Escape {Larry Stylinson/Doctor Who} NEW AU

The rest of the school day wasn’t any better, even though I didn’t see Niall or Jackson again. I slept all afternoon yesterday, so I didn’t exactly do any of my homework. My maths teacher gave me an earful, as well as detention for all of next week for “incompletion of assignments and unnecessary daydreaming”. He wouldn’t see it that way if he had the same 24 hours that I have. I was also sure that I saw the tail end of the counselor (actually, I’m nearly positive he isn’t actually a counselor), Jack’s long coat, but as soon as I turned the corner in the hallway, he was gone. Maybe, I’m still imagining things.

I make sure to leave school right after my gruesome Chemistry period, hoping to get a bit of alone time at home before mum get’s back. Assuming, of course, that she left to get more liquor. I want to get a head-start on my make-up homework and all of the new work I’ve been assigned. It’s difficult to get anything done when my mum is puking or screaming. No matter what horrible things she does or says to me, I feel like I have to at least try to take care of her. She’s my mother and she’s fragile.

When I get home, the driveway is empty to my immense relief. I can’t hide the smile that surfaces when I know for sure that I’ll have some peace a quiet, even if only for an hour. I take advantage of her absence and set my books down on the dining room table. I walk over to the living room and notice the leftovers of the breakfast I cooked on the coffee table. I grin to myself, happy that she at least found the note and ate a meal. I gather the dishes and take them to the sink, washing them and putting them away in practically no time at all.

When I sit down at the dining table, I pull out my Maths work first. I start with the homework I missed and finish it in about thirty minutes. Every time a car passes the house, I freeze up nervously and wait to be sure it isn’t mum. It never is, but nearly two dozen cars pass each hour and it tends to give me anxiety. By the time I’m done with my newest Maths homework, an hour and fifteen minutes have passed and mum is still gone. Now, every time a car passes, I hope it’s mum. Now I’m worried she won’t get home safe. It’s never ending. I’m either worried about her presence or her absence.

I sigh and try to turn my attention back to school, but this house is full of memories that I can’t escape.


Flashback to 1999, Harry is 5:

“Des, I can’t tell you enough: This isn’t okay! Have you forgotten that we have children?”

Dad smirks and falls over onto the couch. I grip my teddy bear, Boo, tightly against my chest at the thud resulting from his fall and stay hidden behind the door.

“Anne, babe. How could I forget when you rub them in my face every damn time I do something wrong? Kids aren’t fucking pawns that you can use as a guilt trip against me just because we have a shit marriage.”

I don’t understand a lot of those words, but daddy yells really loudly at the end of every sentence. He isn’t happy and he keeps hiccuping and coughing. I think mummy calls it drank when he acts like that. It’s not very nice. Mummy doesn’t mean to make him mad. He’s like a big bomb; so loud and mean. Why is he so angry?

“H, what are you doing in here?”

Gemma whispers quiet enough that mummy and daddy don’t hear, but she still scares me. I jump
and turn around with my eyes real big.

“Shhh. I don’t want mummy to get hurt. I’m just making sure she’s okay.”

Gemma sighs and puts her arms around me, kissing the top of my head. She’s a good big sister and I tell everyone in my class that I have the best sister in the world. She’s a whole ten years old! I would cry a lot more if she wasn’t here. She makes it okay when I’m sad because daddy’s mean.

“Harry, I have an idea. Follow me.”

I turn around and see mummy cleaning up the house while daddy yells some more from the couch. I take a deep breath and decide that she’s okay enough for me to leave for a little bit. I’ll
check on her later.

“Okay, but we have to be quick so mummy can tuck me in before bed.”

Gemma smiles and holds out a hand for me to take. I grab it and hold onto Boo with my other hand, following Gemma quietly on my tippy toes. Gemma leads me into her room and let’s go of my hand to open the curtains of her window. I smile and run over when I realize what she’s doing. We do this a lot when daddy’s mean. I hurry over and jump onto the window seat, leaving room next to me for Gemma. She walks over and sits beside me, cracking the window open and letting the cool air blow in. I lean over and lay my head on Gemma’s shoulder and she wraps her arms around me. Her hugs are the best, besides mummy’s.

“Okay, H. Close your eyes with me, yeah?”

I nod and close my eyes tight so that it works. Gemma says it won’t work unless I listen carefully. It’s hard to listen with the crickets making so much noise.

“Now, let everything go and focus on something great. Thing big, Harry. The best place you can think of. You can make it up, alright?”

I nod again and think really hard. Last time I dreamed of Disney World on the moon. We floated everywhere and Gemma and I were the only people there.

“Okay, tell me all about your dream world, Harry.”

I lick my lips and feel an extra strong wind blow through the room.

“It’s a planet, but it’s really far away. Like, near where Buzz Lightyear is from, but even farther.
And it’s such a cool place, Gem. It’s got lots of people we can play with, but they’re all really nice. Me and you are the prince and princess, but everyone really loves us. And we have a store where everything is free to everyone and we sell candy and cake and toys so that everyone has fun. And I have a birthday every single month and mummy and daddy come visit us from Earth and when they come, daddy isn’t even drink. He’s so nice, Gemma! Like he used to be.”

Gemma sniffles and it makes me want to cry because I don’t want to make my sister cry.

“Don’t cry, Gemmy.”

She giggles and ruffles my hair.

“I’m not crying, silly. I really like your world. Just keep thinking about it and all the great things you can do there that you can’t at home.”

I smile and lean into her, dreaming of all of the friends I could have there. I’d bring Niall, of course. He’s my best friend. I try to keep myself awake long enough for mummy to tuck me in, but I can’t fight sleep any longer and drift off to the idea of my perfect world, so far away from here. I definitely wouldn’t have crickets; they’re really loud. Louder than daddy, even.



Back to present day:


That next morning, mum had a black eye and dad was passed out on the floor. It went on like that for years. It got worse, really. Much worse.

But, now it’s been two hours since I got home and there’s still no sign of mum. It can’t possibly take her this long to get home from the store. I’ve finished all the work that I can and now I’m just reading ahead for history. I can’t help but to be worried and it’s distracting. I tap my fingers on the table and my leg shakes violently and out of control.

When the phone rings, I practically jump out of my skin. Once I’ve gathered myself, I stand up and scurry into the kitchen, picking up the phone a little out of breath.

“Styles residence, this is Harry.”

“Hello, I’m Officer Brandywine and I’m calling to speak to a relative of Mrs. Anne Styles.”

My heart is racing and my mouth feels impossibly dry.

“She’s my mum, sir.”

“Well, son, I am sorry to inform you that your mother was arrested at fourteen-hundred hours today for driving under the influence of alcohol and possibly other illegal substances. She will be seen before a judge next Thursday after drug screens are performed and she will be held here until then. Now, how old are you, lad?”

Now my heart feels like it’s stopped. I don’t know what to say or how to react. It’s sad to say that I’m surprised. I shouldn’t be. This is so characteristically her. Well, her as of late.

If I tell him the truth, god knows what they’ll do with me. I’m a minor.

“I’m eighteen, sir.”

“Good, then there shouldn’t be any immediate need for childcare. Are you in any close contact with family members?”

I sniffle and try to hold back the impending tears.

“Not really, but I’ll- uh, I’ll call my sister.”

I won’t call my sister. Mum’s caused her enough trouble for a lifetime.

“Very well. I’m sorry about this, young man. Contact me if you need anything or have any questions about your mother’s trial. Once again, I’m Officer Brandywine.”

“Um- thanks, sir. I appreciate it.”

Before I can think of the appropriate farewell, I hang the phone on the wall and sink to the floor.
I doubt even Gemma’s therapeutic daydreaming could help how I feel now. Even so, I close my eyes and think of my magical world. The one where Gem and I rule everything and have plenty of friends. Niall isn’t there now, though. I doubt he’d come even if it were a real place. Mum and Dad wouldn’t show up for my monthly birthday, either. I breathe deeply and pull my knees to my chest, keeping my eyes closed shut. Despite it’s flaws, that fantasy world is so much better than reality. It may be childish and simplistic, but I feel a calm set over me.

I can even hear the crickets.

Notes