth locked on his hairy leg. Ethan clamped unto Dred's flesh like a leach until he felt blood. He released Dred and spat out blood unto the floor.
"I'll kill you, you piece of shit!!!" Dred yelled in anger as he threw a kick with all his might towards Ethan's mid-section.
Ethan could only curl up into a ball as the kick flew towards him. Pain upon pain. Ethan coughed out blood as more kicks followed. Kicks and stomps. His head, stomach, limbs. Every part of him was hurting. Dred wasn't stopping and soon Ethan lost the strength he needed to protect himself. He just lay on his back and waited for the inevitable.
"G..go ahead. Ki...kill me,y..you big bu..bully" he said weakly whiles smiling at the large man. Blood trickling from the corners of his mouth.
"Oh you bet I will", Dred answered hotly. he wasn't done with the boy. He would teach him a lesson he would never forget. Dred raised his foot and positioned it carefully above Ethan's head.
Ethan saw the foot above his head and closed his eyes. ' sorry mom. I failed you.' he said in his head as he waited for the end. Dred saw the boy with his eyes closed and chuckled. "Yes boy, pray. This is your end "
Dred raised his foot up high whiles taking In a deep breath. he was going to splatter the brat's head like a melon. He released all his energy into his foot and with a grunt pushed his leg downward with all his might.
"NO!!!" a loud yell echoed across the tiny house. A yell so powerful that it stopped Dred's foot from dealing his punishing blow to the insolent little brat who dared raise his hand against him.
"Please don't hurt him...ple..please. take whatever you want, just don't hurt my baby. I..beg of you", A tiny voice sobbed.
Dred turned his head to the source of the voice. Not too far from where the sofa was, a frail woman was sobbing on the floor. She was in a nightdress that looked too big for her.
Ethan opened his eyes upon hearing the voice. Dred's foot was soo close to his face that his face brushed under the man's foot as he turned to the source of the voice. "Mother," he said with a gentle smile and a blood-smeared face.