calling up rebellion [brance]

chapter nine: cycle through the puddles

"'It's okay mommy.' The words he had said that day rang inside his head along with Bruce's words, he was a monster even then. He forgave a monster for her unforgivable actions, that made him a monster himself.

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Lifting himself upwards, he stared at the litter covered drawer infront of him on the opposite wall. Stretching his arms out and yawning he slipped out from his bed and begrudgingly walked over to his closed door. Though it didn't really click shut, it was too broken for that. One push and it'd swing open, they never really had a lot of money to fix up things in the house.

Lazily pushing open his door he stepped out into the eery hallway. It wasn't very big, their house wasn't very big all together. It consisted of the living room, a kitchen which was opposite to the living room, the hallway section running between the two. A small bathroom placed infront of vance's bedroom which was at the end of the hallway and then another bedroom which at the opening of the hallway. It would've been vance's mothers if she didn't always pass out in the kitchen or living room.

Despite it being quite small it was slightly unsettling in pitch darkness. The floorboards creaked below him with each cautious step he took, his boots were placed on the placemat at the front door. He had to slip past the living room - or kitchen - wherever his mother had passed out, pull on his boots and exit the house without disturbing her quiet slumber. It sounds much easier than it really is, with the creaky floorboards and buckles on his boots, or the squeaky door with a rattly handle.

He could hear the faint sound of rain pattering against the windows, it made his feelings rather gloomy aswell. Stepping out from the dark hallway he entered into the poorly lighted entrance. It was lit by the grey sky, it caused eery shadows everywhere. They didn't scare Vance though, they would've when he was a kid. He remembered pulling up his covers to hide his face away from the 'scary monsters' he used to see in his bedroom, it was all just shadows. His mind seemed to like playing tricks on him.

Vance had memorised the most creaky of floorboards, skipping over them as if he was playing hopscotch. He could now hear the nearing snores of his passed out mother, she was in the living room. He tiptoed towards the opening, it didn't have a door just a large gap that lead into it. They had a TV, but it hadn't worked that well for a couple years. His mother was passed out on the floor between the falling apart couch and cheap coffee table. A drink still clutched in her hand, it was empty, mostly because it had all spilt on the floor.

He sighed, turning from the doorway and stopping infront of the door. Grabbing his boots as quietly as they can, he could hear his regulated breathing in his own ears. Sometimes he swore he could hear his own blood circulating. Pulling on the buckled boots, he decided it'd be best if he tightened them once he had managed to get out the house.

Vance heard his mother stir, her quiet groggy groans stopped him in his tracks. His heart began to quicken as he held his foot in midair with his boot halfway up it. He swallowed thickly, shutting his eyes tightly and hoping she'd go back to sleep.

"Vance..?" A low, husky voice called from the living room.

Shit.

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BRUCE WAS OUT on his bike, he would lie to himself but he decided it best not too. He was looking for Vance, cycling around as fast he could, trying to reach his neighbourhood. He was worried, worried sick.