Glow
Punmaker Extrordinare
When Aaron awoke, his room was still dark. Was it early morning? Or was it still night? He really hoped it was still night, because if not—
He winced as the searing white fluorescent lights suddenly flicked on. Nope, definitely morning.
"Up and 'em Wilson. Let's MOVE!" Aaron scrambled out of the covers and after making doubly sure that they were well tucked under the mattress and taught, he stood at attention at the foot of the bed.
His father slowly strode into the room, hands clasped behind his back. He was dressed in his formal military attire, as he was every morning. The coat and pants were perfectly pressed and pinned to the coat where twenty metals that were polished so well, Aaron could see twenty different reflections of himself on his father's massive chest.
Evan Wilson slowly circled his son and the bed; his eyes darting from one to the other; his face expressionless. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin, and tossed it on the bed. It bounced once before landing softly, just below the pillow. The general picked it up and placed it back into his pocket. He circled once more, then stopped a few inches away in front of Aaron. Aaron kept his eyes ahead, so he could only see up to his father's collarbone, but he could feel his father's glare searing through to the back of his neck. After several seconds of uncomfortable silence, Evan spoke.
“Where were you last night?" His tone was even and controlled.
Aaron swallowed. Oh no. "S-sir?"
The general didn't respond. He just stood silently staring at Aaron, waiting for his answer.
"I-I um." Aaron swallowed again. It would be no use to lie. When his father asked a question, he already knew the answer. He just wanted to see whether Aaron would tell the truth or not and would be ready to strike the moment he caught even a hint of falsehood. Aaron lowered his gaze slightly, wishing he could shrink into the floor and vanish. "I was across the street at Jason's, sir," he finally said, quietly.
His father was silent for several minutes. Aaron couldn't tell how angry he was. He didn't dare shift his gaze upwards.
"You were where?" Evan's tone remained cool and calm.
"At Jason's place, sir, Jason Wright. From school." Aaron let the slightest bit of irritation slip into his voice. Idiot! He kicked himself mentally, and braced himself for what would come next.
"I know who he his." Evan's tone snapped from cool to icy. He bent down so that he was eye level with his son. "I know who Jason Wright is. I'm not stupid. Do you think I'm stupid?"
"No, sir."
"Do you think this is some kind of joke?"
"No sir."
"Then why did you leave the premises without requesting leave?"
"I don't know sir." It would be no use telling his father that he was tired of being a soldier. That he wanted to be a normal thirteen years old boy for once. That would only make things worse.
"You don't know." Evan started circling again. Aaron risked a glance upward at his father's face. Evan was stroking his beard in mock thoughtfulness. "You don't know." he repeated. “Well, until you do, you will stand there as you are.”
“Yes, sir.” Aaron said, resigned. He gave his father a stiff salute, which was returned. He watched as his father spun on his heel and marched out of the room, leaving his son to his punishment. He wasn't so sure he could follow this order either.
He winced as the searing white fluorescent lights suddenly flicked on. Nope, definitely morning.
"Up and 'em Wilson. Let's MOVE!" Aaron scrambled out of the covers and after making doubly sure that they were well tucked under the mattress and taught, he stood at attention at the foot of the bed.
His father slowly strode into the room, hands clasped behind his back. He was dressed in his formal military attire, as he was every morning. The coat and pants were perfectly pressed and pinned to the coat where twenty metals that were polished so well, Aaron could see twenty different reflections of himself on his father's massive chest.
Evan Wilson slowly circled his son and the bed; his eyes darting from one to the other; his face expressionless. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin, and tossed it on the bed. It bounced once before landing softly, just below the pillow. The general picked it up and placed it back into his pocket. He circled once more, then stopped a few inches away in front of Aaron. Aaron kept his eyes ahead, so he could only see up to his father's collarbone, but he could feel his father's glare searing through to the back of his neck. After several seconds of uncomfortable silence, Evan spoke.
“Where were you last night?" His tone was even and controlled.
Aaron swallowed. Oh no. "S-sir?"
The general didn't respond. He just stood silently staring at Aaron, waiting for his answer.
"I-I um." Aaron swallowed again. It would be no use to lie. When his father asked a question, he already knew the answer. He just wanted to see whether Aaron would tell the truth or not and would be ready to strike the moment he caught even a hint of falsehood. Aaron lowered his gaze slightly, wishing he could shrink into the floor and vanish. "I was across the street at Jason's, sir," he finally said, quietly.
His father was silent for several minutes. Aaron couldn't tell how angry he was. He didn't dare shift his gaze upwards.
"You were where?" Evan's tone remained cool and calm.
"At Jason's place, sir, Jason Wright. From school." Aaron let the slightest bit of irritation slip into his voice. Idiot! He kicked himself mentally, and braced himself for what would come next.
"I know who he his." Evan's tone snapped from cool to icy. He bent down so that he was eye level with his son. "I know who Jason Wright is. I'm not stupid. Do you think I'm stupid?"
"No, sir."
"Do you think this is some kind of joke?"
"No sir."
"Then why did you leave the premises without requesting leave?"
"I don't know sir." It would be no use telling his father that he was tired of being a soldier. That he wanted to be a normal thirteen years old boy for once. That would only make things worse.
"You don't know." Evan started circling again. Aaron risked a glance upward at his father's face. Evan was stroking his beard in mock thoughtfulness. "You don't know." he repeated. “Well, until you do, you will stand there as you are.”
“Yes, sir.” Aaron said, resigned. He gave his father a stiff salute, which was returned. He watched as his father spun on his heel and marched out of the room, leaving his son to his punishment. He wasn't so sure he could follow this order either.
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