Trigger Warning: Domestic Abuse starting from ♤ and ending with ♧.

Hero stood, eyes brightened. He ran downstairs and to the door. He first looked through the peephole and saw his father. He gave a smile and unlocked the door, eager. As he threw open the door, he greeted his father with a smile.

Though he realized that his father looked... Unsettling.

His hair was messy, his cheeks were flushed bright red and he was giving out hiccups every now and then. Hero spotted the beer bottle in his father's grip.

Drunk.

He slowly backed away, his father stumbling forward. The young boy watched as his father staggered to the couch and flopped down, the beer bottle slipping from his grip and onto the floor with a loud crash that frightened the poor boy. Though it was just an accident, his father grew angry. He swerved around and glared at his oldest son and slurred, "Hey! Don't be stupid and clean this fucking mess up!"

He turned back and started cursing to himself in Swedish. Suddenly, Hero regretted learning the language. He jumped at the loud tone. He nodded quickly and scrambled to the kitchen to grab a dustpan and broom. He went back to the living room and slowly swept the light and small pieces. The heavier and bigger ones could not be swept by the bristles, so he gulped and bent down, avoiding his father's angry gaze. He carefully picked up the bigger pieces, he would not want to get hurt. He winced as his father's dreadful voice was heard once again, "Pick up the pace. Don't be a ¹långsam råtta."

♤

The ten-year-old gulped again and cleaned up faster. As he picked up the biggest piece, he pierced his finger on the sharp edges and dropped it to draw back his bleeding finger from the dangerous implement. He looked up at his father, who seemed more angry than before. He yelped in more pain as his father grabbed a fistful of Hero's golden-brown hair and pulled it towards himself to look at his son more clearly. He sneered and spat, "Worthless piece of ²sopor... Can't even do simple tasks... You're more useless than your mamma."

His father than threw him on the floor, Hero knocking over the dustpan and scattering the pieces all over the floor. His arm brushed against the glass, making a gash from his left elbow to his wrist. He slid and collided with the corner of the drawer, sending waves of pain to his back.

♧

He looked up and saw that his father had gone upstairs, probably to his room. He laid there, trying not to let the pain overcome him and make him cry. He sniffed and sat up to hug his knees, his head resting on his trembling legs.

He just sat there and thought. Why did he do that? Am I really useless? Why did he mention mother? He told us not to talk about her.

After a few minutes- which seemed like hours -he picked himself up and took a look at his gash. The pain from his back was gone now, but he was bleeding. Badly. He looked behind him and gasped, god he was making a mess. The living room is filled with broken glass pieces and blood. He would not want to anger his father further.

He staggered to the kitchen and washed the blood off his arm and finger. He put a bandaid around his pricked finger and wrapped his arm in bandages, hoping that it would not soak. He did not really know how to treat wounds, just small scratches. His mamma had never taught him to treat really bad wounds like the ones on his arm.

He then took a bucket of water and towel to the living room. He first soaked up the blood and cleaned up the scarlet liquid, making sure there was none staining the living room. He then threw the blood-stained towel away- since the stains would not come off -and emptied the bucket. He sighed, next thing to clear up. Glass.

The boy found some gardening gloves and a plastic bag. He cautiously stepped into the living room and crouched down. He picked up the big pieces first and dumped it in the bag. When the big pieces were cleared, he got a dustpan and broom to start sweeping the smaller pieces. Once he made sure there were no more pieces, he went out to throw the plastic bag.

Finally, he was done.

He locked the door, switched off the lights before retreating to his bedroom, which he shared with little Markus. Markus was wide awake and he whimpered, "Hero! It's very late and I was scared."

The older brother mentally groaned before giving his brother a comforting hug and patting his head to tell him it was okay. Tomorrow he would have to go to his small village school. Markus also had to go to Nursery. Hero figured that their father would not send them so he made a mental note to send Markus himself. He was in Grade 5, and in the next year he would go to Junior High Schools in the Center part of Minecraftia.

He made sure his satchel was packed with the correct items before he tucked Markus to bed and went to sleep himself.

○

Hero woke up and bent over to shake his brother awake. He finally stirred and looked up at is brother sleepily. Hero carried Markus out and proceeded to lead him to the bathroom for his morning routine. After that, they got downstairs to get a nice breakfast of ham sandwiches Hero prepared. They then changed into the right attire, prepared their stuff and left the house. They had not seen their father, so they assumed he woke up earlier or was still sleeping.

As they walked in the village, Markus was clutching his brother's hand and babbled on and on about what he thought would happen in nursery.

"Markus, I don't think unicorns exist."

"They do! I think one will walk in and give me a present in daycare today!"

Hero rolled his blue eyes and scooped his brother off the ground and stuck his tongue at him. They laughed and he said, "Yes, that unicorn will be me. I'll stride in with a giant cake for you."

Markus's amber eyes sparkled with delight, "Really?! Is the cake chocolate?"

Hero answered with a cheeky grin, "Nope. It'll be strawberry instead."

Markus slid his tongue out in disgust and he spat, "Ew! No, please don't be a unicorn. I want my normal brother back!"

The other laughed, "Okay, okay..."

They eventually reached Markus' Nursery and Hero put down his brother, watching him run up to his friends and talk about some 5-year-old things. Hero observed from the glass window for a while before walking off to his own school.

Translations:

1. Swedish: -slow rat.

2. Swedish: -garbage...