Discovering Normalcy

Normal

Hello all, welcome to my story! There will be a lot of violence and abuse discussed in this story, so if this is triggering for you, please consider your own well being before reading. I'd love any and all feedback you have on this story! So feel free to comment.

Now, without further ado, please enjoy Discovering Normalcy :

TW// child abuse, child neglect, and violence.

"What's bunny doing today?" Connor asked as his little sister wiggled the arms of their stuffed bunny. That was the only toy that the children owned, and the only reason they still had it was because they'd grown very good at hiding it. The stuffed bunny was tattered, matted, and a little smelly, just like everything else in their tiny room. Honestly, it wasn't a room at all, just a large storage closet that their parents had put a bed into for them, alongside a bin for their minimal belongings.

Zoe shrugged in response to her brother's question. Shortly after, her stomach let out a large rumble, crying for nourishment. The young girl held her stomach, hoping the noise and feeling would just go away. She knew that if she waited long enough, it wouldn't hurt so bad, but the cries never seemed to disappear.

"Do you want me to get you something to eat?" Connor asked, trying his best to seem confident. 

"No," Zoe said. "I don't want you getting hurt." 

"I'll be quiet, don't worry," Connor explained gently. "They won't catch me."

"You said that last time," Zoe reminded him, cringing at the memory. 

"Well, I'm hungry too, so I'm going to go get us some food," Connor announced.

Zoe tensed, she knew she couldn't stop her brother, but she was still scared for him. 

"Be very quiet," she said.

Connor nodded. "Don't worry, I will." 

He headed for the door, pulling it open slowly. He slipped through the small crack in the door before closing it at a snail's pace.  

Connor slowly made his way to the kitchen, putting his feet down as softly as he could with each step.

Eventually, he made it to the pantry, which he opened up with as much care as you would use to hold a newborn baby. He pulled out as many little bags of snacks as he could find: One Cheese-Itz, one pretzel, and a few mini cookies. Lastly, he grabbed two bottles of water.

Just when Connor thought he'd gotten away with it, a cold voice rang from behind him. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" his father barked.

Connor turned to face him, his body trembling. 

"We...we were just hungry, I'm sorry, I won't do it again," Connor choked out. 

"You're hungry?" his father asked, joining him in the kitchen. "Well, let me get you something to eat," he insisted, opening the fridge. 

Connor took a few steps back, thinking it was a trap. Though, he second-guessed his instinct; what if it really was some good food? After all, Zoe and him were really hungry. 

Though, his decision was made when he saw his father pull out a bottle of hot sauce. 

Connor turned around quicker than an old cartoon character and ran for the stairs. Though, a malnourished eight-year-old versus a grown man would never be a fair fight. 

His father wrapped his arm around Connor's waist and picked the boy up, slamming him roughly onto the kitchen island. Connor kicked and squirmed and dropped the food, though, none of it helped. 

When his father took a step away, the boy tried to get down, but when the man rose his fist, the boy sat still in fear. 

His father unscrewed the cap of the hot sauce bottle. 

"Open up, you little asshole," he demanded, though, Connor didn't obey. He didn't do anything but stare at his father for a moment. But when he raised his hand again, Connor flinched before, reluctantly, opening his mouth.

The man laid three drops of hot sauce on Connor's tongue. The boy quickly closed his mouth and scrunched up his face in pain. He wanted to cry, but he used all of his might to hold back his tears. He knew that crying only made things worse.

"Are you going to try and steal my food again?" his father asked.

"No, sir." 

His father's cold eyes lingered on Connor's. Then, he picked the boy up and carried him up the stairs. He threw Connor into his room and slammed the door.

Connor shook off the shock, like a duckling shaking out its feathers. He opened his mouth and let out a few pants, the heat escaping.

"Are you okay?" Zoe asked. 

Connor nodded. He placed the bag of pretzels in front of her. Then, he tore open the bag of Cheese-Itz and let a few rest of his tongue, soaking up what was left of the hot sauce.

"Look," Connor pointed to the window. The sun was disappearing behind the horizon line. "It's almost time to sleep."

Connor hid the bags of cookies behind their mattress. Zoe crawled into bed next to him, hugging their stuffed bunny to her chest. Connor pulled their torn blanket over both of them as Zoe rested her head on his chest. And so, just like they did every night, the siblings fell asleep.