what you see is what you get

A Story by Ganglion-Pro

fiction/short story/hope you enjoy

I would always remember how the morning sun would pierce my window in my little studio apartment in France. I can’t for the life of me figure out why, maybe it had something to do with me having this memory of my mother and I sitting inside the kitchen floor. We didn't have a lot of money back then but somehow we made it work. We would have picnics in the kitchen.my farther well, let’s just say he had the tendencies to come home drunk and beat on my mother and me.my farther is what you would call a creature of habit, he would always come home usually when the bar wouldn't serve him. When the sun would set and my mother would wake me up run to the top floor and say to me “were going to play a game, you have to be silent as a mouse “. I had a special hiding place for these traumatic events; pull-up ladders to the attic, with a round window where a brilliant light would shine. All I know I would curl up next to that window and watch the sun do its job, telling me it’s a new day, telling me you can do it just run and don’t look back. But as always I knew it was wrong to leave my mother behind on this adventure.so I would wait for my mother to open the attic door and tell me that it’s safe and we would go.

It was until January the 1^st.the day a boy had lost his innocence. Mom said she was going out to buy me a cake.so it was just me and the old man. I would stay in my room to avoid all interaction with him but still he would find his way to me. He’d have a bottle in one hand and a cigarette in the other. I would usually just sit by the window waiting for my mother to return. He would always come into my room and try to have a conversation with me; it wasn't much of a conversation. I would just sit there in silence, afraid. I heard the door open and I rushed down barging past my dad at the door way, he stumbled and fell but I didn't care, I just couldn't wait to see her. She was probably the only thing I cared about on this hellish earth; my mothers love.

He comes down falling on the last 3 steps. “Oi you little runt, you knocked me over ill teach you to do that again” he grabs me by the arm while grabbing the cigarette from his mouth and impaling it into my arm. I cry in agonizing pain, I look to my mother to help she just stands there with her eyes down. “Don’t look to your mother for help boy” he retracts his cigarette butt from my arm and stumbles to the living room couch. I sprint to my room with my other hand covering my wound. I hear a knock on the door “who is it” as I try to hold back my scoring anger.” Its mom” she slowly opened the door holding some vodka and some bandages.

She says “take a small sip” then she would pour the vodka on my arm and slowly dab the wound. “Where’s my cake” I ask while she continues to wrap the bandage around my arm. she sniffles and wipes her eyes “your such a brave boy, and your cake is with the next door neighbour the fridge is broken” I smile at my mother and she returns a smile back “why don’t you meet me there in 5 mins” I couldn’t hardly wait, the adrenaline from just wanting to rush over there had nearly got control of my body until my mother stopped me.”You only go when I say the word cake “was this another game I thought “I’ll play” I said to myself.My mother had now left the room. And I could hear her footsteps going down the stairs foot by foot. I hear something that resembles a slapping sound then followed by loud bashing and arguing. But all I could think about was that cake, so I climb out my window as I have practiced the right amount of times and tip toeing to the neighbours. I ring their doorbell; I even knocked on the door in a playful tune. But no one was answering; I scratch my head and think is this all part of the game my mother set up. Wait what’s that I hear, the soothing sound of footsteps coming to the door” MY CAKE”.

A middle aged man opens the door. Mr Anderson would always wear this cowboy hat with a snake skin wrapped around it. Well he was from Australia. I looked at him as if he was a giant. He had something in his beard, I wanted to say something but his glaring stare put me off, thinking he might just chop me up into little pieces and feed me to his dogs or maybe it was just my wild imagination. ”what’dya want boy!” I’ve never heard him speak “I-I-I came h-here for my c-cake” struggling to get my words out of my mouth. He slouches against his door frame, fixing his hat and asked me “how old are you kid” I reply “ermm 9 and a half”. Mr Anderson chuckles and folds his arms. “What happened to your arm kid?” I immediately use my other hand to cover it” he comes closer grabbing my arm forcing me to show” who did this to you” he asks while still looking at it, it was the way he as looking at as if he has seen it before. He lets go of my arm.” Well I’m sorry kid but there no cake here”. I say nothing and just walk back to my house. He watches me until I get to my door and then disappears.

I stand outside for a minute or two and parch my bum on the front door step. I see a bright yellow car with two men inside, we make eye contact and they drive off. That wasn’t weird I think to myself. I hear the door open behind me turn back.it was my farther he grabs me by the arm and throws me in.my mother is nowhere to be found so I run to my room and start throwing my clothes into my little backpack, throwing the bag over my shoulder I climb out the window and jump from the second floor and land in the bushes. I pick myself up and make way to woods behind our house. I take of my pack and throw it over the fence followed with the rest of my body” let the adventure begin” I say quietly to myself.

It’s getting late and I’ve been walking for god knows how long until I stop and pull out some fizzy pop out of my bag. I look around I see no one, hearing only the birds in the trees I look up and I see it. Someone had built a tree house it was covered in vines and well hidden. Ah-ha I see a rope a way up but it was resting on a branch. I picked up some stones and rocks and start throwing them at the branch I miss the first couple of times but then one of them hit the rope and pushes it off the branch. I begin to climb, pulling myself into the tree house I see a sleeping bag some books and immediately I call out “hello is anyone there” I get no reply and shrug my shoulders “well I guess nobody’s here” I rest my bag down and look out the tree house window, you can see the entire forest and a little ravine pushing the water down. Instantly I fell in love with this place. The only problem was that I was starving as well as not packing any food I knew I had to return home to grab some grub. I leave my bag there and slide down the rope and make way to the house.

Is it just me or is this place smoky, it wasn't like this one the way here. I push forward and the smoke gets thicker and thicker, I see the faint glimmer of blue lights. I get lost in the thick cloud of smoke but the blue flash guided me to the garden fence” I smell something burning” I was peeing my pants to see what was behind the fence. I finally get the courage to pull half of myself over” MY HOUSE WAS ON FIRE” the flames grew bigger and bigger as stared upon it. I spot the two men from the yellow car running out of the house covering the faces with their arms; coughing and running away. What was that I feel something on my face I wipe my eyes to get a better view. I hadn't realized it then but I was crying, I couldn't stop it. I threw my body over the fence falling as did. There was burning sensation in my eyes and chest as I tried to push on. I could hear something, someone screaming its coming from the window, it sounded like my mother. I fall to my knees, I look to my window In hope that I see someone and I see my mother with blood over her clothes and face. She looks at me. I can’t do nothing but watch.

I wake up in another person’s bed, my head hurts I think to myself. I pull myself up hoping it was all a dream. I search the room and see blue rocket ship wallpaper, action figures and children’s books. Where am I, am I still dreaming. I pinched my arm just to make sure, nope I’m not dreaming what was this am I dead and the first thing I think of was a child’s room. I find that window I was looking for and immediately try to rush towards it to at least find out where I am, but I feel weak for some reason and fall instantly as soon I try to get out of the bed. I finally get there as if where a 10 miles run. I was not dreaming as I was hoping I was.it was all gone, my whole life gone. My eyes widen, there’s a feeling of a 500lb weight on my chest. It’s as if someone had gone into my chest and ripped my heart out. The rooms quiet, I can hear little drips of water I look down and see little splatters of water, it was me.

The house was gone all what was left was ash. I took a deep breath and noticed there was a weird smell in the air at the time I couldn't put my finger on it, it kind of jut lingered around. I couldn't look at it anymore, I turn around and let my body fall where it stood and leaned against the wall. At this time my mind is completely blank in my mind it feels like the world stops; I could hear my heart going bum-bum-bum but there was also I another sound I clocked on to; sounded like heavy footsteps a bit like my farther footsteps but this time I wasn't scared of the idea of death only invited by it. The footsteps get closer and closer and then stop, my eyes where already on the door knob watching it slowly turn until it clicked; I sensed hesitation but whoever it was it followed through with their plan of inviting themselves in. The door pushed open, it was him.