Scott

I woke up feeling like my arm had just been ripped off.

Bright sun rays are streaming in from the thin curtains of the windows.

I landed my eyes on everything unfamiliar in the room I'm in.

"You're awake," somebody said.

I stared at the source of the voice.

"All the shit I've been dreaming about is real isn't it?" I asked Ms. Chang who is sitting in my right side beside the door.

She raised her brow, "You getting stabbed and digging your own grave is real. Your parents not whipping your butt is the dream. I'm not saving you this time."

I winced and slowly raised my injured right arm to stare at it.

I look like I just wrestled with a toilet paper.

And suddenly the door opened revealing a fuming woman, my mother.

She stormed in stressed and agitated in her red dress.

Her usual kept brown hair appeared messy and her forehead displayed her wrinkle lines.

If the wrinkle lines who she hates appeared on her face then I'm in trouble.

I'm in deep shit.

"My baby boy! What happened to your arm? Did you know how worried I was? I couldn't even speak on the board meeting! I flew as fast as I could. How are you feeling? Do you want me to make it worse?!" she said it gently at first then suddenly got mad and squeezed my nose.

"Ouch! Mom!"

She pinched my skin all over where it's exposed.

"I left you for a month. A MONTH! And you almost got yourself killed? What use were those bodyguards of yours? I paid them good money not to let anyone leave even a scratch on you!" she raged at me and turned her attention to Ms. Chang for an explanation.

"Bodyguards weren't allowed inside the venue," she looked down. "And I went outside for a bit to instruct them ma'am. I apologize for my inadequacy."

"Mom, it's my fault. Please don't be mad at Ms. Chang or my bodyguards, they really didn't do anything..." I stopped talking because mom unleashed her death glare.

"That's exactly the reason why I should get mad."

Ah, crap.

"Mom seriously, it's all my fault. Just ground me or punish me. Anything you thought of but please don't be angry at them," I pleaded.

Mom sighed, "Alright. But since you already seemed to be grounded in here..." she paused.

My eyes shine bright in hope believing she'd let it slide.

"I'll take your phone and gadgets instead."

Wait, what?

"You heard me. Focus on your recovery. I don't care if you think it's boring. Watch TV for all I care. That's your punishment," she ordered.

"But mom, what about my followers? My Minecraft and my Nintendo switch. Mom, my animal crossing! Please leave me even just my switch. Please!" I begged and tried to appeal on my mom's merciful side.

"Ms. Chang will handle all of your social media accounts until you've recovered. And about your switch, I'll be holding on to it. I heard it's the rage these days but don't worry I'll give it back once you've recovered."

"No!" I yelled. "Mom please don't mess with it. I'll be good in no time. I beg you please don't mess with it."

She grinned, "Not my problem. If I were you, go and recover fast before I'll play with your-what's it called? Animal Crossing?"

My face filled with horror until one certain event forced my terrified soul of my body.

My father arrived.

Stoically, he approached us in the bed, looking composed and untamed as usual.

Everybody said I looked just like my father. The only thing I got from my mother is her nose and her personality.

Thank God I did not inherit my dad's personality.

"You're lucky that's the only thing you got from being reckless," he said.

Nobody dared to reply to him.

"Why did you go out of the event Scott?" he asked.

I looked down, "I needed fresh air."

He narrowed his eyes, "Really, in an arcade?"

I ignored him.

"Have you heard about the man who almost killed you in that alley?"

When he uttered what he said, everything that happened that night rushed through my thoughts and sent a chill down my spine that made me shiver.

"No," I replied.

"The police identified him as the infamous 'Face Flayer'. Heard of him? For 3 months he's been terrorizing this city. His only targets are females. Adults and teenagers?" he explained and tried to make a point with the last word.

"Security footages in the hotel and arcade tell me you were with a female teenager. Who is she?" he continued to probe.

I gulped, "She's a friend."

Father sneered, "Important enough that you received a stab in the arm for her?"

Astounded, I defended Seira without even thinking about how I sounded to them, "She would have been killed if I didn't help her dad! What do you want me to do leave her to die?"

"You could have called the authorities-anyone! It's either you or her! Do you understand me? Once an incident like this happens again, I want you to leave yourself out of it and let somebody deal it for you. Do you understand me?" he commanded.

He doesn't make sense at all. My father-my supposed role model wants me to shred a part of my humanity just to save myself.

As much as I wanted to talk back, I swallowed my words-bitter as they are, just to appease my father.

"Yes, sir."

"Good," he said and gestured for Mom and Ms. Chang to go outside, probably to talk about me.

I wish walls could talk.