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There was too many things had happened today. Too many things and too many emotions. They filled his brain until he felt like a volcano that was on its last few legs before it exploded into a array of smoke and broken feelings. Stanley could barely see the road at this point as he pushed the gas down and watched as the city lights slowly turned into old highway roads again as they drove. They would hit Pennsylvania soon if they kept going in the way that they were. That was a terrifying thought all together of having made it this far from their home.
His face still pulsed with pain and he couldn’t bring himself to look at his passenger yet in fear of what he would see if he turned his head too much. Stanley was scared to see the identical face to him screwed up in despair and pain which had to be the case. It was Ford who took the brute of it at first before Lee had managed to strike his father’s angry strictly on him. His knuckles still burned from the feeling of his father’s jaw under his finger. He shuttered to think of that and tipped the gas a little bit harder. How had everything become so bad so fast...
——
_Earlier that day_
“ Is this enough sauce Ma?” Stan asked standing at the stove of their small kitchen as he dumped a from a glass bottle onto of a plate of enchiladas that sat the stove. His mother was beside him seeming to work on everything else that was steaming on the stove.
“ Don’t be stingy, Bubbalo,” His mother called back going to stir a pot of beans that was starting to simmer.” You know how your father likes it. Put some elbow into it.”
“ Yeah yeah, Ma,” He mumbled back going to drop more on it before capping the lid and opening the oven to slide the food inside.” Why do we have to make everything so spiffy around here anyway? It’s not like Grandpa Jones will care too much right?”
“ You know how the family is Lee,” She sighed back going to pat his side to move him as he went last her towards the table.” Its the first time we’ll be seeing your grandparents in years. We just don’t want to embarrass your father. Now when they get here you boys gotta be on your best behavior. You hear me? No funny business Stanley Daniel.”
“ Ye, Ye Momma.”
He grumbled as she said that and moved to slip his chin into his hand. His hair was slicked back and he was already dressed in some nicer duds his mother had picked out for him. They all knew just how much this meant to their father. It was safe to say that their grandparents were supposed to be loving and warm, but they weren’t. So this was... not good. Well at least for Stan who had a problems with getting into shenanigans happened to cause problems. Oi....
“ Oh that’s the door! Be a doll and go get ya brother,” His mother said going to wipe her hands clean and started her way to the door.” Tell him to wear his bow tie. He looks so handsome in it.”
—-
“ Next turn we should probably stop,” he called out breaking the silence for the first time in what seemed like hours.” We should probably make a plan.”
There was silence beside him. Stanford hadn’t realty made much sound since he had stopped crying. At first the car had just been filled with both of their sobbing as they took the stolen car far, far away from their parents. Stanley himself had been scared of bringing up what had happened for a long time. Talking about it would show that it was real.
It couldn’t be real. Stanley couldn’t believe that it was what happened. They didn’t have a home to go back to. They would never see their mother again. There was no going home after school or having a room or the life they had before. It just happened so fast....
——
“ And my little Stanford had gotten so many awards for his experiments. A real Einstein, my little boy,” Caryn cooed over the dinner as they were all filling in.” And My little few spirit is really becoming the boxing star. Pretty soon he’ll be on those tv specials. My tubby baby.”
Stan had been red faced since they had started stories. At the moment he was sat between his mother and his brother across form their grandparents as the dinner. So far this had been awkward hugs and having his cheeks squished. And weight committed on. And oh god these people were just like his dad. They even didn’t seem impressed when he had pretty much carried all of their luggage to Shermie’s old room all in home own.
Dinner had been quiet at firsts with their mother doing most of the talking while they other just seemed to sit there and eat. She had told them about Shermie’s recruitment to the troops and the twins. Stan felt awkward realizing that they seemed to not know much about him since he had seen them when he was five. His grandfathers gaze seemed to cut him cut into him but he seemed to nod slightly at his size and muscle.
“ You’re boy doesn’t have any muscle,” A gruff voice cut their mothers off and all eyes turned to the elder man. A sharp gaze was steadied sternly on Stanford than to their father unamused face.” I’m not impressed.”
“ Fords more for books smart,” Ma has tried to defend looking nervously at her older twin who seemed to be in shock.” Not so m-“
“ So like a woman,” The man cut off again giving a slightly disgusted look.” I wouldn’t ever let one of my boys look like that Filbrick.”
The look on their fathers face was something that made Stan’s stomach drop.
—-
“ I think we have enough money if you want to share a burger,” he said finally going to stop them in a McDonald’s parking lot. Stan himself was feeling slightly hungry seeing as their dinner was cut so short with the fight. All the stress had made him famished as well with nerves wanting comfort food.” We can get a cool drink and you can put it on your face as well. Would you like that?”
Again Ford didn’t say anything. He was tucked into the same hunched over position that he’d taken when the first got into the car. Stanley had tried to comfort him at first but his twin had shielded away. He knew that he needed to have some space so Stanley had allowed it.
Now though he was starting to get worried. In his fourteen years he’d just never saw his brother be like this. Ford was the sensitive one, that was sure but he hadn’t seen him ever shut down so much. It was frightening. Stanley sighed as he slowly reached out a hand.
“ Ford.... please....”
——
“ You looking to fucking embarrass me boy!” His father’s voice has boomed through the house. There grandparents had left early. Not seeming to be impressed enough to stay.” Do you fucking like making our family look bad.”
Stanley had been cleaning the plates off the floor. How mother had gone crying to their room and their father had taken to drinking. The twins were cleaning the mess when their father suddenly grabbed Stanford by the arm and dragged him out. Lee had wanted to follow but fear kept him in here as he tried to fix this. He couldn’t stand the tears in his mother’s eyes.
“ Always in those fucking books! What kind of man does that!” There was sounds of the living room vase hitting the wall. Stanley flinched as each one hit the ground. His own heart was racing in his chest so fast he could barely breathe.” Even you’re useless brother at least has so fucking meat on him!”
“ Father... I-“
“ Shut the fuck up when I’m talking to you boy. You’ve made a mockery of this family,” The bellows came so loud. Stanley was surprised that no one has called the police again. His mind sudden chilled as he heard the telling sound of a belt being undone.” Get over here.”
“ Wait! Wai- AHH!”
The sound was something they both knew. Stanley had dropped everything to the floor as he heard the sound of a belt started to viciously bear his brother. Ford’s cries where starting to fill the air and caused bile to catch in his throat. Stanley could feel the air around him turn as he uselessly looked down knowing that the sounds he were hearing were unfair. Stanford had done nothing wrong! He had done nothing wrong at all.
Filbrick had never taken the belt to Stanford before either. Usually Stanley was the one that would set him off. This was all just. This was all just too much.
His twins cries sounded like shots from a gun to his ears. Stanley’s hand wrapped tightly in his shirt as he helpless stood there. It was too much. It was just too much. This wasn’t right. Stanford didn’t deserve this.
“ Stop!” He has shouted before his brain could tell him to stop.” STOP IT!”
All sounds had went off in the house. Stanley had stood there terrified as the belting paused and suddenly the man was storming towards him as well. The lift of the belt across his face sent him back but adrenaline shot him forward to smash into the side of his father’s chin. He had stood there in complete shock and watched as his brother staggered in the other room.
“ Get the fuck out of my house,” the man on the floor roared at him.” Get out of here before I fucking kill you.”
Stanley felt his feet take off grabbing Ford’s hand as he raced to the door. He just managed to grab the keys to their mothers car and his wallet before dodging a vase that was throw out at them. They had just made it to the cry and left their father staggering and screaming in the dust.
——
“ We have no home Lee,” The body across from his cried as his shoulders seemed to shake with the bent up emotions inside of him”. We’re all alone lee. We don’t have... we don’t have anything!”
“ Ford... Ford I...” Stanleys voice seemed weak even to his own ears as he jumped from his brothers sudden voice. Ford looked at him with anguish as tears streaked down his face.” It’ll be ok-“
“ Not it won’t be Stanley! We’re fourteen! We don’t have any money, we don’t have a high school degree. Neither of us have jobs,” Ford’s Voice was hitting hysterics as it went on.” What are we going to do? What are we going to do Stanley.”
His brother broke down into sobs again as the energy from the rant burst. His twin was shocked straight which was an odd think for Stanley to be. He breathed in and out as he too felt tears fill his eyes before falling down his face in warm streams. His cries started to match his brothers as they say there in the distant McDonald’s parking lot now hundreds of miles from anything they ever known. The sound of two broken voices mixed together so much that neither of them were sure who was making what sound. They just shared the heart break together.
It was almost a half hour later before the sounds and cries finally stopped. Stanley had felt his face pulse uncomfortable with a post crying headache. He was about to ask what they should do next before he felt a six finger head go to grip his shoulder. He leaned into it as it made its way to across to back as he was pulled closer to his twin. He instantly moved himself closer as Ford’s arms wrapped tightly around him. His own gripped his brother right back basking in the familiarity of his brother’s arm. Ford’s chin went into his shoulder and he felt the other wipe his face on his shirt.
“ It’s gonna be okay,” Stanley croaked after a moment. His arms tightened the other as he kissed the side of his brothers head.” Were gonna be alright.”
“ Hey Lee,” His brothers voice sounded stronger than he could ever be in his ear. A hand went to his hair and started to coil into his brown locks.” I know. I know. Well do this together.”
“ Yeah together..... high six?”
“ High six.”