Chapter 3 - August

It's my birthday folks, August 14, 2004.A hell raising heavenly son was born.I was born in America as being the youngest of 4.The fourth abomination to a family of many problems.Well it's the 18, just another sorrowful night for me.I first wake up to M&M on my bed.Little bastards letting his hair on it.I see my mom hanging clothes in the balcony to let it dry."Oh you're awake, good I got you a little surprise for tonight birthday boy….just wake up and do your little workout okay…" she says as she closes the balcony door and walks out.I get off the bed as the dog is nonchalantly laying there, I get to working out as usual routine and shower up.

I get dressed in a striped blue shirt and khaki pants, accompanied by my fila tennis shoes.My mother is waiting downstairs as the dog is waiting with her excited."No no you wait here, you can't go….foods over there alright ." She says to the dog as she points at the dog food in a bowl positioned in the corner of the living room.I walk downstairs as my mom smiles and cheers "Ahh let me get a picture…." She says as I stand on the staircase, smiling.She snaps a picture on her phone as we start to walk out.The dog follows assuming its going as my mom scares it away, "No I said you can't go, wait here…" she demands as the dog walks back into the living room sad.We walk out as she locked the door.We start walking, it's a 8 minute walk at best.Duchess is nowhere to be seen which is odd but I ignore it for now.

We arrive as my mom knocks on the door, her friend answers as she greets us.

"Hello….I'm glad you came….and happy birthday to you…" she says as we enter the home.It's her and her daughter.we enter the dining room as she's prepared some tacos and ribs, it looks like she's tried to decorate the place with birthday essentials."here help yourselves " she says as me and my mother sit down to eat.She's poured us cups of coke as the daughters joins us."say hi to our guest…" she says to her daughter as she sits down as well." Hello and happy birthday…" she says annoyingly as her mother gives her a mean look." Well anyways eat up, can't have the birthday boy starving…." She says as my mom starts to eat, I excitedly eat some ribs and devour them with ease since I haven't ate today and it's about 6 in the afternoon."So Glenn, what are you gonna do now since you've graduated high school ?" Asks the mother as I clean up my face with a napkin and reply "well I get it set out to be a pharmacist…" I say as she's at awe, "ahhh you no she wants to be a doctor…..she's 18 as well…." She says as the daughter gives me a mean look.My mother is enjoying the tacos as she gets more."Calm down, you gotta save some for us…" I say as I make them all laugh.

The night goes on as my mother and her friend are in the living room drinking Hennessy.Crazy I never saw my mother as a drinker but it's a little reward for herself.I'm in the room with the daughter as I see around her room is mess, not much decor." So how long are you gonna be here for ?" She asked me as I continued to examine the room.I see through the window is missing a frame or glass, it's just a square on the home.The bed is a mattress on the floor and there's an old television, Like the ones from the 70s.

"Well I'm going to be here until September." I say as she sits and lays on her bed.I still continue to look around as she asks me "Well what part are you from ?" She asks as I respond "California, Los Angeles to be exact." She is at awe and asks "ohhh, like Hollywood, famous ? " she asks as I stand in front of her. "Yea thats Hollywood but I'm not really famous, hey but you know in 10th grade, a famous singer came to my school to perform, the mayor came too." I say as she taps in her bed and says "sit next to me." I sit as I look around awkwardly, "so who was the the singer ?" She asks as I respond "Uhh I forgot her name, but she's really big now…." I say as she laughs.She gets her shirt off and is in her bra, I sat next to her awkwardly still as she threw her shirt on the floor.I laugh nervously as she looks at me and says "So Birthday boy, I didn't get you a present…" she says flirtatiously as I laugh and reply "it's alright, we've barely just met-" I said as she went in for a kiss.It felt awful as she kept kissing on me, I got off and said "oh !" I yelled.She slipped on the floor and said "what's the problem, not good ?" She asks as I left out the room and walked to the Living room and out the door.My mother and friend were too busy to care as I took a breather outside.God damn it was weird, I didn't feel nothing when she went for it but I reacted.I started to walk home since it wasn't so far away.I went through the alley routes, it's the fastest way home.As I go I don't stray caution to 3 men loitering at the next alley.They follow me as I walked closer to home,

"Aye wait !" Yells one man as I turn and feel scared.I continue to walk and try to ignore but they run and stop me." Whoa wait my friend-" says one man as the other two drop me to the floor.I get up a bit and stand on my knees as the man punches me in the face.I fall again as they continue to jump me.They check my pockets then take my chain my father gave me.They finally stop as the feel they've taken what they've wanted.I laid on the ground defeated and looked into the sky as I cried.I cried out of fear and humiliation.I was bleeding from my nose and felt a pain all over.I got up and walked with a hunch.I stumble as I caught myself next to a light pole.I coughed up blood as I slumped over.A stray dog was walking by, it just stood there as I got my footing back.I slowly walked home now, I see the lights are open, as my uncle had gotten home.I banged on the door for him to open as I felt lightheaded.He opened it as I fell on my face."Holy shit, Glenn, oh Christ …" he said as he Carrie's me quickly to the living room couch and laid me there, I was unconscious.

I awakened back in my room, recovering it looked so.I awake to the sound of the balcony door being opened.It was my uncle, he was putting the clothes to dry in the sun.I look around as I felt to weak to get up.Now I know my weight loss journey was at a block.He looks back and sees I've awoken, "oh there you are my boy….just rest for now.Ill bring you some water right now…" he says as he puts down the basket of clothes and hurries downstairs to tell my mother I've awoken.I look around my room to seeing it a bit different, my television is different, it's more modern.My chair is more cushioned and there is a gift box on my table to the left of the room.My mother has put a big Jesus cross above me.By now my Uncle and mother enter as he points me out and gets back to hanging the clothes.She breaths in and smiles as she sits next to me and says "Oh….I'm so sorry….I should've been more careful that night….how am I that stupid to let that-" she says to herself saddened as my uncle enters back with an empty basket and says "it's not your fault, the boy felt mature and went on his own….you seen what happened…" he says as he exits.She cleans her tears with a napkin she had and takes a breather."Well is there anything you want, you want pizza ? " she says as I raise a brow and reply "sure….Please." I says as she gets up excited and exits to call an order for it.I still look around this room and feel it different, like a presence has entered this room with me.I don't feel alone.To my left is a cabinet with a mirror.Never noticed how dirty the mirror is, I gotta clean that soon.That gift box, that's what I forgot to mention, it just sitting there teasing me.Well I hope to find out soon enough.My mom enters back in and says happily, "Okay it'll be here soon, I also got you hot wings….is that fine ?" She asked as I reply, "what day is it ?" I ask.She is shocked and says "well it's uhh, August 25….you've been asleep for a while, he'll it was painful to see you like that in the hospital.With a tube in you and that IVBag in you.I got you out yesterday and I just knew you'd awake…" she said as I tried to get up a bit to be sitting in the bed.It hurt so I laid back down. "oh don't hurt yourself, here…" she says as she's gotten me a little chocolate milk box.She gets the straw out and aims it towards me.I take small sips as she puts it back down."Thank you …" I say as she asks "can you reach it ?" I go for it and I'm able to get the milk box as she smiles. "great, okay imma go to the market really quickly, do you want a soda for the pizza ?" She asked as she gets up."Id like apple juice please…" I say as she nods her head and says "okay apple juice…..I'll be back okay, love you…" she says as she exits.

Damn it once I forget to mention the gift box, is it a late birthday present, is it a get well gift or is it a I hope you die gift ? I'll find out soon enough.