1 A Dark Past

It's quiet, everything had finally gone quiet.

In the moments leading up to this silence, all he could feel was disappointment, but now he felt something else. All he could feel was relief, a relief like no other. When he finally realized that they had gone to sleep. From his relief brewed another feeling, a feeling of hope. Hope that he'll at least be able to see the end.

Quickly, yet quietly he made his way out of bed and to his door. Slowly, he opened it and made his way out into the hall, facing his parent's room. Now came the hard part... he needed to head to the staircase as quietly as possible for his plan to work, and if he were to ever make too loud of a sound he'd almost certainly wake his parents up. Even with the chance of being caught, he had already made up his mind. He decided to go on with his plan nonetheless... after all, he had nothing to lose. With each step he took the floor would slightly creak louder and louder as he made his way down the hall. But then again, with each step came a longer and longer pause. The boy had been timing his steps, knowing the exact time to stop and go. He was determined to see it through. Finally, after a grueling 3 minutes, the boy had made it past the hall, reaching the staircase down to the first floor. With his success, the boy eased up a bit, quickly yet ever so quietly making his way down the stairs gleaming with joy. But, with the cockiness of success comes the inevitable fall of failure.

It became a thing that the boy would learn the hard way. As he lost balance and fell down the steps. Quickly he caught himself, regaining his balance before making a sound. But in turn, he'd sprained his ankle from the way he caught himself during the fall. An agonizing jolt of pain ran through the boy's body, from his ankle up. He wanted to scream but in fear of being caught he held it in, gritting his teeth. Besides he'd already made it down to the living room completing his goal, there's no way in hell he'd give in that easily.

Now that all was said and done he made his way to the couch, picking up the remote and gently taking a seat. After taking a deep relieving breath and letting it all out he turned on the tv. And there it was, the fight of the century, the thing he'd been anticipating the most for years on end. The fight between Jacob Gerbaldi-the underdog and Almande Cruz-the reigning champ was what all that effort was spent on, it was all to see his hero challenge the world's best. Although the match was almost over with the 11th round just ending the boy was still ecstatic nonetheless, at this point all he wanted to see was the end.

Both fighters were tied on the scorecard, the final match would be the last decision for the judges. It was all up to the final three minutes that would decide everything. The bell rang initiating the 12th and final round, immediately upon hearing the ring both fighters bolted at each other with speed, precision, and power. Everyone was stunned at the sight of the two, to think they'd still have all this energy left even after 33 minutes of brutally bashing each other. It was quite the exciting spectacle, leaving everyone watching, even the commentator speechless; they all had no words for the beginning of the round. All that was heard throughout the arena was the fierce blows being exchanged to each other as they echoed throughout the ring. The commentator, still stunned from the sight, barely managed to get a few words out while still being in complete awe.

"Is... Is this what it's like... when two monsters fight?"

Regardless of how everyone else felt the boy had a blast watching, to him, everything was happening so fast, yet his eyes could still keep up, he could see it all. The jabs thrown by Almande to keep Jacob at bay, and the smashes thrown by Jacob to end it all, he was reading it all like a book. Suddenly Jacob finally landed a good hit that dropped Almandes' guard, everyone saw it including the boy.

"Looks like Jacob finally got the upper hand on Almande!" the judge roared out.

With Jacob's newfound upper hand everyone's sense of awe had changed to pure excitement, Everyone started roaring at the sight... from the crowds to everyone behind the screens at home. With the extra boost of confidence the crowd gave, Jacob went in with everything he had, he was desperate to end it. Almande was winning in terms of points so it was now or never at this point. Jacob went in with a flurry of punches, all targeting Almandes' liver, almost all of them hitting. Almande was struggling to stand, he was collapsing from Jacobs's assault; everyone was screaming and roaring thinking "this is it!"

The excitement was felt and heard throughout the whole damn world, Even the boy felt it from thousands of miles away, it was finally it. During the explosion of emotions, everything else but the fight became irrelevant, everything was so out of the picture that even the time was forgotten. There were only 10 seconds left on the clock but regardless of that, in the sports world, it isn't over... until it's over. Finally, the narrator came back to his senses, he was completely transfixed on the fight so much so that he only just realized there were only 7 seconds left to the match.With his newfound realization, he yelled out. "There's only 7 seconds left and counting, this bout is finally coming to a close, who'll be the last one left standing!!!" With the commentator's announcement the crowd roared in excitement, the anticipation was killing them. But most importantly that announcement let both fighters know that their bout was coming to a close.

Both Almande and Jacob stood high, they each readied themselves for the final push. In just a tenth of a second, they both sent out a barrage of punches regardless of their body's current state. Dozens upon dozens of punches were thrown in mere seconds with no signs of each fighter letting up, it wasn't enough. With just 3 seconds left they each decided to use everything, absolutely everything they had for the final blow. Instantaneously, in what felt like a hundredth of a second, they both exchanged a punch with everything they had behind it.

A shockwave boomed throughout the stadium, gusts of air came out of the ring and enveloped the rest of the arena. Even the ref in the arena fell flat on his ass, It was a monstrous show of strength. But in the end, not one fighter was left standing from the exchange... They both collapsed to the ground, leaving the ref with no idea of what to do. He debated whether or not he should let the match continue, but in the end, he decided It'd be best if he just ended it... for the sake of both fighters.

Just when the ref was just about to signal the end of the match, both Almande and Jacob planted their fists on the ground, trying to pick themselves up from the floor. The ref in awe of what was going on decided to start the countdown for the both of them. Second by second they inched their way up slowly but surely, and finally they both stood back up. Both fighters didn't even wait for the ref's checkup, they immediately went back to their corners, and surely enough the ref didn't question it. Even with a second left, he didn't want to say a thing to any of them just based on the pure looks on their faces; looks filled with hatred and a grand aura of animosity as they stared each other down. The referee gave the signal, and in what felt like a thousandth of a second they charged at each other with everything they had, and just like before... they both exchanged yet again. A sonic boom roared throughout the arena, blasts of wind coming from within the ring and out, blowing people completely out of their seats. Finally, it was over, with one collapsed on the floor and another standing high.

"No way." was the singular thought that crossed all their minds

Everyone was stunned, to think it was finally over with a clear winner. They all had to take it in for themselves, gasping, looking around, pinching themselves to make sure it wasn't a dream. In the end, they realized it completely, this was reality and this outcome did very well just happen. The commentator couldn't even say a thing, emotions swelled from within him and he had no idea what he should even say or do. In the end, his emotions exploded enthusiastically with excitement, with him realizing what had just happened. In complete excitement, the judge roared out.

"History was just made folks, right before our damn eyes!

The winner of this incredible match is the people's champ, Jacob Gerbaldi!!!"

And with that... the fight of the century had finally come to a close, with Jacob as the new champion.

The boy couldn't believe his eyes. From the age of 11 up to now, after years and years of watching Jacob make his rise to the top, he knew deep down the day he'd fight the prior world champion would be inevitable... but to think he'd win... just brought tears to his eyes. He felt accomplished, he felt relief, he felt complete. He completed his goal of watching Jacob's entire career... up to the point where he became the world champ. He had no other worries and wishes left to fulfill in life, he could now die happy... in the literal sense. Tears poured down from the young boy's eyes, he was so immersed in what he just witnessed that he failed to realize two things.

The empty look in Jacob's eyes along with his father standing right behind him seething in anger.

He raised his hand with a detesting look, and without any hesitation he punched the boy in the face, sending him flying off the couch down to the floor. His lips dripped with blood as he picked himself up. while getting back on his feet his father followed up with a punt straight to his stomach, throwing him into the wall. "Why is it so hard for you to understand?" He coughed out blood and gasped for air, a desperate look in his eyes was all he could manage as he had no strength left to spare. Even with that desperate look in his eyes, his father mercilessly continued to beat him senseless, he didn't even have the chance to call for help.

Among the racket being made the boy could make out sounds of footsteps making their way down, he felt a sense of relief. At that moment he thought that he was going to be saved, all up until he realized who exactly it was walking down the steps... his mother.

It was a false sense of relief, a false sense of comfort, a false sense of hope. All his brain could preoccupy himself with was a false sense that he'd be saved. But time and time again after being beaten, neglected, and not loved day in and day out he started to realize the dark truth... the truth being that he'd never get saved.

With an empty look on her face, his mom asked.

"What are you doing up making all this noise?"

His father slowly turned around to face his mom "I'm waiting for this little prick to die." he said in an unbothered tone. His mom let out an exasperated sigh, she started to make her way up the stairs, and out loud she said. "Well then don't be too loud, head to bed soon." And with her gone, he went back to relentlessly beating his son.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity of being beaten, the boy's father got up and went back to his room, neglecting the badly beaten child on his way. This is what the boy's everyday life consisted of... and to him, it'd seem like it'd never change. Blow after blow, punch after punch, failure after failure, it made the boy grow weak and in turn... made him give in, the boy despaired. And the final blow he'd ever take as a human would be when he glanced over to look at the tv, and in horror see Jacob's stiff body on the mat. From just a glance the boy knew very well that he was... dead. And that was all it took for him to break down, it was all it took for him to despair. All the boy could think to himself was.

"Why... why does it have to be this way?"

It was the only thing that ran through his mind during everything. He harbored no hatred nor anger towards either one of his parents at all, his innocence wouldn't allow it. He did however harbor questions towards them. They didn't pertain to why he was beaten, abused, or even neglected, all he wanted to know was why they didn't love him. Even at his age of 15, at heart he was still only but a child, and all he ever wanted was a loving and caring family, but of course that never happened. Nothing ever goes people's way in this cruel world. With the one thing that gave him pure joy gone, along with him accepting the fact that he wasn't loved. His mind was in pure disarray, he couldn't think rationally, no one could in this kind of situation, as he lay beaten and badly bruised all over.

He thought to himself.

"Should I... end it all?

Would that make them happy?"

Even now if there was the slightest of a chance for them to become a family he would take it, but sadly even he knew that was out of the question. So if he couldn't make them happy himself he'd rather just make them as such by taking his own life. "Maybe then... they'll be happy." he thought to himself. The boy picked himself up and made his way to the kitchen, he saw the knives on the counter and gently picked one up. He gazed heavily at it until he finally held it up to his throat.

This was it... with his mind completely shattered to bits, with his will to fight completely broken, and finally, with his hope of being saved one day completely forgotten... he was truly dead inside. Now all that was left to do was to end it all so that this nightmare of his could finally end. He was finally ready to kill himself... so all in one swift motion he shoved the knife into his throat.

But all of a sudden... he froze.

He froze in place, exactly where he stood, with the knife just barely piercing his throat. Suddenly he felt a jolt come from his right shoulder that spread throughout his body. It was as if a hand was on his shoulder, firmly grasping him. At first the boy thought that everything going on was just an illusion, that it wasn't real. But soon after he realized that everything he was experiencing was very well real. He felt it... he felt the overwhelming presence that stood behind him. Even with the situation at hand, the boy felt no distress or discomfort of any kind, he wasn't overwhelmed or even remotely frightened by the occurrence. In fact, all the boy did feel was a sense of familiarity as if he had a connection with the thing behind him. Right before the boy could even say a thing or make a move, the thing embraced him from behind, it was like it could understand exactly what the boy had been going through all this time.

It wasn't exactly a sense of pity or sympathy that the thing had for him, if anything it was more a sense of empathy. "I can feel the pain and sorrow you are going through right now." the thing whispered in a raspy, deep voice. "I know of the things you have been through as well, long before this... the mistreatment, neglect, abuse, I have seen it all... you have endured it for so long that it was only a matter of time before you would break, but you held out for more than 10 years. That itself is admirable, but in the end, it proved to be too much for even you... so much so that your only way of escape was... to kill yourself. I truly do feel for you... and because of that, I can't sit back any longer... if nobody will save you from this nightmare... then I will. Have no fear, I won't hurt anyone. Trust me."

Suddenly a dark black aura engulfed the young boy's body from head to toe as if it had taken over. But just as soon it enveloped the boy's body did it disperse into him instead. "I'll show you the way to freedom." the thing muttered. "All you have to do is follow it." And as if the boy had entered a trancelike state did he make his way out the kitchen, to his living room, and straight to the main door. All within just a minute did he finally make his way out of hell and to the outside world, on his way to freedom.

Finally, he stepped foot into the outside world for the first time in years. After being held up in that house for almost all his life was he able to lay eyes on the beautiful night sky for the first time ever. After taking it all in his eyes began to tear up, seeing all that the world had to offer in one glance did he yet again have the will to live on just a bit longer. Right after taking in the night sky his eyes started to empty and close, darkening in color. He'd entered that trancelike state yet again... and finally went on his way to that so-called freedom he was promised.

For days on end the boy's body made its way around the state, stopping for nothing, not even food, water, or to even take a break. It just kept on going on its way... invisible to the world. Neighborhood after neighborhood, town after town, city after city, all the up to the northernmost part of the state. Only there was he as close as he could be to "freedom." Finally, the trail that his body had been following for so long unconsciously had come to a halt, it ended at the doorstep of an old vintage house all the way in upstate New York. It was the so-called freedom that was promised to the young boy all those weeks ago, and there he was... after his 1000-mile or so-long trek from Florida all the way up to New York. He had finally arrived, he made it to freedom.

The boy slowly but surely made his way up the steps. One by one as he made his way to the door. With each step slowly the boy became more and more conscious as he made his way up. At the final step, he became fully aware, with tears pouring down his face as he knocked on the door. With each knock, he progressively became weaker and weaker, nonetheless, he wouldn't stop. Finally, as he was just about to collapse from pure exhaustion an elderly couple ended up opening the door, their eyes widening after seeing a child in such a poor state. Both taken aback by the situation, neither of them knowing what to do. From worry the man exclaimed. "Hey kid, who are you? Do you need any help?" Struggling to stand up, the boy muttered

"Se- selvin c- ain... my name is... selvin cain. Is this... my promised... freedom?"

The couple, being confused by his words, looked at each other in despair for a guidance on what to do. Right before they could even make a decision the boy just couldn't bear the exhaustion any longer, his body in its poor and broken state collapsed right before the couple. Confusion and worry exploded from within both of them as they feared the worst for the boy. During the ongoing ordeal, the boy's eyes began to darken as he slipped into unconsciousness yet again. But just before he completely blacked out the same dark and raspy voice was heard from within him yet again, echoing throughout his mind.

"You're safe now... they won't hurt you anymore."

And just like the last time he felt an aura cover his whole body, emanating a warmth like no other, and eventually, with merging voices, red and blue lights flickering, and sirens blaring... the young boy had finally gone to sleep.