.Genderless.Episode.2.

“I’m home.” I call out half-heartedly and catch movement out of the corner of my eye.

And out of the darkness of the living room lurches my father.

“You're late.” Were the poisonous words that spilled forth from behind yellowed teeth.

I glance back at the clock behind him. “You said ten. It’s nine thirty.” I reply quietly and his look dazed look in his eyes sharpen. “You calling me a liar?” his words seethe and I bow my head and slowly shake it back and forth.

“Never. I must have misheard you. I apologize.” I respond and he nods. “Of course I’m right, now get the fuck out of my sight and don’t forget to take the trash out.”

And with that he turns and lumbers back into the living room. Most likely to pass out in his armchair until morning.

I sigh and stumble into the kitchen. Flipping a nearby lightswitch and grimacing as the greenish fluorescence flickers to life above me. Lit up before me is the poor rotten excuse for a kitchen I have long since tried cleaning.

I circle the enclosed room, yanking a frozen dinner out of the freezer, tossing it in the microwave, grabbing all the trash father’s left tossed around, and shoving it into the overflowing trashcan.

I hear my father coughing in the other room. Choking to death? Probably not. I open up the backdoor and heave the heavy bags of trash out into the night.

What had been a warm day had quickly been consumed by the icy grip of night’s razored teeth. Digging deep into the bones of any unfortunate soul who was caught outside.

It promised snow. Fucking snow.

End of the driveway I went, dragging the trash behind me. Long since my strength been sapped. Just struggling to stay awake long enough sleep again.

I toss the trashbags next to the few others that had found their way over here from the last week. The first one lands atop the others bouncing slightly but staying put. The second hits it and spills out into the street.

Vehemently I hear my voice curse in streams. And I trudge up to clean up my mess. A slight anger spiking in the back of my skull. I found myself stuffing the shit back into the bag more roughly than I should have.

“Bad day?” A grave voice echoes behind me. I clench my teeth to keep my heart from flying into my throat and out my mouth. I stand up and turn towards where I suspected the voice originated from.

“Who?” I start but then a tall, enshrouded boy steps out from the darkness and into the thin circle the streetlight cast. Like a man in the spotlight, he stares at me for a long moment.

“You seem frightened.” He says simply. Each word from his mouth almost a nail being driven into my skull. I cringed. He… smirked? A step forward, a step back. “You need not fear me.” He whispers and I find my ears perking at his voice.

“What do you want?” I manage to choke out and he cocks his head slightly, “Out of all the possible questions you could have asked you decided to ask one of the most generic…” He sighs and looks at me intensely.

“Well still, it’s still a legitimate query.” I reply harshly and he chuckles. “That it is.”

The sound of breaking glass echoes from inside the house, followed by my father’s harsh voice, “Now why the FUCK is the goddamn backdoor open?!?!”

I glance at the house in fear. Knowing exactly what awaits inside. “I have to…” I look back and see the boy was gone. I look around confused but could not see head nor tail of him or where he could have went.

I hear my father start screaming again behind me and whether I wanted to or not, which I didn’t. I headed back inside to deal with my father’s wrath.