Austin

Austin

Austin sat there, in the corner with tears strolling down his face. His whole life was going completely downhill. Rage and disorder coursed through his body as if running a race. Austin let out a raspy sound, his throat still tight and narrow from all the crying. They had betrayed him so cruelly. His own family. They all had. His mind just kept replaying the flashback. Let's rewind 3 weeks ago.

"What! I have been at this place for years and you fire me because of some new guy!", Austin shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Austin calm down, Tristan just has more work experience than you and we need to lay someone off sorry but do not worry, we will provide you with your last paycheck", Mr. Lohan uttered, fixing his white, wispy hair.

"Screw you guys, you've caused nothing but trouble for me!" Austin replied, he was on the verge of crying, but he had already stormed out. The place felt evil. It was the type of place that made people quicken their steps when they passed… As he looked back over his shoulder before entering his mini-Honda, he remembered how when he first came it was a modern glass and metal building, 10 stories high. Now it is like a prison, and he had been released. He wanted to cry on someone's shoulder. The next thing he knew, he was sitting uncomfortably on the couch with his entire family.

"We're kicking you out, you're almost 18. You're lucky we even kept a roof over your head for this long", his mother muttered under her breath.

Austin stared at everyone. He took in every move, every detail. None of them could hold his glare and looked away instantaneously. Austin began tugging at his hair, mumbling words to himself, clenching and unclenching his fists until his knuckles turned into the whitest white. They swapped glances in bewilderment.

"Why? You all are meant to be there for me, but you just turn your back on me like the others at the workplace", Austin whined, betrayal and sadness stabbing the back of his throat.

"But son- ", his father stated. Austin's father was always a stern man with a deathly, serious face which could make your blood turn to ice. But now his face had softened.

"No do not try "son" me, am I a burden to you?", he whispered, indignation arising in his husky voice.

Before anyone could say anything, an "Of course you are. When will you realise?" filled the silence. They turned to see Dustin, Austin's brother. Dustin was always treated better and admired by others. Austin was stuck under his brother's shadow no matter what he did to get out. Life as a kid for Austin was so tiring, he was never acknowledged. His parents favoured Dustin. Austin was like a stranger in their eyes. A boy they sheltered and offered food to out of the 'kindness' of their corrupted hearts. He grew up devoid of his so-called parents' love.

"Don't you find it sad when your own family turns their back on you when you need them the most?", he replied, without another word. His eyes were glassy. The tension in his jaws tightened. He slammed the door in disbelief. The whispers were silenced.

He lay in the motel's soiled bed, its springs threatening to attack his back viciously but it was all he could afford.

He seemed to be paralysed, the voices got louder and louder, filling up the empty spaces in his head.