Enter Robbie Willlaims

*ring* *ring* *ring*

“Uhhhh getting up now… you stupid alarm.”

I turn off the alarm and get out of bed. I stretched a little before making my way to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Admiring myself in the mirror.

My curly, burgundy hair, these big bright green eyes, my handsome freckled face, I really am the spitting image of my mom. Not that I mind anyway. My jaw was smooth but I still have ways to go before it’s close to Eli’s. Gotta be his genetics man.

Alright Robbie! Today’s the day! Today you become a regional champ. And pretty soon a state champ after… hopefully. No, I can't be having doubts. Today after school… I have a meeting scheduled with destiny. Considering I placed 3rd last year, and 7th at state last year. If I do well today, colleges will have no choice but to throw me some offers my way! “I have to do good…”

I need to. I gotta get my mom out of here, but first I gotta get myself out. If I make it to college and do well enough to get noticed, who knows what opportunities will come my way?

“I just gotta believe.”

After brushing my teeth, I rinse my mouth out and use the water to wet the rag I brought with me to wash my face.

“Some facial hair would be nice, any day now!”

Walking out of the bathroom, I’m on my way to the kitchen to make myself some breakfast. I made my way through the living room first.

In doing so, I found my mom on the floor curled up in a ball against the side of our beaten up looking couch, with a black expression on her face as her eyes were wide open, barely blinking. Her skin was pale, and her hair was filthy. But even now, I still find her hair to be lovely in my eyes.

I could tell she was feeling a little cold. Even if she barely showed it.

“Oh mom, did you fall again trying to find your bed,” I said with a cheerful tone. “Don’t worry, your strong son is gonna carry you to bed.”

“…”

“You must be really tired.” I said, chuckling a little.

“...”

I approached my mom, and kneeled beside her. I placed my arm under her head as support as I placed my other arm on the other half of her body. Using my legs, I was easily able to lift her.

My mom felt light as a feather. “Hehe you know you gotta eat more mom, I’ll make you some breakfast as well, you can eat it after you wake up.”

“…”

I carried my mom to her room and placed her on her bed. I put her head on the pillow, then I placed her bright and soft blue cover over her body as I tucked her in. Sometimes when I do this, I wonder what being tucked in would’ve felt like as a child.

After staring at her for a little bit making sure she was okay and comfortable, I gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I love you mom, sleep well.”

As I walked out of the room I made my way to the kitchen and opened the fridge. “There isn’t anything worth a rat’s ass in here… wait there’s still some eggs!” My face lit up at the sight of food.

I grabbed the eggs and took them out. I’ve decided to make scrambled eggs with the last of the eggs we had remaining. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

After finishing, and putting my portion on a plate, I put a lid over the pot of eggs sitting on the stove. My mom will eat after she wakes up. She always does. Honestly without my cooking my mom would go days without eating. It’s like she doesn’t even notice when she’s starving or when she’s thirsty or… anything for that matter.

I get so scared of leaving her when I have to go to school. It’s even worse when she leaves the house for hours on end with me not having a clue of where she might be… well I have a clear idea of what she goes out to do at least…

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

After finishing, I rinse my plate off and put it into the sink. I go to my room to finish getting ready.

“Alright that's about it…” I said making sure before grabbing my bookbag and heading out of my room towards the front door.

“I’ll be back a little late today mom!” I shouted before leaving out the door.

School was quick. I talked to Louis during classes, telling him about how excited I was about today. He gave me words of encouragement, though he did sound very strange today. Off I would say, but I paid it no mind. Zion told me to give them hell when I get there. I love the little guy’s spirit. I don’t see Elijah that much in school besides at lunch because we don’t have any classes together but when I saw him walking through the halls at the end of the day he gave me a fist bump, and told me to ‘Run till my legs feel the burn of victory.’ It made me laugh a little, he can be a little intense at times, but his words of encouragement helped fuel me even more.

“You got this Robbie!” I shouted at myself while slapping my cheeks, possibly disturbing some of the lower classmen in the hallway.

School ended but I don’t have to meet up behind the school until an hour and a half from now to catch the bus. I would usually wait at the school but I needed to walk home and get my running shoes. I somehow forgot to put them in my bookbag.

Some of my teammates were deciding to wait at the school for the bus. I waved and told them I’ll be going home real quick, and I’ll be back before the bus arrives. They nodded and waved me off.

After arriving home and coming inside, I shouted out to let my mom know I was home. “Mom, I’m home!”

I walked to her room to see if she was there. She wasn’t. I walked to the kitchen to see if she was there but all I found was an empty pot stove where her portion of the eggs used to be. It made me smile knowing she ate today.

“Sorry I couldn’t make you a little more.”

After looking around the house more, and calling out to my mom, I realized she wasn’t here. Honestly I wasn’t surprised, she’s always gone by the time I come home. She doesn’t usually come home until between the hours of 10pm and 4am, I try to cook dinner almost every night so she’ll have something to eat again when she comes home.

Oh I know! Since I won’t be home till late, probably a little after 11pm since the bus ride to and from the competition is pretty long. I’ll make her a snack and put it up for her in the refrigerator if she comes home before I do. But… we don’t have any food…

I didn’t really know what to make her. I haven’t had the chance to go grocery shopping. Well even when I do you can hardly call it shopping. I’m only ever able to afford three or four items.

“Hmmmm… wait!” I go and look into my bookbag, I pull out one of those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that are wrapped up in the plastic. The ones they give you in the cold food line during lunch.

My mom loved PB and J’s. Before she became less… expressive, she used to make them randomly, and bring them into my room during the night when she would get home. She would always have two for me and two for her. Looking back it was probably a little unhealthy for a kid to eat that much at night, but honestly it made me so happy. We didn’t talk that much, but we would smile at each other while we enjoyed the taste of our sandwiches. Sometimes she would even toast the bread.

It continued until I was fourteen. Some nights I’ll still wake up expecting her to be there, placing the plate of sandwiches next to me on my bed as she sat across from me. I miss it.

I placed the sandwich into the fridge along with a juice box I also found in my bag from the other day. “Neat.”

I use the bathroom, then gather my shoes into my bag, and prepare to leave out the door.

As I was putting my bag on my back, I heard a knock at the door.

“Huh?”

I walk up to the door opening it. To my surprise, it was a police officer. Why was he here?!

“Are you Robbie Williams? Son of Elizabeth Williams?” The cop said in a concerned tone.

What is he here for? Did my mom get caught up in some sort of trouble?! “Y-yeah that’s me.”

Looking at me, he let out a deep sigh. “You might wanna sit down for this son.”

………

Me and the cop sat across from one another at the kitchen table. To be polite, I offered him a glass of water, but he declined. He looked as if he didn’t know what to say to me. What was that scared look on his face for?

“Sir, did my mom do something wrong? I’m sorry, my mom isn’t in the best of health right now. I promise you sir, my mom doesn’t mean any harm. …She’s a kind woman” I said with a heartwarming tone.

“No, uh… I’m afraid I’m here for something different Robbie… you’re mother, she…”

He couldn’t finish his sentence. But I already knew what the next word he was gonna say out of his mouth…

“...”

“...l-listen kid-”

“No… nonononono NO! You’re lying! Say it isn’t so! Say so please!” I cried out, yelling.

“I-I’m sorry kid… she’s g-gone.”

I didn’t wanna believe him. How could I? My mother who I had just tucked into bed this morning. In this very house. She ate the food I made her! Now a cop sits in front of me saying that she’s… gone?

“Mom…,” tears started to run down my face. It’s starting to feel hard to breathe.

“I know it hurts… I lost my mother as well when I was around your age.” He said, trying to console me. “It’s gonna be hard… but you have to be strong, for her.”

Be strong? Strong?!

“My mother is gone and you want me to be strong? …H-how did she go?”

The cop kept biting his tongue before speaking, probably thinking of how he could tell me. “Your mother was found passed away in an alley. Upon closer inspection it came to a conclusion that she suffered an overdose… we’re still trying to figure out exactly what she took, but our guess is that it was… meth. …And possibly a few other substances as well.”

I had no words. An overdose!? “A-alley? W-which alley? Where did it happen?!”

“Kid…,” the cop gave me a look that said I probably shouldn’t hear the answer, but I nodded to him to go for it. I needed to hear it.

“According to Witnesses, they say she was having a seizure on the sidewalk on Maine, and court-“

“Sidewalk!?” I said cutting him off. “But you said she was found in an alley… and Maine street, that’s the street that has that emergency care office on it!”

The cop gave me one last look before he got up, and walked to a window, looking out of it. Why won’t he face me?!

“I’m sorry… I’m not strong enough to look you in the eyes while I tell you this.” He let out a deep breath. “Some of the people witnessed your mother while she was having a seizure… they all… just walked over to her during it.”

What. The. Fuck.

“You’re joking… you’re fucking joking with me right?! Say that you’re kidding…”

“A man… a-a man was seen dragging your mom in the alley across the street from where she was laying, a lady witnessed this and asked him what he was doing… he said… he said… ‘She was in the way’”

“He… he what…”

“L-listen… we’re working on identifying the man now. It’s gonna be okay son-”

I started screaming.