The room was cramped, filled with the smell of stale cigars and unwashed clothes, Vincent crouched in the corner of the room clutching a worn out teddy bear, its once vibrant colors faded to a dull brown. His father's voice boomed from the kitchen, laced with anger and frustration. Vincent could hear the crack of a fist meeting flesh, followed by his mother's choked sobs."Just leave me alone!" she screamed, and Vincent pressed his hands over his ears, wishing he could block it all out. The world outside seemed brighter, filled with sunshine and laughter—worlds away from his reality.
At the dinner table, silence reigned. Dennis's parents rarely spoke to each other unless it was to hurl accusations or blame. The air crackled with tension, and Dennis learned quickly that it was safer to remain invisible. He watched as his father's temper flared over trivial matters, the smallest infraction turning into a storm of rage.
"Look at you, worthless!" his father would shout, pointing a finger at Vincent, making him shrink into his seat. "You're just like your mother—weak!"The words cut deeper than any physical blow. Vincent learned to wear a mask, to hide his emotions behind a facade of compliance. But deep down, the anger brewed, festering like a wound that refused to heal.
One morning everything changed, it seemed like the usual, mum and dad were arguing like normal and Vincent was eating leftovers from yesterday since mum could cook, everything was normal until there was a ear scraping scream that didn't last long, Vincent rushed to the master bedroom to find his dad staring off into space, tears streamed down his face, he was saying " i'm so sorry, i'm so sorry!" Vincent looked down to see his mom, the woman he loved so dearly, on the floor with blood on her neck," Vincent, I'm so sorry. I didn't want it to end up like this, i love you so much, please forgive me for being a horrible mother." said Mum stuttering and coughing up blood. "MOM, NO YOU'RE GOING TO BE ALRIGHT, YOU CAN GO PLEASE MOM" vincent was now sobbing uncontrollably, his breath coming out in jagged gasps, as if each tear was ripping him apart from the inside. " FATHER, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE YOU MONSTER" He said to his father, father stood up and ran away, ran to the forest, never to return. But when Vincent took one last look at his mother, she lay motionless on the wooden floor, she was gone. Vincent stood up and ran, he ran to the street, he ran as fast as he could, his life was shattered to pieces. While Vincent was running he bumped into another boy that was his age, " hey kid, watch where you run." "Sorry I didn't mean to." said Vincent his tears had almost completely dried. " It's quite alright, my names Dennis" " Oh, well hi dennis, my name is vincent" " " Well vincent, you seem like a nice kid, i know we just meet but i need a favor, i'm looking for some buried treasure, would you like to help me get it, i'll give you half of the earnings?" said Dennis with a mischievous smile, " Yes I would like to help get it." VIncent wanted to get his mind off of things. Vincent felt a flicker of excitement stir within him, a welcome distraction from the chaos that had just shattered his world. "Treasure hunting, huh? Sounds like an adventure," he said, trying to match Dennis's enthusiasm.
"Exactly!" Dennis replied, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "It'll be just like in the movies. We'll be rich!". As they walked side by side, Vincent glanced back at his house, the place that had just become a tomb of memories. The weight of his loss still hung heavily on him, but the thought of searching for treasure felt like a chance to reclaim some control over his life."Where do we start? " Vincent asked, his heart racing with anticipation. Dennis pulled out a crumpled piece of paper—the map to their adventure. "Right here! We just need to head into the woods. I promise, it'll be fun!" With each step they took toward the trees, Vincent felt the tightness in his chest begin to loosen. This wasn't just a distraction; it was an opportunity to find something new, to forge a bond that might help him navigate the darkness ahead. As they crossed the threshold into the forest, the sunlight dappled through the leaves, creating a path that felt both mysterious and inviting. Vincent took a deep breath, feeling a mix of hope and fear, the unknown stretching out before them. Whatever lay ahead, he was ready to face it. With Dennis by his side, he might just find a way to heal, one adventure at a time.