Down // TreeBros ·· Soulmate AU

24

Penultimate chapter let's go.
I'm so tired.

H

That was not the surprise I wanted when I got home from work.

Connor was covered in bruises and cuts, his neck was severe but not unfixable. I pulled off his bandages. He didn't resist, just muttered something about 'Papa' unblinkingly.

I pulled ones off of his stomach that were bleeding through and one off of his wrist.

I saw two words carved deep into his pale skin.

EVAN HANSEN

It was jagged, done by a dulled blade.

"Evan? What happened? Be honest." I traced a finger over the puffy, scabbed skin.

"I- he started playing a song and then stopped as seemed so displaced and he wasn't blinking and in french he said that-"

"Evan breathe."

"He said that- that his father raped and beat him. Oh god, Mom."

"We need to call the police."

Zoe appeared in the doorway, clutching Alana tightly, Jared just behind them.

"Mom said she's coming. I told her it was an emergency."

"Good. Evan, stay here with him. Rebandage his stomach and put his sweatshirt back on. I'm going to call the police."

I walked out of the cramped room, down the stairs and into the kitchen, getting my phone out and calling 911.

"Hello 911 what's your emergency?"

"Hi. I would like to report child abuse and rape."

"And who might you be calling for?"

"His name is Connor. He's currently not responding to anyone in the middle of a panic attack so if you would."

"Of course. What's the address?"

"93 Pine Avenue. Please hurry."

I heard a knock at the door and hurried to open it, seeing a woman with a worried expression clinging to her bag.

"Hi, you must be Cynthia. Connor is upstairs."

She didn't speak, just followed me. She saw her son, sitting vacantly, mumbling to himself, Evan stroking his hair.

"Arrête Papa."

"Non belle, Mères ici." She walked towards him, Evan moving for her. She held him like she would a small child. Connor was just as vulnerable as if he were.

"Mère?"

"Mères ici."

"Mother?"

"It's okay now Connor. Mother's here. What happened to you?"

He shrunk away from her slightly, looking at the floor.

Then sirens. Red and blue and flashing.

I ran downstairs and opened the door before anyone could knock.

"Hello ma'am, you called about an alleged child abuse and rape charge?"

"Yes. Upstairs. Please follow me."

I led them to the bathroom where all but Mother and Son had cleared out to make room.

The officer came close to the shaking boy, noticing his bandaged wrists and every part of his exposed bruised body, "You must be Connor. It's okay. We just need to speak with you for a moment."

"O-oka-ay."

"Can you tell me what happened to you? Who gave you all these injuries?"

"I-I- F-fathe-r."

"Okay. Okay good. Did he do anything else to you?"

"I- when I was 9 years old, he-he started ra-aping me." Connor paused, shrinking down slightly, "After three years he got bored. I-it's been 5 years and he hasn't stopped beating me."

"Okay. Thank you so much Connor. He won't do anything to you again."

He turned to Cynthia.

"You must be Connor's mother, can I have a word?" He gestured to leave the room and as Cynthia got up, Evan replaced her.

Evan's a light at the end of the tunnel.