The Broken Boy

[TheSpaceInBetween]

Over the years Chris had learnt to stay still whenever he has visits from his father. Often he would just use his fists and feet to break Chris's body down, other times he would be more creative, using kitchen knives and scalding hot water. Ropes and wires that delivered sharp shocks to the body. Each object was used with such malice that Chris never knew how to react. But he had to stay still and silent, the slightest peep would have made the whole ordeal much worse.


He sat quietly in the corner of his "room" his hands tapping together softly, his right hand was bound with a thin rope that was tight around his skin, bleeding and sore from years of pulling and being thrown around like a rag doll. He did try to escape but only ended up biting his hand, at least that way he knew he was still there. Pain was a reminder of terror, and terror knew Chris very well.


He sat in pitch black, the only escape was when the door was opened, he would get a blast of fresh air as well as a beam of soft light. It was the only thing he looked forward too.


He scratched at his hair, nearly falling out and tangled from lack of food and hygiene, the scratching moved to the rest of his body knocking slowly healing wounds so they would bleed again.


His head tilted at the sounds coming from the door, his father sounded angry. That was never good. He whimpered softly pushing himself deeper in the corner in order to escape the loud noise. His breathing picked up and he shielded himself from the light as best he could with a bound hand and limited movement.


" Oh my gosh.." That was not his father's voice..it was another man entirely. Chris peeked from his elbow to see the man better, dressed in a strange coloured uniform, with shiny bits on it. The shiny bits could hurt Chris! He shook his head and turned his body away tugging his hair sharply, strands coming away with his fingers.


The man crouched down and began speaking to Chris obviously he didn't know what he was saying, he wasn't used to kind soft words. Anger and hate was all Chris recognised as well as pain he was terrified. He began to shiver as the fresh air from the door being open made him cold, he had next to nothing on in terms of clothes. A torn ragged shirt and a pair of over soiled underwear, plus he had not fat on his body at all he was just bones.


He was too busy whimpering and shivering like a nervous wreck that he didn't notice the rope holding him had been cut and a soft cloth had been draped over his body. It was very warm and soft so very soft, he ran his fingers over the cloth examining the texture with his fingers.


Then assuming all fears he was picked up by the soft speaking man, he struggled and whimpered not used to being held in such a way it made his body feel very uncomfortable and it hurt too. He pulled his hair again and being so scared and nervous he evacuated his bladder all over the strange dressed man. He screwed his eyes shut as he was taken out of the room he had spent most of his life in, everything was bright and so noisy!


He moaned softly burying his head into the soft cloth blanket, the gentle touch soothing him as he continued to shake. Chris peeked a glance outside and there was so many people, lights were flashing and sirens and shouting. Chris's breathing began to pick up and struggle desperately to get away that was until a sharp pain, different to what he felt before made him feel fuzzy and floppy, his head spun and he closed his eyes falling into a warm oblivion.


Chris coughed softly as he awoke and slowly opened his eyes, panic immeadeatlly began. Where was he? He looked around , this wasn't his room. His body was covered in white things and wires! He was wearing a strange dress that was a little rough on his skin, he went to pull his hair but found it gone. It was short now he couldn't pull it... His nails were cut and his body was clean what was going on? Something was on his hand, the sore infected one. It felt a little better, sure it still hurt but it was more numb now.


He pushed up on his arm as he legs pulled in pain after being sat so long every movement was painful. Wincing softly he ran fingers over the white things on his arms, they must have been covering something. He looked to the door as it opened his eyes wide in fear his body frozen solid in terror, breathing rapid. Had to hide, had to hide

 

[Bryanna Robbins]

The child services officer had explained the severity of the situation to Dr. Krania. Her heart reached out for the poor child whom had lived such a horrible life. She took the case without hesitation for she wanted desperately to help him. As she slowly opened the door, she expected to see the young boy on the table. However, all she found was tubes strewn everywhere and various equipment knocked over. It did not take her long to notice he was crouched beneath the hand rinsing sink. She spread out her empty palms and slowly began to walk to him.


"Hi. I'm Dr. Krania and I'm here to help you. You're badly injured and I want to make it all better. What's your name?"

 

[TheSpaceInBetween]

Chris hummed to himself rocking back and forth quickly, he squinted a little, his hands planted hard on his head. The room was so bright and such space!. He was used to darkness and cold, being pushed so far into a corner with pipes and steam, not to a large room full of scary machines. Machines were used on Chris, to shock him over and over again so he had ripped off the electrodes attached to him. Knocking down the beeping machine as he fell out of the bed, to search for a hiding place. The bed looked more like a cage and that left that place out, he saw the sink with some pipes running down and into the wall. He knew pipes! He crawled/ shuffled to the sink hands gripping onto the pipes.


At the sound of the door opening, Chris closed his eyes tightly his hands shielding his head, head had to be protected. Blows to the head really hurt, more so than other parts of the body. He peaked from his fingers to look at the intruder, it wasn't a man. A man had short hair so it must have been a woman. She opened her palms, nothing in her hands that still meant she could hurt him, but women didn't hurt Chris. Men did.


As she began to approach him, Chris's body shook and he gave out a high pitch yelp, similar to a fox cub or a terrified dog. He looked around the room trying to find somewhere else to hide, he couldn't not without passing the woman. He held onto the water pipes tightly, tucking his head into his chest, knees against his forehead. Shivering and grumbling to himself.

 

[Bryanna Robbins]

The doctor felt tears prick the back of her eyes as she watched the poor boy. Lowering herself to his height, she gently spoke to him.


"I wont hurt you, sweetie. I'm here to help you. Can I touch you? Is that ok?" With no reply, she decided to take a different approach. With no sudden movements, she reached slowly into her lab coat pocket to receive a pack of Reese's cups. She opened it up slowly and took two of them out. She set the rest of the pack on the ground along with one of the cups on the ground beside the pack. The other cup she opened slowly and smiled at the boy.


"Would you like some candy?" she asked softly as she bit into her own cup. "Yum. It's food. It tastes really good."

 

[TheSpaceInBetween]

Chris's sensitive hearing picked up a rustling noise, it was too low pitched to be pills. He remembered the sound of pills although sometimes there was no sound which was always the worry. He peaked from his kness, watching as the woman got something out of an orange pocket.


He sniffed quickly, he hadn't smelt anything like that before. It smelt sweet, the lady bit into it. Food! it was food! He was hungry and if she ate it, it must have been safe. But he didn't want to get close to her to get to it.


He held his trembling hand out grumbling softly asking for the food.

 

[Bryanna Robbins]

The doctor gave a small smile in victory at the child's small hand. She slowly slid the package closer to him so as not to startle him as she continued to munch on her own. She settled down onto the cold hard floor, sitting cross legged. She needed to develop a friendly, trusting relationship with the child before he would allow her to help him. The fact that someone could harm a child this much made her blood boil. But she could not let her anger take over. That's the reason she decided to become a doctor. She had always had a knack for having a gentle, motherly touch. Many people would always come to her for help and she was drawn to the ones who could not help themselves, much like the small boy in front of her.

 

[TheSpaceInBetween]

Chris watched as she slid the bright color package over to him, he dragged it over to himself and ripped it open. He picked up the round chocolate with both hands, sniffing it rapidly a lot like an animal would. Licking it gently his eyes lit up a little, nibbling softly he ate for few minutes, biting and savouring the taste in his mouth.


It took him five minutes to eat the small item, he looked at the package, one more left. Looking up at the doctor she might have wanted it... He broke the third peice in half put it back in the package, sliding it back over to her he nibbled away at the half he had.

 

[Bryanna Robbins]

The doctor felt her heart warm at the generosity of the young boy. Though he was obviously malnourished and scared, he still had enough heart to take her feelings into consideration. "Thank you," she grinned as she finished off the last part of the Reese's. "I'm Dr. Krania. Can you say that? Doc-tor Kr-a-nia?" she enunciated with softness in her voice. She kept her distance but still sat on the floor so she wouldn't seem intimidating. She wanted to put herself at his level so he would be more willing to accept her.

 

[TheSpaceInBetween]

Chris sucked his fingers, licking off the remaining chocolate that resided there. It tasted very good, he hadn't had that kind of taste in his mouth before, not that odd smooth texture either. He smacked his lips together, still finding the taste lingered on his lips, he licked his fingers and wiped his mouth licking them again. This was the only way he knew how to get clean. It must have looked very odd to the doctor.


Doctor Krania..that must have been her name, his head tilted as he looked at her as she repeated herself over and over again. Did she want him to do something? Say her name perhaps? He looked around the room, smacking his lips together again he stuttered a little. " K....K-Kra...Krannnn....nnn...nia" he was confused that these sounds were in fact coming out of his mouth. " Krania" he spoke.

 

[Bryanna Robbins]

The doctor watched him bathe himself like a cat and she frowned slightly. That man was horrible to this poor child. She would help him soon though. She listened as he began to stutter out her name. Dr. Krania grinned brightly and shook her head. "Good job, sweetie," she whispered as she produced a small bag of bite sized candy bars from her coat. Perhaps the reward theory would benefit in this situation. With this in mind, she took out a small piece and put it in her palm as she held it out to him. "It's food. Can you tell me your name?"

 

[TheSpaceInBetween]

Chris sniffed quickly, watching as she put her hands in her pocket. He whimpered turning himself into the sink again.


She spoke to him again and he looked around his eyes locked on her hand. Another peice of candy, she was holding it out to him. He sniffed quickly it smelt different to the last candy.


He shuffled forward being a little hesitant at getting close to her, his skinny hand reached out tapping his chest. "C...C...Chr-is" he mumbled. He snatched away the candy and retreated to hide under the sink again. He nibbled the candy slowly, well he licked it for a while then nibbled.