“The fuck you mean you can’t associate with me?!” A drunken, old velociraptor yelled.

“I just can’t, man. There’s no good reason for me to. You think you can just come back into my life after I became successful like nothing happened? News flash, old man. You can’t.” I stated matter of factly.

I was in nothing short of absolute turmoil. Here I was, in what was once my home. In front of me was my no-good, deadbeat father who was demanding he take a portion of what I worked so hard to earn over the past 4 years.

I understand that family is important, and it is. But this… thing in front of me was not family. He never was. And I wasn’t about to treat him like he was.

"You selfish, ungrateful son of a bitch.” His tone was cold. It stung with such ferocity that I recoiled physically from where I was standing. “I brought you into this wretched world, Reed. Not only that, but your ol’ pops came back to support you. That should be enough, you little shit.”

I start to giggle. Moments later, I burst into an almost manic laughing fit.

“Support? You’re here to “support” me? That’s rich, old man. You didn’t support me after I was born. You didn’t support me when I graduated high school. And you aren’t supporting me now with your presence. The way I see it, I should have you evicted from this place after I buy it.” I warn my father with a serious note.

The gray behemoth stands up out of his aged rocking chair. He takes slow, methodical steps towards me. Staring into my soul. Just like how he must’ve when he saw me coming out of my mother’s womb. Despite his comically large overalls, something about him instilled…

Fear.

"Hey.” I interject. “This doesn’t have to get complicated, man. Let’s just take it nice and s-”

Slap.

Fuck.

Hot, searing pain.

I’m left dazed by the force of the impact, stars dancing around in my peripheral vision as I try to regain control. My favorite shades that I’ve had since high school have shattered to bits before my eyes, lying on the ground, damaged beyond repair.

“Oh? What’s that? You get a little moolah and think you can just walk away from this family and never come back?! You’re dead fucking wrong, kid! I worked my ass off to get to where I am today. You think you deserve an ounce of respect for selling your weed shit to the junkies of the world?! Fuck that noise!” The gray velociraptor screeched at me.

I can feel the world slowing down to a crawl as the realization dawns on me. This… this piece of shit. He suddenly calls me to come to his wrecked home, demands for a percentage of my hard work, and slaps me in the face? While breaking the shades my friend Anon got me as a graduation gift?

…

Something unprecedented and unforeseen was burning inside of my chest. This was something I’ve never felt before. It was like the 9 circles of hell have come together to fill me with pure, unbridled, seething hatred for the figure before me.

I was never one to lose my cool. But this pathetic, womanizing, abusive mistake that was my father has tested my patience. This far surpasses what I felt when Trish almost ruined Anon’s life at the assembly all those years ago.

I was out for blood.

“What? A little knock on the head and you’re pussying out?” My deadbeat went on. “You’re a disgr-”

In a flash, I leap forward at the old raptor. My claws emerge from my fingers and I grapple his right ear with all my might. The scream he let out was nothing short of cathartic music to my ears.

I slowly drag him to the floor, blood seeping from his ear and onto my hand.

“David Corporis.” I say, my tone as cold as ice. “You’re pathetic. Scum. A waste of my time. This is the final fucking straw. I’m about a hair away from putting you down.”

I throw him down for good measure, raising my bloodied fist into the air and grabbing him by the neck. I could feel my face cramping up as I expressed my unbridled cataclysmic rage. I needed to scream my lungs out. Punch him into oblivion.

"W-wait!” My victim yells, beginning to cry. “I didn’t want this to happen! I-I-I’m sorry!”

“Sorry?” I yell, clenching my fist and his neck tighter. “YOU’RE FUCKING SORRY?!”

“Ack- Yes! I am! Please! I didn’t mean to slap you! That was all my fault! It won’t happen again! Please don’t evict me from this place! It won’t happen again!” David begs.

I think long and hard about my next decision. If I were to go any farther with this, he would likely charge me with assault. That was something I didn’t want on my record. And the look on his face…

I didn’t see the spiteful old man that left me. What I saw was a lost soul looking for help.

I reluctantly let David go. Hiding my face in my hands, I can fully understand what I’ve done now.

It was time to go.

There was nothing left for me here.

I pick up my shattered shades from the ground. My heart was still beating out of its chest. The air was now deathly still as the situation began to dawn on me from a new perspective. Suddenly, the reeking stench of booze didn’t bother me anymore. All I could smell was the blood oozing from my fingers as I stared into the palm of my hand.

As quickly as the moment came, I snapped out of my trance and wiped the remaining blood off my hands and onto my pants. Slowly opening the door, I look back to the weeping raptor on the floor.

“Piece of advice -- I hate you. May we never meet again.”

And with that, I shut the door, burning another bridge.