Rocketship — July 2020 Challenge Winner

[RenTheDevil]

Spoiler: Little Einsteins

It was in the middle of the night when Tina crouched over the toilet and threw up. Tears were flowing down her face while her 5-year-old son Teddy stood by the door in his dark blue space onesie, watching his mother vomit away her dinner in sheer concern and confusion. "Mom?" he called softly, getting closer and putting his tiny hand on her back to comfort her. Her usual vibrant black skin was drained of the liveliness it previously had.

When she looked up at him, she pulled off a small smile to not scare him any further than he already was. "Hey, baby. Why are you awake?" her voice cracked. She put a hand on his dark unruly afro she loves combing to place for him every morning and caressed it, hoping that it was enough to calm him down.

"I heard dad yelling." he says with quivering lips, "Did he...hit you?" and there he goes. So quick to catch up. He's smart. He's mommy's little Einstien. He held his mother's face with both his hands and inspected it just like how she always holds him when he cries.

"He did," Tina admits.

It's the fifth time her son witness's something like this.

The fifth time he asks such a question.

The fifth time Tina was supposed to deny the ferocity of her husband's outbursts when he comes home drunk and delirious.

It's about time Teddy knows exactly what kind of person his father is.

No matter the consequences.

"Look." Tina lifts up the white t-shirt she usually slept in and showed her son the big angry bruise that was slowly starting to get darker in color.

Teddy gasped softly, his tiny hand reaching out to touch it ever so gently. "Does it hurt?" he asks.

"Yeah, a lot." Tina says, "Daddy did this." she continues. The dark thoughts she's been holding back are now streaming out without filter, "He hits mommy all the time. Daddy is a very bad man."

The concerned look on Teddy's face was replaced with a deep frown, "Is...he?" His hands on her face fell to his sides lifelessly.

Tina practically watched as his eyes lost the usual gleam in them and she thinks his innocence might have died at that moment. She sighs deeply and stands up, grabbing his hand and silently leading him back to his bedroom. She tucks him back in bed and puts his teddy bear between his arms.

Teddy throws the bear on the ground.

It was a gift from his father.

Tina felt a tinge of guilt in her heart, but the pain she has to go through every time her husband drank one too many hurt her more. So she grabbed some of her son's toys scattered in the corner of the room and put them on his nightstand for comfort. Teddy immediately grabbed his favorite yellow and red rocketship and hugged it. It looked uncomfortable to sleep with, but Tina did not comment on it. Instead, she sat on her son's bed and caressed his cheek as he gazed at the glowing stars on his ceiling.

"I wish my rocketship was real." he swallows his emotions down, his face stoic, "...so I could take you away from here and he won't be able to hurt you again."

With nothing better to say, Tina sheepishly smiles and nods, "I wish it was real too." she kisses him on the forehead, "Good night." she whispers.

Teddy doesn't answer.

Tina goes to sleep in tears later that night.

She woke up the next morning startled.

The ground was shaking.

"Mom!" Teddy burst into her room running. "My wish came true! We're on my rocketship!"

It did.

It did indeed.

Tina stood by her window, watching planet earth rapidly getting away from them.

Or rather, how they were rapidly getting from it.

They were inside their house.

Inside of Teddy's favorite rocket ship.

Tina covered her mouth with her hand as she shook and slowly broke down.

"Mom! We're zooming through the sky!" Teddy yells in excitement.

Tina falls on her knees, tears of sheer happiness streaming down her face.

"Yes...yes we are."