caciturnity- a writing blog

Accusation

30 Days of Writing Challenge - Day 2

Original, drabble

Word count: 339

Warnings: allusions to mature themes

Paint peels off the walls of the tiny room in scaly flakes, like a snake shedding its skin, but instead of a glowing new coat beneath, there is only dirty grey-flecked plaster. The only light is a single dancing-flashing light bulb, flickering with its dying sparks and casting wavering shadows across the dim space. This is a shabby apartment, much like one in which the beginnings of a multimillion business empire was founded. However, the inhabitants will not be making fortunes any time soon.

A young boy with mouse-brown hair sits curled up in a fetal position in the corner of the room. His tiny figure is almost invisible in the shadow of a tacky couch. Something heavy pounds at the door , making the walls of the apartment shake, and small bits of dust fall down from the cracked ceiling. A woman with sunken features like a skeleton rushes to the door, the fear evident in her dark-ringed eyes. The knocking on the door continues, this time accompanied by shouted threats, and the woman quickly opens the door, forgetting to undo the chain latch. She whispers hushed apologies, words too quiet and too fast for the boy to hear, but he understands what is going on absolutely perfectly.

The woman does her best to fend against the men pushing against the door, and with a final yell of, “I’m sorry! He isn’t home! Come back later!”, slams it shut. As the thump of footsteps begin to fade down the hall, the woman turns around, and with a sorrowful, broken sob, slumps down with her back against the door, burying her gaunt face in her hands.

The boy in the corner remains perfectly silent throughout the entire ordeal, but his eyes, dark and full of charge, never cease to stare at the door, with a rage and fury far too deep to ever belong on the face of a child. The depths of his stare speak of malice, resentment, and most of all, a promise of certain revenge.