Daniel

A young boy who is abused by his dad, has a big turn of events.

Dream/flashback

Daniel 6, gooes to look for his mum and finds her in the kitchen doing the washing up, 'mummy, mum' shouts Daniel, she looks at him and smiles, his dad is also in the kitchen but he doesn't notice Daniel stood there, and gets into an argument with his mum. Both parents argue over what the mum was doing last night, when the argument escalates and he ends up shoving her, she bangs her head and she dies instantly, the dad tries everything he can to revive her but nothing, he looks up and see's Daniel stood at the kitchen door, Daniel runs away and hides in his wardrobe with his teddy bear. Ten minutes later and he hears noises outside, he goes to his window and see's his dad putting mud back in to a whole, he breaks down at the side of his wife

Back to present times, the bedroom

Daniel is now 12 and is lying on his bed, barely able to catch his breath from the shock of his flashback, when he hears his dad, coming up the stairs shouting him, so he hides under his duvet. Slowly Daniel comes out of hiding, he looks over at the door and his dad is stood larger then life in the door way barely able to stand up from the amount of alcohol he has consumed. Dad walks over to Daniel and pulls him from the bed and on to the floor where he bangs his head on the bedside table. As Daniel is lying on the floor his dad kicks him in the stomach. Daniel grabs his uniform and goes to the bathroom, he sits on the bath trying to catch his breath which is proving hard from the crying. Daniel quickly wipes his face and gets dressed, he leaves the bathroom to see his dad sat on the side of his bed crying to himself. Daniel slowly leaves the bedroom and makes his way out the bedroom door.

Front Room

Daniel is putting his coat on ready for school when his dad comes down the stairs. 'The windows need cleaning' says his dad, 'But I have to go to school' replies Daniel, 'Are you questioning me' his dad ask, 'If im late for school I get a detention, if I get a detention I'm late home, If I'm late home then...before he can finish his sentence his dad leaves the front room, slamming the door behind him. Half an hour later Daniel has the music on loud and is dancing around the front room with his football. His dad is in the kitchen smiling to himself and bobbing along to the music, Daniel looks at his watch, puts his blazer on and leaves for school, playing football with an imaginary person down the street.

Hallway, in the evening

Daniel walks through the front door, with his football in his arms and his dad is waiting for him, he questions Daniel on where he has been, Daniel tries to explain but his dad tells him he doesn't care, he stomps over to Daniel, grabbing him, pinning him up against the wall, punching and kicking him. When Daniel looks in to his dads eyes they are filling up and darting everywhere. Daniel Gets away running upstairs to his bedroom and blocking his door to stop his dad who is now coming up the stairs to get him. 'You better open this door before I kick it down' his dad demands, 'What do you want from me' ask Daniel, 'I want you to open this door' replies dad, 'Why so you can hurt me again?' he ask one more time. It goes quiet for a few minutes later. Just in case his dad is still there Daniel refuses to open the door. He gets into bed and cries himself to sleep.

Another dream

Daniel 18, is playing for man united and has scored his first goal as a professional footballer and his running around cheering with the crowed, sliding along the grass on his knees, and doing his very own celebratory dance.

In the bathroom

Daniel is stood in the bathroom looking in the mirror at his bruises, when his opens the cabinet and finds some tablets he briefly stares at them and then puts them back.

In the kitchen

Daniel hasn't gone to school, he's unwell, and is doing all the homework he has missed out on, when his dad enters the kitchen, slamming everything about and throwing things. He questions Daniel on why he isn't at school, Daniel tells him he isn't feeling to well, 'I didn't get time of when I wasn't well, why's it different for you?' his dad ask. Daniel just looks at him blankly, not sure weather to give him an answer or not, his dad looks down and see's what he is doing. 'What's all this rubbish' he ask, 'My homework' replies Daniel, 'What?, homework you haven't done yet?' he ask again, Daniel nods is head and in return his dad gets angry, ripping his homework up and smacking Daniel on the head, Daniel goes upstairs, sits on his bed and cries.

Bedroom

Daniel is playing the PlayStation, he has a pair of headphones on and a microphone talking to other people playing the same game, 'The referee better not wipe my goal out this time' says Daniel, 'Kick where is hurts dude' replies Dalton on the other end of the microphone, 'I would if i could get through the screen' says Daniel, 'Daniel get the ball dude' says Dalton, 'I'm on it on' says Daniel, 'Like a car bonnet' replies Dalton, 'Hahaha' laughs Daniel.

Next day, front room

Daniel has walked home after his detention and as usual his dad is waiting for him, he questions where he has been once again, Daniel tries to explain, its because he didn't have his homework due to his dad ripping it up, but he stops himself, because dad had a look on his face which sent a shiver down Daniels spine, so he tells his dad that he lost it. His dad stands up, steps towards Daniel and smacks him, he smacks him so hard he spins around on the spot and lands on the floor, banging his head, 'Keep hold of it next time' says his dad. Daniel loos up at his dad nodding his head and crying.

Landing

Daniel slowly and quietly opens his bedroom door and is dad isn't stood there, he goes to the top of the stairs, looks down and his dad is stood holding into the banister so he doesn't fall, 'Where are you going?' his dad ask slurring his words, 'I'm leaving' Daniel replies. 'Your going nowhere' says his dad, 'Yes I am, I'm not gonna let what happened to my mum, happen to me' Daniel shouts, 'You what?' his dad ask again, 'That's what you want isn't it?, you want me to go the same way she did but worse because she never had time to feel any pain' replies Daniel almost crying, 'It was an accident, I didn't mean it, if i could turn back time I would, I hate myself for everything I have done to you, I never meant any of it' says his dad. He steps forwards in the hope to grab Daniel's hand, 'Son; he says. Daniel put his hands out to stop his dad from touching him, but his dad looses his balance and fall down the stairs.

The park, a few weeks later

Daniel is playing football by himself against a wall, when some boys come over and ask to join him, he tells them yeah but he can't stay for long. Half an hour later he looks at his watch and has to go, telling the other boys to look after his ball. Daniel comes home and goes straight to the kitchen, Daniel shouts his dad to make sure he's a wake, he puts some food out and carries a tray to the front room, starting from the bottom and working your way up, you see some wheels and his dad sat in a wheel chair, as Daniel walks away again his dad grabs his arm, 'I'm so proud of you, after everything you've continued to keep going, you stuck around to help me, and I don't expect you to forgive me' says his dad. They stare at each other for a few minutes as Daniel doesn't know what to say.