“Mommy? Are we finally free?” A small Niel looked up to his mother as he plays with his cuffs of his suit. He was cleaned up a little earlier that night, and with his mother’s fussing all over him, her scent had stuck to him as well.

“Yes, honey,” she said as she drove. “We are free, and I will do whatever I can to make sure we keep our freedom.” Niel smiled as he clapped. He started to sing along to a song that was on the radio for a while before his other spoke up again.

“Honey, why did you give the pendant to that little boy yesterday?” She wasn’t upset. She was just curious. Her son has always been shy and quiet. They had left their home two months prior after his mother was fed up with all of the emotional and physical abuse that her husband and laid on them. He never touched Niel, but he spoke down to him. He rarely touched his wife, but when he did, both Niel and she would be left crying for days.

She had finally gained the courage to run. She went straight to the police an hour after her husband had left her on the ground. She brought Niel with her, and they ran. She had set up a few cameras, and the footage was on her phone. There was no way that the police could deny her this time.

She had tried this before. She tried reporting him, but they refused to do anything about it. They said that they could not arrest him because they did not have any “evidence”. When she had shown him the last bruise she had, which was fading, they said that it wasn’t enough. It took weeks before she was able to set up her camera, but it only took a week before he attacked her again. He was getting more violent, and he had started to get more aggressive with Niel.

She wanted for it to stop before he laid a finger on Niel. Her worst nightmare was seeing her only child get hurt, so she watched as he was arrested, and she moved to the city with her son. The officer assured her that he would be put away, but only a month later, she heard news that he was released on some bull excuse of being mentally unstable. She figured that she was safe now, since she had moved away without a word, but that didn’t stop her from making precautions before she left.

She had all of his phones and electronics tapped with a tracking device as well as his car. Of course, she didn’t let the paranoia consume her. She still acted like a mother to Niel, and worked hard to protect him.

She had given Niel that necklace as a way of saying that he shall be protected from whatever harm may come his way. He had given it to the little boy, and she was left confused. Why did he give it to him?

“Because he was worried and scared and didn’t feel like he was protected and you said that the pendant would protect me, but I think that boy needed it more!” Niel clasped his hands together as he smiled up at his mother. “He’s my pretty friend! I want to take care of my friends!” She smiled as she drove forward.

They soon arrived at a large house. It was a quiet affair that they arrived to, but Niel looked on in awe. They were greeted at the door by a small and short man with thick eyebrows and ears that seemed just a little too large. He had a kind smile as he embraced Niel’s mother and greeted her.

“I’m so happy you made it,” he smiled. He then bent down to greet Niel. He held his hand out and Niel placed his small hand in his.

“Hello!” Niel said quietly. The man smiled.

“It’s nice to see you again Daniel!” Niel looked up at the man and smiled before they were ushered in. The man spoke to his mother for a moment before he was told that he could go on and explore.

“Are you sure you don’t want to move in?” He asked her. She shook her head. “Ah, my sis has always been a strong girl,” he said before he let her go.

Niel walked around a little before he found a boy. He had seen him before when his mom would pick him up. He could see him heading towards the pretty boy’s house when he would be going towards his own. He had wanted to meet the boy, but never could, until now.

He saw how the boy was trying to get passed some adults, but they wouldn’t move. Niel found this to be quite rude of the adults, but maybe it’s because his mother had always been so kind hearted. He decided to go over and help. He grabbed onto the little boy’s hand and pulled with all his strength until the boy popped forward and the adults left. He smiled at the boy, because he was finally able to talk to him.

“Are you okay?” He asked. The boy nodded before pulling his hand away, mildly annoyed. Niel’s face fell a little in disappointment before he noticed the gold pendant on the younger boy.

“Yeah, I’m just looking for someone,” said the boy. Niel’s face brightened.

“Want me to help?” He asked with hope, but the bow shot him down immediately by shaking his head and walking away. Niel didn’t want to let the opportunity to slip by to make a new friend. “Then I’ll just follow!” Niel made sure to keep up with boy as they ran throughout the house. He was used to running and avoiding objects and getting through small spaces from when he lived with his father.

“Are you looking for the really pretty boy whose necklace you’re wearing?” The boys stopped, and Niel smiled as the boy looked at the necklace then at him.

“How do you know him?” The boy sounded as if he didn’t believe him, but Niel was too content in getting a response.

“I gave it to him yesterday!” The boy sighed before looking Niel up and down before turning. Niel panicked once more.

“Maybe my mom knows where he is!” Niel turned and ran. He looked back for a moment before he saw the boy chasing after him. ‘Maybe if I show him that I’m friends with the pretty boy, then we can be friends,’ he thought. He saw his mother almost immediately, but he saw how her face frowned.

“Mama!” He called out. She had immediately scooped him up and ran out the house. Niel watched from over his shoulder as the pretty boy looked on after them before she turned towards the boy. They were talking, but Niel couldn’t hear them as they came out the house. His mother immediately placed him in the car before turning it on and speeding away.

She felt something wrong, so she let go of the accelerator before turning and grabbing Niel. She flung the door open as it slowed down and jumped. She made sure that Niel was close to her and that she was protecting him. He heard a popping sound before an explosion. He watched as the gold flames emanated behind his mother and how her breathing became labored.

Without a word, she stood with him in her arms and ran with her bare feet. They were able to find a very small deserted clinic. Niel watched in fear and worriment as the doctor popped his mother’s shoulder and elbow back into place. He cried as she bit down on the pillow to muffle her screams, and he cried as her tears flew out. He cried when he saw the burns on her calves and down her back.

It wasn’t lethal or severe, but it was still very painful. They stayed in the clinic for a few days, and his mother decided to be honest with Niel.

“That man found us,” she told him. Niel became scared. “Don’t worry honey,” she told him. “I’ll protect you.” Niel’s face dropped and he cried.

“But what about you?” He had asked. His mother smiled.

“I can take care of myself as long as I take care of you.” At that, he made his resolution.

“I’ll protect you.”