Something about the darkness draws him in. It’s comforting how it coils around him in a protective vice like grip. Most would be suffocated by the death hold. Not him. Ember embraced it as much as the darkness allows it. It was only natural to accept it, given his name. No matter how light it sounded, he was shrouded by the blackness threatening to take him away. To snuff him out. But he won’t allow it, he only shone brighter letting the dark know that he was being smothered. It backed off but as soon as he died down a bit it was back holding him tightly never letting him go.
“..ber? Ember?”
“Sorry, my mind-”
“Travels, I know. What trip did you go on?”
“Not too far, just the abyss.”
“Ah, that thought of being swallowed up by the darkness and you being the only light in the world. I like that one.”
This was Coale, his best friend since childhood. They dreamed of the day of being detectives together, Coale and Ember Detective Agency. But things didn’t work out. Coale found someone and got in with the wrong crowd. Still is. While Ember worked hard and learned to gather information discreetly from Coale.
“If only you were there to build the smouldering embers threateningly dying out,” Ember said referring to how Coale ditched him for his new friends.
“Well, the coal burned quickly, sorry all out. So, connections?” Ember tried to watch out for him keeping him on a strict schedule of when to take the drugs and learned how to coax him down. The emotional baggage this guy had was too much for him to handle at times, he tried to detox him on his own but wasn’t prepared enough for it. Coale wasn’t violent, but without that hit... well it’s a good thing nothing sharp was held that day or any day after.
“None, all out until Monday morning. Do you have enough to last you until then?” since he couldn’t stop him on his own he may as well watch over him so he doesn’t do something stupid like overdoes. He asked his teachers about how to handle this they all say to take him to treatment. Coale had no one to lean on except him, and Ember didn’t know many people aside from Coale to help him take the guy to treatment. He could ask his teachers, he could... but the fear of the guilt trip Coale would pull him on was all fearing.
“You should know, you hold it hostage until I can have it,” Coale said a bit annoyed. As soon as he noticed Coale was overusing he stepped in and confiscated it all and locked it in a time release safe. It took all his savings and a loan from the bank to get it. Worth it. It it will save his friend, than so worth it. But it didn’t stop him from getting more, he could see it. Ember just knew where the good stuff was and when it cycled, Coale did not since drug dealing wasn’t his forte since he just wanted a hit when ever he could get it.
“I know, just thought I would ask. I’m sorry...” Coale was now sad seeing Ember sad. During this time Ember got good at being manipulative of Coale’s emotions.
“No, I’m sorry... I shouldn’t take it out on you... You’re just looking out for me...” The question hung in the air thickly. Treatment. Coale wanted it, but it wasn’t enough to need it. Not with Ember looking out for him.
“It’s almost time, you’re getting emotional again.” Ember stood up and walked to the safe, Coale following along like an obedient puppy. Ember often wondered if it was dangerous that Coale relied on him for the hit now, he got it for him, got him on a schedule, got him the good stuff, never letting him venture out alone for long. Ember was getting sick of it. Coale must have noticed. ‘If I leave Coale now... would he die?’ the thought for some reason fascinated him. ‘Could I bare watching him spiral out of control in the safety of a coffee cafe? I’ll need camera... but he gets paranoid when someone is ‘watching’ him through the phone. Reason why the landline is still in use at home.’ He waited for the safe light to turn green so he could take inventory and give the hit to his friend.
As Coale drifted on the couch after the needle was skilfully injected in the arm by Ember, he now wondered if this was also dangerous. Another thing Coale now relied on him for. He won’t let him take it on his own, does his friend know how toxic he’s being?
“Coale,” Ember said in a monotone voice, knowing he’s out of it, “I’m leaving.”
I coughed up blood after being beaten ruthlessly. Everything hurt, my sides, stomach, chest, arms, legs... whatever was me it hurt. Sharp pain stabbed me where they kicked, punched, or whacked with. It hurt. I dare not cry out in pain for fear of them doing it again in their sick sadistic way. Instead, I acted like I wanted more. And I got it. Boy did I get it, the weapons were whipped out, knives, guns, bats, boards, whatever could be used was used.
After they took a break again waiting for my response. Coughing up more blood I smiled. This is what I deserved after all those years of playing people. I don’t deserved to be saved.
“Patch our dear Ember up, after he heals we can start again.” A commanding voice boomed through the silent cement cold room. It was same for weeks, after being beaten they would heal me, and do it all over again just when the wounds closed. Never once hitting any place that could kill me instantly. Pain? Yes, killing, never. They wanted me to suffer.
That memory, that I locked away so long ago... I regret it. I should have taken him to treatment. Coale what have I done to you? Are you okay?
“No broken bones again? Shame, would have wanted to keep you longer. But I suppose this is fine. After all ‘Detective’” the word was spat out mockingly, “This is only the beginning. You put us in a lot of grief. You deserve it after putting one of the higher ups in jail.”
“They were slacking, they let themselves get cau-AURGGH” The first cry of pain was when the alcohol being poured on my open wounds. “It’s them you should punish, not me!” Breathing through the pain as I’m now getting stitched up. The ‘Doctor’ liked when she got to see me, it amazes her that she’s the only one to bring actual tears to my eyes and cry out in pain rather than those large beardown men that caused the wounds in the first place.
If it’s not one it’s another. I was never given rest. Not even in sleep.
It was the darkness again, it tried to swallow him up, ever hungry. He hated the dark, why did he agree to play Hide-and-seek just to be locked in a closet? The children thought it was funny to lock him in. He wasn’t overly bothered by it. He had some light. Even at a young age, he figured out that they were trying to get a rise out of him. He didn’t oblige. They were childish, young and stupid. Unlike him with better sense of other’s feelings. He sat in comfort ignoring the banging that was now going on.
“What is all this noise!” a woman’s voice interrupted their passing phase.
“We locked Ember in the closet!” one of the kids replied proudly and excitedly. Ember heard the kid get hit for telling.
“Yes, I’m in here,” Ember called out jaded. The woman unlocked the door and opened the closet for him to step out. “Well that was a fun game of Hide-and-seek. If you’ll excuse me,” Ember said in the most bored tone as possible he walked down the stairs with his mother trailing behind him. Asking if he was alright, and that they were only playing. “Mom, please. They are still children that don’t know any better, I expected them to do that, they just wanted to get a rise out of me being ‘scared’ but I wasn’t. Please mom, don’t worry. I’m not scared by this incident, just mildly annoyed.” his mother sighed.
“Such a mature child I have raised...” the thought trailed off to her mind, he could only guess that she was thinking of dad. Ember yawned as he sat down to get a snack from the table.
Children started arriving and tip toed around him like he was a freak of nature. Ember smirked thinking of something devious to scare them.
“Mom can I have more of this thick red stuff it tastes good.” He just wanted some more fruit punch his mom caught on and added some red cherry syrup to make it look a bit darker and thicker.
“It’s called blood sweetheart,” his mother encouraged him. As he was handed the fruit punch he made sure to make a bit of a mess as he gulped the sugar down. It tasted good with the syrup. The kids screamed in horror and ran to their parents saying ‘Ember drank blood!’.
“I knew I shouldn’t have, I couldn’t resist. Sorry honey,” his mom said laughing a bit.
“It’s okay mom, I just wanted to scare them too. Nothing but childish humour.” Ember said reassuring her. “Also nice touch with the syrup, it tastes good.”
“I can tell, you got more on you than in you,” she chided and cleaned up his face. “I have to tell the other parents that I’m sorry, will you be okay on your own?”
“You know I will be,” Ember replied.
“I know, but it’s nice to ask anyways. Thank you Umber,” It wasn’t an accent. People just mistake his name because of the similarities and how it was pronounced. He didn’t see the need to correct them, he liked being called Ember just as well as Umber. It was nice. Like having a nickname where everyone is his friend.
He heard his mother get scolded for humouring such a terrible joke. Ember decided to come to his mother’s rescuse. It was only them after all.
“I’m sorry for scaring your child, but he locked me in the closet first and encouraged the others to bang on the door and sides. Discipline your own child before your child does something that they will regret. And my actions will only be in self-defence. Please excuse my mother and I, we shall be going and won’t be coming back. We wish your son the best of wishes on his 6th Birthday. Good day, madam.” He took his mothers hand and they left the sea side house back to their car. “I’m sorry I ruined your chance of making friends with them...” Ember said sadly, he really was sorry.
“Umber, you’ve done me a favour. Who needs them as friends they are perfect as enemies?” they laughed together on the ride home but Ember still felt bad.
“What are we going to do now?” Ember asked as they reached home and got ready for bed. “We could sell my toys? My books? I don’t need them as much anymore...”
“Honey, I’d sell my own things before selling yours. You need something...”
“It’s okay if I miss a few meals, I can handle that much.” his mother only shook her head smiling.
“You are not going to miss any meals,” she promised.
“Neither are you,” he promised back and settled for the night already planning for the next day. During the night he heard his mother crying, he decided to get up and get two glasses of water. He walked up to his moms door putting down one of the glasses and knocked picking up the glass again. The door opened and sure enough she was wiping away remaining tears. He held up a glass of water and she took it bringing him in. He sat down and she sat beside him both taking sips from the glasses, “I love you mommy, just don’t hide your tears from me.” he didn’t know that hit too close to home with his mom. She set their glasses down on the night stand and she held him crying. It’s been a rough few months since his father died, he had to take up a lot of responsibility. He allowed a few tears to escape, mourning the loss of his father. ‘Mourn him now, so we can fight tomorrow.’ he thought. At least he hoped he thought it. “Daddy once said: Cry for me today, so we can be stronger tomorrow,” he said to her after he calmed down a bit to tell her. He heard her laugh. “Let’s be stronger tomorrow together,” he said and hugged her again. They washed up before bed, he flicked water at her and they had a little water fight with the tap. ‘I can’t erase the loss, but I will help mom get stronger again without him.’
“I love you, sweetheart, sleep well,” she said to him as they laid in bed together.
“Take up arms, mom! We have things to do and places to be!” He called from the bathroom having got up half an hour early and let her sleep in a bit.
“Five more minutes!” she called and buried herself under the covers.
“I gave you half an hour!” he called around the toothbrush, having had to get it from his bathroom.
“Give me another one!” she called.
“Okay but don’t say I didn’t warn you after the house burns down from me trying to cook breakfast!” he said and walked out of the room to get himself a bowl of cereal, no intention of using the stove. After he got everything in order he started making a ruckus sliding the chair a bit to move it out of the way as he poured the milk in. That got his mom up, when she got there she expected him to be at the stove not the table eating cereal. “That got you up,” he smiled.
“Oh you and your father are the same person, I swear!”
“Don’t, I’m still an impressionable child,” he answered as he finished up, having realized in his excitement he’d have to brush his teeth again. She laughed and got herself some cereal to eat having known better to brush her teeth first than eat. “What are we doing today?” he asked.
“Let’s play hooky and spend a day out in town.” she smiled.
“MOM! Shame on you!” he mocked shock than couldn’t help but smile, it would be the first time he could skip school and hopefully the last.
“Oh loosen up, you’ll be an old man before my eyes at the age of 7!” she said and finished her breakfast. They got up and brushed their teeth and got ready for the day.
It was the most fun he had since weeks before his father died. School let out and everyone was crowding the playground they were at. It was a small town, word got around fast of them having the time of their lives.
“Ember, I’m sorry for locking you in the closet yesterday...” the boy said grudgingly and rehearsed. Ember smiled at the boy.
“It’s okay, Coale, I’m sorry for drinking blood in front of you.” he got a glare while his mom gave a small giggle.
“It was cherry syrup in fruit punch, not blood!”
“That sounds less cool! ‘I’m sorry for drinking fruit punch juice with cherry syrup in front of you.’ doesn’t make for a good apology as you might think.”
“But it will clear it up that it wasn’t actually blood.”
“I guess you’re right... We’ve been having a rough few months Coale, sorry.”
“Coale Prince Woodsburn! Get over here, now!” Coale’s mom yelled.
“Your Royal Highness,” Ember said before Coale walked away.
“Umber, that was rude!”
“I was gonna say heinie, but figured it would be better to be at least some kind of polite,” Ember defended.
“My son and heinies don’t belong together,” she laughed.
“And if I do?” he asked, not quite understanding what he was referring.
“Than I’ll love you just the same,” she said smiling.
“Should I know what that means?” he wondered when she hesitated before.
“Do you know what that means?” she asked in return.
“No, but if you don’t tell me and I find out later I’ll be mad. Maybe?” he questioned himself at his own innocence.
“I’ll take that chance have you mad at me,” she smiled. “For now, I’ll enjoy you just as you are now. Heinie and all!”
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