Edited by: D6KTA
*
Rei had long since become use to people looking at him and seeing a young girl instead of the young effeminate man he actually was. Standing at just a little over 5ft, he was shorter than most of boy his age. Rei's platinum, almost white hair was short around the base of his neck, yet long around his face. Sometimes this meant it would fall to cover his right eye. His eighteenth birthday had come and gone with no big fan fair. He knew this would happen, yet he refused to let on how much it bothered him that this once celebrated event, was no more than an ordinary day now. His father was distant, usually away for work and what he suspected was a mistress. His mother, she wasn't someone that anybody liked to be around. When she wasn't drinking or smoking, she was yelling and throwing things. Often, instead of being at home, Rei would find himself wandering the streets of the city he called home. He loved the city at night, the neon lights and the busy streets, even at two in the morning , it calmed him in ways that being home just never seemed to. The night air was cold this particular evening, and though the cold caused him pain, he continued to walk on. A long-sleeved shirt was all that protected him from the cold, his thin pajama pants resting over his wide feminine hips lacked the ability to keep him warm against the onslaught of the icy breeze. His mother had been in a rage of moods. He had been ready to climb into bed when he heard the first crash. His mother spontaneously started throwing the dishes that she had been cleaning when he'd left the room. She screamed obscenities and Rei knew that his father had called to let her know that he again wouldn't be returning home that night. As Rei walked into the kitchen, a plate came sailing by his head, shattering against the wall. A small piece had cut against his bare shoulder, unprotected by his tank top. Rei paid it no mind, in fact he welcomed the slight sting.
"That man! Who the fuck does he think he is? Some fucking big shot, calling and telling me that he won't be home to care for his family?" His mother's voice rang out, and he knew that the neighbors could hear it through the paper-thin walls of their apartment.
Rei let out a soft sigh, and it was that which drew his mother's attention away from her destruction and onto him. Her eyes burned with rage, and Rei knew that this tantrum of hers wouldn't end anytime soon. She was across the kitchen in the blink of an eye, her hand drawing to strike as she walked. A loud crack and the burn announced the presence of her strike. Rei had become use to the hits and no longer fell. His black nails, however, dug into his palm to stop his eyes from watering. When she acted this way, Rei knew showing any sign of emotion only made matters worse. So even as his body screamed to protect himself or to cry out in pain, his arms remained at his sides and his eyes dry.
"The fuck are you looking at, you little prick? It's because of your ass that I have to stay in this hell hole. I should have gotten rid of you the moment you were born. You're the reason your father is always gone. Fucking girly ass little boy. He wanted a real son, yet he got you."
Lower lip trembling, these were words he had heard too many times to count. His mother sneered, continuing to glare at him as if she were ready to pounce on his every weakness. When he didn't cower away, nor say anything in his own defense, she soon became bored with him. She left mumbling obscenities under her breath, grabbing her bottle of vodka on her way out. Rei looked around the disaster of a kitchen, seeing the broken glass and stained walls. He went over to the trash can and pulled it to the biggest mess, quietly starting to put the room back into order. It took an hour or so to clean the kitchen, his finger receiving a cut when his mind had wandered. He passed by the living room on his way to get a band-aide. His mother had retired there, sprawled on the couch drunk, staring mindlessly at the TV. Her eyes caught the movement of Rei passing by and her dormant rage reignited like gasoline at it's flashpoint. Rei had never felt so much fear in his life.
She bellowed like the fiery winds of hell as she came at him the second time that evening, this time brandishing her vodka bottle, swinging like a bat. She swung at his head, Rei's short height being his only saving grace. He ducked and took off down the hallway. Instinctively his target became the front door, destined for the only salvation he knew. He grabbed his thin sweater off the hook and the boots that remained by the front door and fled, his mother still cursing behind him well after the door slammed shut.
That has been several hours ago. He could still feel his split lip burn and the bruise pulse across his jaw from her backhand. He walked the streets, his phone and wallet back in his room next to his bed. He knew chances were that his mother had long since passed out, but he continued to walk the streets of downtown. Wanting to prolong his time in the makeshift nirvana of his, any excuse he could conjure was enough to delay his departure from it.
His tears had long since dried on his cheeks. The cold winter air no longer touching his numb body through his flannel pajama pants and the thin sweater, his toes numb in his boots.
He had walked the main street of downtown back and forth, only stopping when he came in front of the toy store. The lights were off given the late hour
but Rei could
still see the front display. Around a little tree, all sorts of toys gathered. It was the sight of the perfect holiday. A small smile appeared across Rei's lips as he watched a few of the dolls exchange gifts with each other. His eyes traveled, landing on the wise bear who held a story "The Night Before Christmas" in his furry little paws. Rei's eyes always seemed to travel all around the display no matter how many times he had seen it. He loved the little toys and the pure happiness they showed on their little faces. His hand came up to press against the glass, coming to rest on his favorite of them all. The little stuffed animal was a snow white fox, posed as if it curled on its side. He could tell just looking at the animal, that its fur was soft and fluffy. He imaged it was warm to cuddle. A small sigh came past his lips. He mocked his longing. Maybe he was a sissy like his mother claimed. He was a male, yet longed for a toy almost to the point of pain. He turned away from the display as his thoughts sank further, the dark parts of his mind clouding around him.
Lost in his own mind, he hadn't caught onto the group that followed him, staying hidden. The silent stalkers, maybe a few years older than Rei, watched him. To them, as he did to most others, he appeared to be a young woman, walking the streets alone at night. He was the perfect target. A duo, one of the larger men and one of the smaller men broke off from the foursome. Walking with their heads down as to not draw his attention, they quickly passed Rei and turned down an alleyway. The other two drew closer to the small male. The group had coordinated their attack over many victims and now acted autonomously. As Rei approached the alleyway, the other two men picked up their pace, almost running, honing in on their prey. One slammed into his back, using his biased weight as an advantage to force Rei to turn. Rei stumbled and felt as a second hand pushed him into the alleyway. The darkness of the alleyway surrounded Rei almost instantly, hiding his presence to any who might look his way. Unaware of his precarious situation, he sat back, shaking his head when he saw blood welling to the surface of his knee through the torn bottoms. As cold as he was, he barely felt it, yet when he stood, his weight sent stabbing needles along his leg. He turned to leave the alleyway, not seeing the other large man approaching him from behind. The large meaty hand of his unknown assailant covered his mouth as he screamed out, Rei's cries for help becoming silenced. The other arm picked Rei up around his waist and and dragged him to open sliding door of the awaiting van. Rei fought, but his small stature was nothing compared to the large man. Tears streamed down Rei's face, his screams only small whimpers as he watched the vibrant almost cheerful lights of the main street grow smaller. The large man climbed into the van, and quickly slammed the door. The first two who had pushed Rei into the alleyway weren't to be seen, having already started making their way to the usual hide away. The smallest man of the group pressed the gas, the tires squealing on the salted back alley.
Rei's heart pounded, his whole body shaking as he was held captive in the back of the van. The dark taking away his ability to see. He heard chuckling coming from the front seat.
"Damn, that was almost too easy, Hoss."
