Superimposed

7

"Taron" Lisa's voice echoed through the silent house at almost midnight as Taron came walking through to the kitchen of the house.

Lisa was hunched at the dining table, holding a mug of tea with both her hands - almost shivering from the chill in the air.

"Mum" He sighed into his mother's arms, his arms hanging over his mum's shoulder as he stood and she remained sitting.
She had her dressing gown wrapped around her, on top of her plain grey nighty.

"Phil's not here, he went straight out to find you as soon as you left"
"He can't have looked that 'ard, I was at the park," He says, sitting down opposite his mum. She looked worried, scared almost. Her eyes traced her son's for any sign of what he was thinking about - how he was feeling.
"Mum" Taron begun, taking a deep breath. Lisa could guess what he was going to say. He was going to apologise for what he did to Phil, saying that he just lashed out and that Phil didn't deserve any of that. They then would go back to how life was be- "Run away with me"
"What?" Lisa scoffed, almost laughing right in Taron's face
"Let's get away from here, far from here - go someplace else. I don't care if we're homeless mum I just- I can't live here anymore and if you don't come with me I'll go on my own I just can't- I won't apologise for what I did to that shitbag"
"Taron!" Lisa raises her voice just over a whisper
"What, you're gonna say he's anything more than that. For how he's treated you?" Taron's eyes looked deep into his mums, it felt as though he was staring right into her soul.
But Lisa just shook her head because she couldn't answer Taron, she couldn't admit to herself the torment she had been through with Phil.
"Mum, I love you - more than anything. But this place, it's pure torture for me I-" His voice cracked as he whispered these words to his mum, "I can't stay" His eyes filled with tears and he dropped his head down to look at the table, the tears dripping onto the wood, making small dark patches on the oak-effect table.

"Taron!" Lisa involuntarily grabbed for her son's hand from across the table, "You go, I'll stay. You go, move to somewhere else"
"I can't leave you!" He says in his normal voice which makes Lisa shush him desperately, trying not to wake up the sleeping step daughter upstairs.
"You can and you will - I'll be okay here, you go. I'll say you never came back"
"And then what happens when he finds out you're lying?"
"I can handle it Taron, please go - I'm not having you here if you're that unhappy. You can look after yourself can't you?"
"Mum-"
"No, go and pack quickly before Phil gets back"

Taron knew his mum's mind was made up, she wanted him to leave and wanting to make her happy, that's what he did. He packed a bag with the things that he thought he'd need and he left the house, sharing one last hearty goodbye to his mother with tears in his eyes.

He had no idea where he was going, what he was going to do. All he knew was that he had to leave and start a life someplace else. Even if it was without his mum and he dreads to think what would happen to her once Phil found out that she was lying to him about Taron not returning.

Deep down Taron knew his mum could hold her own, he knew that Lisa was a strong woman because she'd brought up a strong and resilient son. Even if it was half in an abusive environment with a near on psychotic love interest - if you could even call Phil that.

The idealisation of running away and starting a new life was short lived. After staying up all night wondering around Taron realised that as much as he didn't like Dulwich, he had a life here. He went to school here, he had exams soon and he couldn't just drop out right near the end.
If his mother taught him anything, it's not to be a quitter. So he did the only thing he could, sit out at the park with just one bag of belongings.

The only private place he had was the public toilets which he used to get changed and wash, trying to look as good as he could.

But whatever he did, it didn't stop the night from falling and the fear setting. Being alone in the pitch black in a public park was something most were fortunate to not experience. He'd hear noises he's never heard before, hear animal walking around amongst him as he lay on the park bench. The same one he'd sat on with Belle almost two weeks ago now.

Sleep didn't come often, his days felt like one long string of existence. The only thing keeping him somewhat grounded was time, the small watch he'd put on the day he left the house. That was the only way he knew when to go to school, the school canteen became his only source of food and he didn't take it for granted.

"Hey Taron, we never normally see you here!" His 'friends' would say, to which he'd dismiss it and make up an excuse as to why he was now getting the free meals from school he hadn't claimed for before.