Blood of the Covenant Pt. 01

Banri waited expectantly to be greeted with a hug but Faith just led them to the backyard. Claire sighed and took his hand. "Come on, bug. Let's go meet everyone else."

"Thought this was a family reunion." Jerry, a cousin, said when he saw Banri.

"It is, Jeremy." Claire responded stiffly, her eyes daring him to push it. Banri clung closer to her.

Jeremy, being manly, walked away without a word. Faith rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Claire. Do you have to be so hostile?"

"I'm the hostile one?!" Claire threw her hands up. "He implied that Banri isn't family."

"You're reading too much into it." Faith said, giving Banri the side eye. She walked away to attend to the other guests before Claire could bite back.

"Mama." Emily patted her arm. "Gwen got a DS for her birthday last week. She told me on the phone that I can play with it. Can I?"

"Sure, honey. Take Banri with you." Claire half-smiled. Hopefully the kids would accept him. "And stay where I can see you." She added, unable to push down her paranoia. Banri wasn't in any physical danger. Their family wasn't violently racist. Just verbally. But she still didn't want to risk him being out of her sight.

"Okay. Come on, Banri."

Banri followed behind his sister to the other side of the yard where all the kids had congregated. It was a short walk, but it took an eternity for Banri. A group of eyes were always on him and their gazes slowed everything down. It was the first time in Banri's life that he felt unwanted. "Emily."

"Yeah?"

"I'm family, right?"

"Duh." Emily rolled her eyes. "Mom adopted you. That means you're family now."

"Okay." He nodded but he wasn't satisfied. These people didn't look like they thought of him as family. Finally, they made it to Gwen.

"Hey, Gwen. What game did you get?" Emily dragged a large chair over and pulled Banri into sitting next to her.

"Mario Kart." Gwen turned her DS so the two could see the screen. Mario was soaring through the air on a red kart and made Banri want to play it. "Who's he?" Gwen pointed at Banri.

"My brother. I told you, remember?"

"Oh yeaaaa." Gwen smiled at Banri. "My best friend is adopted. Her parents got her from India." Apparently adopted children are collectibles that you get.

"Cool." Banri's lips curled up in a very small smile. It's all he could manage. With Mario being out of his line of sight, tempting him into playing, Banri could still feel people staring at him. It made his neck and back feel uncomfortable. An itching sensation that got stronger when more people stared. He forced himself to be very interested in his fingers so he wouldn't have to make eye contact with anyone.

"Do you want to try first, Banri?" Emily offered the DS to him. "You're good at video games."

Yes. He really wanted to play. "No. You go first."

"You sure?"

"Yea."

"Okay." Emily shrugged and started a single player round. It didn't take long for the two girls to completely forget about Banri and just pass the DS between themselves. Who could blame them? Banri was easy to forget. He opened his mouth multiple times to ask for a turn but only small squeaks and air came out. His hesitation forced him to spend his time looking around the yard. There wasn't anything interesting. Everyone had gathered in small groups of two or three, breaking away to get food, and then coming right back to the same group. The kids were doing the same thing except with more screaming involved. Banri was thinking of going back to his mom - eyes scanning the crowd - when he saw an older kid standing by himself fiddling with a pocket knife. The only teenagers Banri had ever hung out with were Emily and her friends and they didn't even count, being only 13. 14 at most. This guy though. He was a lot older. Maybe old enough to drive. If Banri had Emily or Claire's boldness, he would have walked right up and said hi. They would do it even if there was a chance the guy would be mean.

Fortunately for Banri, the guy noticed Banri staring at him. He smiled and waved him over. Seeing as he was only the second person who had smiled at him at the party, Banri found some courage to pull away from his sister. Mom would want him to stay by Emily but being by Emily was very boring right now. Besides. Claire could still see him. Probably. "Hi."

"Hey." The teenager held his hand out. "You're the adopted kid. Banri right?" He mispronounced in a way that made the Ban- rhyme with van.

"Yeah. It's Banri. Like the Bon in Bon Jovi." Banri took the hand and shook it. Something red got on his palm and he just wiped it on his jeans.

"Oh shit, sorry. Banri. Nice to meet ya."

"Nice to meet you too."

"I'm Samson. We're distant cousins or something." He went back to messing with his pocket knife. "You're bored as fuck, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Banri was in awe of Samson's casual use of curse words. Banri once called Emily a bitch and had received an immediate swat to the side of his head from Claire.

"Me too. This is my house and we have the reunion here every year. My mom always makes me come out and 'socialize with the family.'" Samson adopted a high pitched, nasally voice to imitate her.

That got a laugh out of Banri. A small chuckle. This guy was cool. He hadn't said much. But Banri could just feel it and that's how some people were. So cool that it was immediately obvious. "My mom made me come too."

"Same reason?"

"I guess." Banri shrugged. "She didn't say why. Just said I should come. I thought it would be boring."

"You thought correctly." Samson chuckled. "I can show you something that'll make it fun though."

"Do you have a DS, too?"

Samson snorted. "No. More fun than that. Our dog just gave birth to a bunch of puppies." He put his knife away. "They're all in the den. Come on."

"Uhm..." Banri looked to his mom, finally finding her. She was deep in conversation with some old lady. "My mom said I have to stay where she can see me."

"What are you a fag or something?" Samson smirked. "Ignore what your mommy said and come on. She won't even notice you're gone."

Well Mom was talking very intensely with the old lady. Banri nodded hesitantly. "Okay."

"Follow me, Banri." Samson mispronounced his name and led him back through the yard. Every single person stared at Samson instead of Banri which made the kid feel a lot better about being close to these 'family' members. It was like they didn't even notice him, giving him a wonderful, relaxed feeling. Once inside the house, Samson opened a door that was in a hallway leading off from the kitchen. "Dad put them over by the fireplace since Daisy loves it. Go ahead." Samson let Banri through and then locked the door behind them.

Banri hurried over to the area next to the fireplace that had been fenced off. A Labrador was lying on her side with her litter fighting amongst themselves to get some milk. It bothered him that she was tied to a pipe in the corner. Was Daisy there because she liked the fireplace or because there was a pipe? "How many are there?"

"I don't know." Samson stood next to Banri. "One of them already died though."

Banri frowned. "What happened?"

"It just happens, dude. Some puppies aren't strong enough to make it."

Banri did not like the way Samson said 'strong enough'. It sounded mean. Like it was the puppy's fault for being weak. "That's sad."

"Yeah." Samson sounded distracted. "Which one do you like the least?"

"I like all of them."

"Liar." Samson rolled his eyes. "If I let you take one home, you'd pick one. That means you didn't like the others, right? Just pick the one you for sure wouldn't want to take home."

Banri couldn't argue with that logic, partially because Samson's voice sounded scary. Nothing at all like it had been outside. With a bad feeling filling his stomach, Banri did what he was told to do. There was one off to the right that limped due to one leg being shorter than the others. It was still very adorable but Banri knew he wouldn't have picked it. "The one that's limping." He said quietly. "Can I go now?"

Samson leaned over the fence and picked the puppy up. "Fuck no. The fun's about to start." With the puppy in his hand, he grabbed the fire iron he had left sitting in the flames. He sat down, holding the puppy still by pressing on its back. "You say a word to anyone, and you won't leave this basement." Daisy noticed one of her pups was missing and stood up, growling and barking when she saw Samson pinning it. She tried to get over the fence, but she was tugged back by the rope.

"Don't!" Banri ran forward and tried to rescue the puppy but Samson easily pushed him away. "Please! Don't hurt it."

"Why not? It's not going to live long anyway." Samson nodded at the shorter leg. "You think it'd survive with a limp?"

"I'll take it home! I'll take care of it!" Banri begged, scared tears streaming from his face. He didn't have permission to get a dog. But maybe he could keep it a secret. They had a basement that Claire never went to. If he didn't take it, it would be his fault that the puppy died. He had picked it.

"Nah. It'll still die. How's a pussy like you going to take care of a dog?"

"Please." Banri pulled at the arm that was holding the fire iron. Samson's arm didn't budge. "I'll do anything."

"No-" Samson paused. A smile spread across his face that was nothing like the one he had given Banri in the yard. How could the same face have two different smiles? "Anything?"

"Anything!" Banri nodded his head rapidly. "I'll do chores. I even have a lot of my allowance saved up. A hundred dollars." Banri bit his lip and looked at Samson eagerly. It was his fortune, but a dog's life was priceless. Daisy's growling urged him on. "I can send it in a letter or something."

"I don't want your money, kid." Samson eased his grip on the puppy.

"Chores then? I'm good at mowing the lawn! I'll do all your chores before I leave today. Honest."

"You take the dog's place."

Banri froze. A chill ran down his spine and he shivered despite the fireplace. "What?"

"You heard me. You take the dog's place, and I'll put it back."

Banri looked from the fire iron to the whining puppy. Over and over. With a quivering lip, he chose. "I'll do it. Put the puppy back."

"Guess you're not a fag." Samson smirked and let go of the puppy. "Get on your back and lift your shirt up."

Banri listened.

"I've got rules. Listen to them or the puppy gets the iron."

"Okay." Banri couldn't stop shaking. The end of the iron was glowing red. He couldn't look away.

"You have to stay quiet. If you scream, I burn the puppy." Samson got closer. "If you tell anyone what happened, I'll burn the puppy and his siblings. I don't care how you explain it, just don't tell anyone I did it. Understand?"

"Yes." Banri squeezed his eyes shut, forcing more tears out.

"Good."

Banri didn't see the smile that was on Samson's face and it was the only shred of good luck he had at that moment because it would have made it so much worse. It was if it was Samson's true smile. Filled with sadistic intent instead of joy like you'd normally find on a smile. Samson closed his eyes for a second to savor the moment. He had never done this to a person before. His rationality told him this was a stupid place to do it for the first time. He would get caught. No doubt about it. But he couldn't resist. He could already tell it was so much better than an animal. He opened his eyes and pressed down on the left side of Banri's chest. Samson shivered from how amazing it felt to make Banri squirm under him from the pain.

Banri tried. He truly, earnestly tried from the bottom of his heart. But he couldn't. Long after the burn had any hope of healing properly, Banri screamed.

"Shut up!" Samson roared, slapping Banri across the face. Banri's lip began to bleed. Daisy began barking louder, the pipe ringing as she pulled away from it. "Shut your fucking mouth or the puppy dies."

"MAMAAA!"

It had taken a while, but Claire had noticed Banri's absence. She searched all around the yard to no avail, everyone telling her that they hadn't seen him. Trying to not panic, she had run into the house. The moment she opened the door, she heard him. A screech that quickly turned into a pained wail. It drove a spiked stake through her heart and twisted. "BANRI!"

She and Jerry, who had also heard the scream from being near the door, ran in. She tried to turn the doorknob, but it didn't budge. She heard him scream for her. Jerry pushed her to the side and kicked the door just below the knob. It created a crack but nothing. Banri screamed for her again. Samson hadn't heard the kicking in his euphoria, moving the poker to a different spot on Banri's chest. Jerry tried again with a harder kick and the door gave way, crashing loudly against the side wall. He immediately saw Samson straddling Banri and made it down the stairs and across the den with surprising speed to grab Samson by the collar and slam him to the ground.

"Banri! Banri, baby." Claire sobbed as she took his head into his lap. She couldn't look at his chest. "It's okay, baby. I'm here. Mama's here. We'll get you help." She tried to remember how burns were treated. Nothing. Years of medical training forgotten.

"Mama..." Banri's cry was weaker now. He clung to her shirt and passed out.

"Get. Off me." Samson struggled underneath Jerry. "He asked me to do it."

"Shut your goddamn mouth!" Jerry slammed Samson's head against the floor, dazing him.

The others had seen Jerry and Claire run into the house, so they had followed them inside. Once they heard the commotion, a few had the sense to keep the kids away. Maria, Samson's mother, rushed to her son's rescue only to stop when she saw Banri. She stammered in confusion before shouting back up the stairs. "Call 911. Banri's hurt!"

"HURT?!" Claire screamed. "YOUR FUCKING SON TRIED TO KILL HIM." If Claire hadn't been holding Banri, Maria would've joined her son on the floor. As a corpse. "GET HIM THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME AND MY BOY." Her voice cracked from the strain and she returned to sobbing uncontrollably.

Jerry got up, keeping Samson's arms pinned behind his back, and began dragging him away. Other men joined in to help, all of them glaring Maria into silence when she tried to speak. Upstairs, Emily was asking everyone what was going on and why she had heard her Mom screaming. "Auntie Faith. What happened? Why's everyone shouting?"

"Banri got hurt." Faith looked scared. When Samson was led past them, she stood protectively in front of her nieces.

"Oh no!" Emily wailed. "I want to see him. Is he okay?"

"He'll be fine." Faith said with false confidence. She still hadn't learned what Samson had done to Banri, so it was in hope that she had said that Banri would be fine. "Wait right here with me, Emily."

"But-"

"No." Faith put her hand on Emily's shoulder and tried to smile. "You'll see him soon."

Downstairs, Claire was hunched over an unconscious Banri, apologizing over and over. She shouldn't have brought him here. How was that a good idea? She knew her family wouldn't accept him. She shouldn't have subjected Banri to their scorn and then this. It was her fault that Banri got hurt. She brought him here and, to top it off, she hadn't kept close watch on him.

The ambulance and police finally arrived. After ensuring that Banri was alive, the police began questioning everyone. The paramedics had to pull Claire away to lift Banri onto the gurney. She was at his side the second they got upstairs, holding his hand and shoving family members out of the way, including the ones that were already moving.

"Mama!" Emily led Zoe to Claire. "What happened to Banri... oh my God."

Banri's family did not leave his side for a second. Even little Zoe, who had no idea what was going on, did not feel the need to leave. She stayed, and it wasn't just because her mom and sister was there.

"Get better, bug." She said, only being tall enough for her head to peek above his hospital bed.

"He will be." Claire stroked Zoe's hair while looking at Banri.

"I'm never letting anything happen to him ever again." Emily swore.

Banri did get better. And Emily followed through on her promise as best as she could. All the Rossi women did.

SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 5

13 years ago, Claire took her kids to a family reunion. They give her and the girls a warm welcome but Banri is either ignored or stared at. He hangs out with Emily and their cousin Gwen for a little while but the other two get preoccupied with playing on Gwen's new DS. Banri then meets Samson, a distant teenage cousin, who is very friendly and very cool in Banri's eyes. The two talk and Samson offers to show Banri the new puppies that his dog had recently given birth to.

Banri takes the bait, only finding out Samson's true intentions when it was too late to leave. The teenager grabbed the puppy that Banri had chosen (after being forced to) and almost began branding it with a hot fire iron. Banri panics and begs Samson not to do it, eventually offering to do anything to save the puppy. Samson says he'll let the puppy go if Banri takes its place. Banri agrees.

Before burning Banri, Samson warns him that he shouldn't scream or tell anyone how he got burned. If he did, the puppies would be killed. Banri does his best to not scream but he's unable to take it. He begins screaming for his mom. Claire had noticed his absence and was searching for him when she heard his screaming. She runs into the house with another family member, Jerry.

Jerry kicks the door to the den open and tackles Samson when he sees him. 911 is called and help arrives soon after. The police begin questioning everyone and the ambulance rushes Banri to the hospital along with his Mom and sisters. They had refused to leave his side and the medics listened because you don't say no to Claire Rossi when it comes to her kids. She knew hospital procedure and didn't give a damn.

As you know, Banri recovers. I'll also give you a vague spoiler as an apology for this awful chapter: This is as worse as it gets. More trouble happens but none of it is as graphic as this.

Thank you for reading this instead of the chapter. Please enjoy the rest of the story.

Chapter 6: Flanked

"I'll talk to him." Emily broke the silence that had fallen following Banri's outburst. "I'm the one that set him off." She didn't move, picking at her scrambled eggs. "If he even wants to see me."

"Don't be stupid. He will." Zoe said. "Finish your eggs. He'll be done with the shower by then."

"His scar was burning, I think. Why else would he take another shower?" Claire said. "I shouldn't have brought up the reunion."

"We had to talk about it eventually." Emily sighed. She used her fork to push the rest of her breakfast into the trash then put her plate in the sink. "I'll wait for him in his room."

Emily jogged up to his room and sat on his bed. The water was still running so it would be another few minutes before he got out. Cold showers served to ease the ghost-pain and calm him down. It was very rare that Banri lost his temper. He got angry when he was being overprotective of Emily and Zoe but even then, it was calm and collected. His voice would get quieter, not louder like a few minutes ago. Any other time, Banri gave the impression that he was completely at peace. For the most part he was. They all thought that, including Banri. The outburst proved otherwise.

"Oh. Hey." Banri stepped out of the bathroom with just a towel around his waist. He closed the door quickly so she wouldn't see the beer bottles stacked next to the bathroom trash can. Leftovers from the night before that he had finished while showering.