Corbin's Closet: Chapter 1

I don't know how long I've been in the closet. Gran locked me in just before lunch. I can hear Ma and Gran fighting. Gran's going to win... Gran always wins. And then I'll be stuck in here forever. In the dark and dusty and tiny closet.

I stopped hitting the door when my hands started bleeding. I stopped yelling for Gran to let me out when I couldn't hear my own voice. Now I'm just sitting on the floor, crying and hoping Gran will let me out soon.

"He's only five years old! Mother, how could you do this to him?" Ma yelling. Ma thinking I'm still her little baby. Gran says I'm a witch. She says that boys can be witches, too, and I need to learn how to use my magic. Then she threw me in here and locked the door.

"He'll come out when he wants out. His magic will take care of that." Gran. That's what she said when she put me in the closet, too.

"He's been in there for four whole days!" That long? It didn't feel like it. I don't think. Maybe it feels like longer. I don't know. I just want out. Gran won't let me out, Ma won't even try... I start crying again. It hurts to cry, it hurts to breathe.

I kick at the door. Kick. Kick. Kick. I keep kicking, over and over and over until my feet hurt and Gran pounds at the door again. She doesn't like me making noise. But that makes me mad... Gran locked me in and wants me to get out and she won't even let me try, either. "Be quiet, boy, or I'll whip your ass when you get out."

"I'm thirsty..." There was a cold pipe that had water dripping from it. I've been drinking from that but I'm still thirsty.

"Then get yourself out, boy." Gran hits the door one last time, and I can hear her walking away. I get mad again. I wish the door would just... blow up. I'm thirsty and I'm hungry and I feel sick and dirty.

"LET ME OUT!" I scream, kicking at the door again. I can hear it cracking. I kick at it again, as hard as I can, wishing harder that it'll just blow up. And... it does. The light coming from outside hurts my eyes, and I shut them tight as I crawl out. I want water. I want food. I want a bath.

Gran comes back to the closet, and I can hear her laughing. "That's my boy, Corbin. Let's get you some juice and pancakes, hmm?" It still hurts to open my eyes, but I look up at Gran. She's smiling. Happy. Happy that I broke down the closet door.

"Really?"

"Really. Chocolate chip pancakes and apple juice while I'm making them." She smiles again, patting at my hair.

"… Okay." Gran thinks I did something right. She doesn't make me pancakes if I did something wrong.

"You did a good job, Corbin. I'm proud of you."