Road to recovery

Diego hid in his room with his dogs Socks and Bandit as his parents fought, he sat against his closed, wooden door ready in case his mom screamed or his father hit her. Tears streamed down his face as his father mentioned him.

“He’s getting into fights. Have you not bothered to stop that worthless piece of shit?” Snapped his father and he heard his mom retort.

“For gods sake! He’s your child too! And you’re the one who put him in boxing lessons!” Yelled his mom. After a while they stopped yelling and his dad had left the house leaving Diego’s mother sobbing in her bedroom. Diego hugged Socks, the German pointer was licking the salty tears off of Diego’s face. Everything was going wrong! His mom and dad were meant to be happy like his friend’s parents going out on dinners and watching tv together but no, instead he had screaming, angry parents and an abusive father. Diego had told the student councillor but his father had denied it every time. He flinched as Socks licked around his black eye, that reminded Diego of his fight he had been so angry his classmate had been taunting him and saying things about his parents and Diego couldn’t take it and he swung like his boxing couch, Rocco had taught him, he had right-hooked the blonde-haired boy and he won the fight but came out with a black eye and a busted lip. Diego decided to creak open the door he was hungry and hadn’t been given dinner yet. He was eleven and could just reach the cabinet filled with food, he grabbed some leftover pasta and went outside to the dark, Hawaii didn’t have any predators (not that he knew of anyway) and sat outside on the sandy beach with Socks and he gave his dog some of his food. His other dog Bandit had trotted outside his black and white coat was a glimpse in the darkening sky. The two dogs sat on the beach on either side of Diego. After he had finished eating he stood up.

“Cmon Bandit and Socks!” He called as he ran barefoot along the beach, the two German pointers raced after him soon overtaking him. They splashed water and kicked up sand as they launched across the shore Diego was barely behind them he stopped and stared at his house that stood just behind the beach he was lucky enough to grow up here but not lucky enough to have the best parents…

Soon the stars had fully come out of hiding and Diego chose it was probably time he went home. He called his two dogs and went inside, it took a moment to adjust to the light and he glanced down at his red and bruised knuckles but shook the feeling off. He went to his bed and laid down soon dozing off his dogs sat and guarded him before soon going to bed.

(that’s what his dogs look like by the way. The black one is Bandit and the brown one is Socks.)