i'm making this all up as i go. just needed to do a writing dump
His voice shattered through iron. You could go deaf just being in his vicinity when he's angry. Or when he's not; he yells every day. At this point, you learn to drown it out. I'd be lying if I said I didn't allow my gaze to blur and my mind to wander on days when I made even the smallest mistakes, and I know I've seen other kids do the same. You just couldn't take his words to heart, or you'd break. And if you break, you leave.
I don't know where the kids that broke would go after they took them away, but God knows it can't be better than here. A while ago I heard one kid was coming back, and everyone in the building gathered to see him, but no one actually could find the kid. Something tells me he was still among the new kids that joined, we just couldn't recognize him. It's not like anyone here talks to each other anyway, so there's no way we would know.
"Eyes up, pretty boy," I hear a voice behind me, but frankly I'm too tired to care. "Hey, I'm talking to you."
A rough hand grips my shoulder and shoves me to face him. His masked expression met my empty one.
"You fucking deaf, now? Or just stupid?"
"I wish I were deaf, so I didn't have to listen to you advertising your crippling masculinity to everyone."
Maybe I was stupid. He didn't hesitate as he sent a left hook into my cheek. I drop everything I was holding as he grabs my shirt collar and holds me up to his towering height.
"You fucking watch yourself. You and I both know if Dr. Rose didn't favor you that you'd be dead where you stand."
I look at him with an already dead expression.
"You couldn't kill me if you tried. You just don't have it in you. Think about that next time you wonder why Dr. Rose likes me more."