After leaving Caleb in the forest, I had returned home to find my father passed out on the settee, television blaring, an empty bottle of whiskey lying on the floor nearby. I had covered him with a blanket, turning off the TV and removing the lit cigarette from between his fingers, it had burned down to the filter and it was a miracle he hadn’t burnt the house down around him. Despite him being an abusive asshole, he was still my dad. He loved me once, before my mum left, I was sure of it. He was just too busy losing the battle against his own demons to take care of me properly.
A parcel had been left for me on my bed, it looked like my dad had already opened it, probably to check if there was anything inside he could sell. Inside was a brand new school uniform, shoes and bag. There was n
