The Bacca

Belt that leaves scars

Jerome pov
Grade one halfway done but still have a long way to go ... why can't I learn faster like the rest ... why can't I go for recess with the others ... why do I have to be made fun of because I'm not smart and behind them, I work twice as hard as them and they only have me on there team because I'm strong even that's not enough to get me friend ... is it because I stutter when I speak sometimes or never hang out with them or my nose? I wish they could understand me. I though to myself as I walked home with my report card in hand with probably bad marks, like always but I hope if anything my parents understand, not yelling at me or even hitting me with there hand, last time I fell back and hit a wall but ... they yelled at me again for getting the wall red and dented... they still are kind of mad about that. Soon I approached the house and walked up to the door and knocked where my mother opened the door and I walked inside 

" hello momma " I said with my head down 

" give me your report card I know you have one" she said and I gave her the envelope in my hand. I know what your thinking how could she be so cold but that's how it was every day but only asking for the homework or notes the teacher gives me but I though that this is normal that this was love I just had to earn it first.

" oh my Jerome ... this is not what I wanted to see ... math isn't that hard or science or LA and social, just art and gym are the best and there pointless!" She yelled and threw the papers at me

" I'm sorry ... ill try harder to make my brain work" I said then she left the room and I looked up and see all the papers scattered around so I quickly cleaned them up and made them look proper for my dad once he gets home but I did see my marks

Science: D
Math: D
L.A: D
Social: D
Health : C
Art: B-
Gym: B

I guess my art marks slipping to but the art project are getting harder to make with more steps and everyone taking away the stuff I was using to complete a step, It was getting hard. After I put away my things I started my chores of cleaning the table,setting the table, cleaning the floor and putting away dishes from the night before and as always I got to my room and play around in it.

Now I didn't have any fancy toys like action figures or new stuffed animals all my toys are from when I was a baby or stuff a made myself out of things we don't use like old clothes and other things like that so I normally just say on my "bed" made of of old blankets and pillows and snuggle my baby blanket with a red stain that I cause according to my parents so they didn't clean it up for a week till it was to dry to get it out and left a stain in it forever, but I still love it.
I soon dozed off and dreamed of my family but in a different life when I am normal and my parents love me like the other parents love there kids,but i was woken up by a door slamming daddy's home.

 i got up from my bed and and brushed myself off and walked out 

"hi daddy i said as i grabbed him a can of beer, which is his favorite drink and it's can makes up some of my toys

"hello Jerome, i heard your report card came today may i see it" he said as he took the can from my hands and opens it to drink the golden fluid inside it

" ok daddy" i said and i grabbed the paper and handed to him nervously and he looked through them , but when he got to the marks fire grew in his eyes , oh no he's mad, i looked down and braced myself for the yelling, and possible beating. Surprisingly there was no yelling but he slapped me across the face, with such force that i was knocked down on the ground and my mouth filled with blood, i guess i bit my tongue off when he slapped, great and i can even spit it out or my mother would join the beating party, my dad was bad enough so i waited till my tongue healed then swallowed the blood and looked up at my dad with the fire in his eyes even worse then before, so much that i whimpered the second i saw them

" you pathetic excuse of the child when will you learn, obviously our punishments aren't doing anything , so lets try something new  and maybe you will learn" he said and i quivered in fear he is really mad. Grabbed me by the back of my t'shirt and dragged me to the  door basement and threw me down the stairs , then walked down himself  while he unbuckled his belt and took it off. once he was down  he grabbed my shirt and pushed me against a wall

"Don't more or you getting a belt across the face" he growled and then he started whipping my back with the metal part of the belt. Now normally i never make any sounds when he beats me but something about this medal hurt more, i can feel exactly where it hit me and it stings so bad that with every hit i yelped and cried more than normal. After several strike he stopped and i fell to my knees and sobbed quietly

"be upstairs for supper" he said then walked back upstairs leaving me alone and in horrible pain, both physical and mental pain, now i know that the don't love me and never will, and the pain on my back.

 after a couple minutes after i think i heal even if there is still a searing pain in my back i put on the shirt and carefully put it on then walked upstairs, i looked over at the window and seen the curtain was open, time to put on a smile on my face and act like what happened in the basement never happened so walked to the table and sat in my spot and waited for my mom to put dinner on the table while my dad read the news paper sitting in his chair. I tried to sit like i normally do but my back ached and burned  so i sat up straight, then my mom came to the table with supper and looked up at me  and raised her eyebrow

" Jerome, I wouldn't normally say anything about you new good poshuer  but this isn't like you at all why the sudden change" she said 

"  well, my back really hurts still" i said and my dad looked up from his paper

"but shouldn't you be healed by now"

"yeah but it never hurts like this" i said 

"what did you use on him"

"my family belt with the celestial bronze" he said then my mom got up

"Jerome lets see what going on with your back" she said and walked to the washroom and i followed her into the washroom where she carefully lifted the back of my shirt and she gasped 

" honey, look like Jerome can't heal from the metal on your belt" she said and i looked over my shoulder and saw my back and it was nasty with black and blue blouses all on with red marks with a bit if dried blood all in the shape of the belt buckle

"well we finally found something that works" my dad said and i looked up at then and he was smiling cruelly with dark eyes  and my mom's eyes where the same, now i know what monsters look like real monsters and i was living with them.