Work Text:
There was a gunshot, near his ear, and for a moment all Alex knew was white hot pain, and an awful ringing sound.
Sharp, bony fingers latched onto his arm, yanking him off the concrete he hadn’t known he’d been laying on and onto his feet.
Alex looked to his left, stumbling, immediately recognizing the short, anxious figure of his mother. He couldn’t, however, recognize the words coming out of her mouth.
She gave him a furious look and shoved him into the car. Alex pulled his feet in, just in time for her to slam the door shut. More gunshots, closer, coming away from the car and right next to it. She was shooting back, now.
His heart skipped a beat, and then-
It was silent. He jumped when the driver seat door opened, his mother jumping in immediately after, fingers scrambling to put the key in the ignition.
The car started, pulled out of the garage, and sped down the road.
They sat there, for a moment, before Sabrina looked at him in the rear view mirror. She looked livid. She said something, he knew, having seen her mouth open and close. She must have whispered it. That didn’t make sense, but it was the only option he was willing to consider.
He brought his hand up to his ear, just as his mother’s patience wore out. She turned around, an angry snarl on her face. Abruptly, it changed to a look of horror.
Alex was torn between staring at her, because the raw fear on her face was not something he was used to seeing unveiled, and staring at the blood he had just wiped from his ear.
The car pulled over off the road, and he couldn’t hear the tires squeal. His mom threw open the door and rushed into the backseat. Her mouth moved, repeated a short word over and over again.
Alex blinked at her with wide eyes. Sabrina’s hands were raised to his ears, cupping them carefully.
Something was wrong. Irreparably wrong.
“Mom,” he said. He couldn’t hear his own voice.
“I can’t hear anything.”