I was in a hospital bed staring at my mother. I could gradually see life fading from her eyes.
"Somebody! Help! Please, anybody!" I screamed but no one came. She looked me in my eyes and told me, "Damon, I'll always love you" she said and let go of my hand.
"No!" I screamed and then suddenly the ground opened up and I fell through a bottomless hole. I kept falling and screaming for a short while and I hit the floor pretty hard.
I lay on the floor and tried using my hands to clean my face and saw blood!. I screamed in fear as I turned to my right and saw a hooded figure approach me.
"No! Stay back!" I screamed as I tried to scramble away from the person but as I crawled he grabbed me by my ankle and pulled me back to him.
He removed his hood and displayed his face before getting up and pulling out a gun, a large grin on his face. As he pulled the trigger I screamed in fear and woke up in my room.
'I was just dreaming,' I thought as I sat up in my bed. I picked my phone up and checked the time. It was around 3a.m in the morning.
I heard a knock on my room door. "Is everything okay Mr. Damon?" The voice asked and I recognized it as the voice of a maid.
"Yes, everything's fine" I answered.
I lay down back in my bed and closed my eyes trying to go back to sleep. After trying and failing, I thought of what I could do to pass the time.
I turned on the lights in my room, and began a simple home workout. Sit ups, push ups, squats, just basic stuff and when I was done I picked up a novel from the bookshelf in my room and began to read.
Before I knew it, it was daybreak and I wore a tank top and shorts and decided to take a jog around the compound.
As I jogged round I made sure to greet all the workers and compliment them saying they did good jobs. There was always work to be done in the mansion, trimming the lawns, watering the plants, cleaning and feeding the animals my father kept.
The workload was very large and I just watched everyone. After jogging for about thirty minutes I was done and sweating profusely.
On my way back to my room I encountered my father face to face and for the first time in a long while, I saw a look of shock in his eyes. "You work out now?" He said as he stared at my bulging frame.
"Yes father" I simply said.
He stared for a couple of seconds more before nodding, walking past me and continuing on his way and I went back to my room.
I took a shower and was getting dressed when I heard a knock on the door. I put on my bathrobe and answered my door.
At the door was Benjamin. "Good morning Master Damon" he said as he commonly called me.
"Good morning Benjamin, what can I do for you?" I said smiling once again.
"Your father is having breakfast and would like you to join him in the dining room, '' he said.
"Hm, are my step mother and brother there?" I asked.
"I'm afraid, so" he said.
I sighed deeply "okay then, I'll be down in a minute" I said.
"Take care" he said and he left.
I put on my clothes and went to the dining room to have breakfast. On getting there, they were already seated and having breakfast at the grand dining table.
My father sat at the center on one side and my step mother and brother sat on his right, I sat on his left.
It was quiet for a while until my father spoke "Damon, your teacher has informed me that your recent conduct in class has been very appalling, I expect you to carry yourself more smartly and not to bring any more shame to my name and to the Darhk family. Do I make myself clear?" He said with a firm voice as he stared coldly at me.
"Yes father, you have nothing to worry about. I simply got into a small altercation with my tutor, I'll be sure to apologize to her later" I said with confidence and my father was shocked but acknowledged me.
"Altercations, what's that about, you're getting in fights now Damon?" Said my step mother, a sinister smile creeping up on her face.
~Ding!~
*New quest unlocked*
Reward: 100 SP
'My intentions exactly' I thought and I spoke.
"I would appreciate it if you didn't interfere, mother, this conversation is between me and my father, it's between family." I said firmly.
She got up and slammed both hands on the table "you will respect me Damon!" She shouted.
"Respect is reciprocal as the saying goes" I said, still sitting down on my seat.
I hadn't touched my breakfast at all, I just wanted to leave the house as soon as possible.
And she gritted her teeth in anger. Then she turned to my father.
"John, my love, are you really going to let him treat me this way?" She said, faking a remorseful voice.
She was as petty as ever, always using my father's alliance with her family to her advantage.
"That's enough! The both of you!" My father screamed and the whole room fell silent.
I'd taken this ill treatment from these people for twelve years and I was done with it, for the first time I actually decided to stand up for myself.
I got up and made my way out of the room, much to the surprise of everyone at the table.
When I got to the door I turned to see my father and step family facing me and I spoke.
"From now on father, I'm no longer in need of your allowance or your misplaced concern. I will get into Columbia university and when I do I intend to cut off all ties with this family, you can disown me if you want, I couldn't care less," I said and made my way out of the room.
I packed my bags and left the house, ordering one of the drivers to take me home.
~Ding!~
*Quest complete*
<100 SP has been received and added to status.>