Asylum

Chapter 4-1

Chapter 4

Christmas Eve 2013

“What did you do with my pills?”

Gabriel glanced over from where he was hanging a green-and-white paper Christmas chain he’d made at school.

“They’re in the medicine cabinet, gathering dust like usual.”

God, this living room was depressing. He and Justin had wanted to get a tree for the holiday, but they couldn’t afford one, not that they had any ornaments to put on one anyway. It wasn’t the first time he had made Christmas decorations in school, but any creations from years prior had been lost after their last eviction when they were homeless for a couple weeks and all their belongings vanished. Now, his mother filled the room with smoke instead of holiday cheer.

“Not those.” She huffed impatiently. “The ones in my bedroom. They were there last night, and now they’re gone. I need them back right now.”

“No idea what you’re talking about,” he groused, distracted by his decorating efforts. Satisfied with the position of the paper chain, he picked up the Christmas wreath that Justin had made out of strips of white garbage bag tied around a wire coat hanger that had been reshaped into a ring. It was pretty cool looking.

As if conjured by the spirit of his wreath, Justin slipped into the apartment. His black leather jacket creaked lightly, drawing Gabriel’s attention. Their mother didn’t notice, too focused on Gabriel.

“You tell me where they are, Gabriel Ezekiel Rowland!”

Gabriel saw his brother’s eyes widen and his shoulders stiffen at the unexpected conflict he’d walked in on.

“Why do adults think that saying a kid’s full first, middle, and last name is going to hold some magic power which will make us do your bidding? I don’t get it.” He knew he sounded more like the parent.

“Gabby, I swear to God, if you don’t tell me where they are…” She didn’t complete the sentence, but the threat was implied. Not that he heeded it. Now he was getting really annoyed. He stepped down from the chair he’d been standing on while hanging the decorations and faced her head-on.

“You’ll what? Have a sober night for a change? Actually spend Christmas Eve present with your sons. Oh, the horror!”

Gabriel flinched at the crack of his mother’s hand connecting with his face.

“Leave him alone!” Justin yelled.

“Oh, look who decided to grace us with his presence.” She sneered and lit a new cigarette.

“Don’t you f*****g touch him.” Justin pushed back his shoulders, as if trying to make himself look as big as he could for a thirteen-year-old a stiff wind could knock over. Gabriel thought that, out of the two of them, Justin could pull off tough better than he could, especially in is leather. He was glad for his brother’s support.

“I bet you know where they are.”

“Where what are?” Justin asked, his face a mask of confusion.

“My pills.”

“Ah, would those be your pills that are legally prescribed by a physician?” Gabriel snarked.

“Shut up, you little wiseass.” She turned to Justin, gesturing with the fingers that held her cigarette. “There was a bag of white pills in my top drawer. They were there last night, and now they’re gone. I need them back right now.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” This wasn’t the first time she had “lost” pills. It certainly wouldn’t be the last. “Maybe what’s-his-face took them,” Justin suggested, referring to the greasy asshole that had slept over last night.

“Rick didn’t touch them. He’s the one that’s looking for them. And he’s already pissed that they’re not where he left them. Now, I know one of you took them. Just give them back and that’ll be the end of it.”

Justin snorted in disbelief, and Gabriel couldn’t help but agree. Things were never that simple. She always remembered and held grudges, bringing up years-old issues as if they had happened yesterday.

“Gabby’s a Goody Two-shoes. He wouldn’t touch your pills with a ten-foot pole.”

“Is that a confession?” She took a menacing step toward Justin.

“No. I’m just sayin’ that you’re barking up the wrong tree. Why would either one of us take your f*****g pills?”

“To sell, to get high, to piss me off. I can think of a million reasons.” Her voice started to raise more and more until she was shouting again. “If you don’t give me those pills right now, boys, I swear to God I’m going to make you regret that you were ever born!”

“That ship has sailed,” Justin mumbled. Gabriel heard it and nodded in agreement.

“What did you just say?” she demanded.

“Nothin’, Ma. We don’t have your f*****g pills, so back off.”

“Rick won’t let this drop. You don’t understand.”

Gabriel almost felt bad for her as she started to look worried. Almost. But then the burn of his stinging cheek brought back his anger, and he couldn’t stop himself from adding salt to the wound.

“Even if we did know where they were, we wouldn’t tell you. You should be taking your actual medication and not messing in illegal s**t like that. What’s wrong with you!”

“You two are what’s wrong with me. If I didn’t have the burden of taking care of a couple of ungrateful brats, I wouldn’t need medication!”

“You suck as a mom. We’d be better off without you,” Gabriel countered, tears now running down his cheeks.

“Go for it!” She stalked over to the apartment door and opened it. “Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!”

“Come on, Ma…” Gabriel rolled his eyes.

“You heard me. Get the f**k out!” she yelled.

Gabriel shared a long look with his brother and had one of those silent twin conversations:

Are we doing this?

Fuck, yeah. We don’t need this s**t.

Okay, bro.

“Merry f*****g Christmas to us,” Gabriel muttered.

Gabriel grabbed his jacket, and the boys exited the gloomy apartment.