wide man spoke with a voice that added a slight tremor to the concealed doorway, much like a miniature earthquake. “So, you made it back? God must be watching over you.”
“T… Thanks. You too,” was all Ian could muster.
I wouldn't have thought that any of this was hostile, until Ian bluntly pushed Harry to the side in a desperate attempt to create some distance between them. Then, much like an anvil, it all started to fall into place. The torn photographs, being kicked out, even Harry’s unwelcome presence around them.
“I should have known,” Ian’s father sighed, shaking his head to disapprove of the thug, then me as I stood in the corner. “There’s two of them now?”
“That’s sick! They’re my friends, not…” Ian was quick to defend himself, a little too hasty. “We just looked out for each other, since I couldn’t come home .”
“Well, that’s for the Lord to judge. Not us.” The man braced his wife, who appeared rather mousy for her size. While she smiled and nodded every so often, her face returned to a more solemn, empty stare each time.
“M… Mum?” Ian looked expectantly at her, but she still said nothing. I got the impression that she never spoke much, not with her husband to do the talking for her.
“Forgive her, lads. She'd always wanted a daughter… Just not like this. This is a cruel joke you’re playing, Ian.” The harsh words seemed to knock him down, his legs starting to shake with visible humiliation.
He must’ve opened himself up to his family the night before the Lost came, only to be faced with cold-hearted rejection. His entire world had ended twice, in the space of twenty-four hours.
I couldn't let the fat oaf leave on that note. Stepping into the space between Ian and his father, my fist snapped at his shoulder and provoked him. I yelled a lot louder than I expected to, nearly attracting the attention of everyone through the doorway to the main hall.
“What the hell is your problem? Your son is a great guy, he's saved my life more times than I can count! He's twice the man you are,” I nodded to his bulging gut, “and that's saying a fucking ton!!"
Ian's father looked at me unexpectedly, narrowing his eyes with disgust. He squinted another glare at Ian, who stood awkward and silent behind me. “Are these the people you choose to associate with now? How vulgar… The Pastor was right about you. Your kind are beyond saving.”
Harry's fist slammed into the nearby wall, barely able to contain himself as he made everyone jump in surprise. "You piece of shit... 'beyond saving'?! You think he deserved to be stuck out there with those freaks? He could’ve died, all because of your bullcrap!"
Ian's father was barely listening. He just turned his back on his former son, and exhaled in complete dismissal.
"I think you’re mistaken. I lost my child, the second you turned him into a spineless filthy homosexual. God has responded, and made his will apparent.”
18 | In The Rain
Just a few more days, Ian assured himself. Barely a week left until his university interview, and then he’d be able to leave home forever. Knowing his luck though, a day trip into the city could only end in complete disaster.
The hapless student held on tight to his plastic bag full of groceries, sprinting home through the late spring’s unrelenting rain. It seemed that his father had waited until the thunderstorm outside was at its peak before sending him off to buy some bread and milk.
Eventually the lashings of water began to give him a brain-freeze, forcing him to hide underneath one of the nearby playground’s trees. “Just wait it out,” Ian sighed to himself, exposed in the isolated street. He almost found it funny — waiting was all he ever seemed to do, wishing that his problems would soon dissipate like those storm clouds.
His mindless state was interrupted when he saw a burly man legging it through the park, dragging his nearly-destroyed umbrella behind.
“T… Thanks. You too,” was all Ian could muster.
I wouldn't have thought that any of this was hostile, until Ian bluntly pushed Harry to the side in a desperate attempt to create some distance between them. Then, much like an anvil, it all started to fall into place. The torn photographs, being kicked out, even Harry’s unwelcome presence around them.
“I should have known,” Ian’s father sighed, shaking his head to disapprove of the thug, then me as I stood in the corner. “There’s two of them now?”
“That’s sick! They’re my friends, not…” Ian was quick to defend himself, a little too hasty. “We just looked out for each other, since I couldn’t come home .”
“Well, that’s for the Lord to judge. Not us.” The man braced his wife, who appeared rather mousy for her size. While she smiled and nodded every so often, her face returned to a more solemn, empty stare each time.
“M… Mum?” Ian looked expectantly at her, but she still said nothing. I got the impression that she never spoke much, not with her husband to do the talking for her.
“Forgive her, lads. She'd always wanted a daughter… Just not like this. This is a cruel joke you’re playing, Ian.” The harsh words seemed to knock him down, his legs starting to shake with visible humiliation.
He must’ve opened himself up to his family the night before the Lost came, only to be faced with cold-hearted rejection. His entire world had ended twice, in the space of twenty-four hours.
I couldn't let the fat oaf leave on that note. Stepping into the space between Ian and his father, my fist snapped at his shoulder and provoked him. I yelled a lot louder than I expected to, nearly attracting the attention of everyone through the doorway to the main hall.
“What the hell is your problem? Your son is a great guy, he's saved my life more times than I can count! He's twice the man you are,” I nodded to his bulging gut, “and that's saying a fucking ton!!"
Ian's father looked at me unexpectedly, narrowing his eyes with disgust. He squinted another glare at Ian, who stood awkward and silent behind me. “Are these the people you choose to associate with now? How vulgar… The Pastor was right about you. Your kind are beyond saving.”
Harry's fist slammed into the nearby wall, barely able to contain himself as he made everyone jump in surprise. "You piece of shit... 'beyond saving'?! You think he deserved to be stuck out there with those freaks? He could’ve died, all because of your bullcrap!"
Ian's father was barely listening. He just turned his back on his former son, and exhaled in complete dismissal.
"I think you’re mistaken. I lost my child, the second you turned him into a spineless filthy homosexual. God has responded, and made his will apparent.”
18 | In The Rain
Just a few more days, Ian assured himself. Barely a week left until his university interview, and then he’d be able to leave home forever. Knowing his luck though, a day trip into the city could only end in complete disaster.
The hapless student held on tight to his plastic bag full of groceries, sprinting home through the late spring’s unrelenting rain. It seemed that his father had waited until the thunderstorm outside was at its peak before sending him off to buy some bread and milk.
Eventually the lashings of water began to give him a brain-freeze, forcing him to hide underneath one of the nearby playground’s trees. “Just wait it out,” Ian sighed to himself, exposed in the isolated street. He almost found it funny — waiting was all he ever seemed to do, wishing that his problems would soon dissipate like those storm clouds.
His mindless state was interrupted when he saw a burly man legging it through the park, dragging his nearly-destroyed umbrella behind.
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