Troubled Youth, Part 1

[Condar, Betazed 2407]

Lwaxanna Hagen sat in the family room of the Morganth Household with Lon and Jemma Morganth. All three of them were sipping at Jestral tea. The mid afternoon sunlight poured into the windows, almost causing the three adults to have an aura like glow. The deep red of the cushioned furniture appeared sedated.

Andrus stood next to the solid wooden doors that lead into the family room. They were partially cracked open in such a way that he could look in and spy on the adults.

"Mister and Misses Morganth," Lwaxanna started in a concerned tone, "Tam is exceeding faster than normal for a child his age in learning to use their abilities."

That caused both Andrus' parents to smile like a banshee.

"Andrus, on the other hand," Lwaxanna continued, "Is far behind. He can barely send a gentle nudge."

"Andrus never did exceed in anything Lwaxanna," Lon commented.

"Mister Morganth, that isn't true. Andrus is a very astute observer, very clever as well." Lwaxanna said attempting to defend Andrus.

"Miss Hagen," Jemma began, "Andrus doesn't apply himself. Tam on the other hand is bright, clever, and is top in his class."

Andrus stared at his parents with his mouth open, tears silently falling down his cheeks. He stood shocked before grabbing a small knife that sat on a table next to the family room, he barreled out of the house running towards the expanse of woods that his house overlooked. As he raced through the trees, overhanging limbs scraped him. He paid little notice to them; he just wanted to get as far away as possible.

Eventually he had to stop, his lungs felt like they were on fire. His sweat mixed with his tears, as he leaned his back against a tree trunk. He could barely see the sky, but knew that it was drawing close to night time. Looking at the knife in his hand, he gazed at it. He pondered what to do next. He kept remembering back to the family room and what his parents had said.

"They don't want me..." he said out loud disturbing a flanarian bird from one of its resting spots. The cobalt-blue, white headed, orange legged and feet bird flew off with its mate. Andrus sighed, as tears continued to flow down his face. "They will be better off without me..." He brought the blade to the underside of his wrist and slowly began to press in. A bright red trickle began to emerge, disturbed.

The sweet intoxicating release of pain rushed through him, he felt alive as the red stream trickled down his arm in tune with his heart beat. He watched transfixed as he looked at the angle of the wound. Tears continued to pour down his face as he switched the angle of the blade and pressed down, watching the stained metal press against his skin. He pressed hard enough that again a bright red trickle emerged, as if welcoming the dusk. Again he felt the sweet release of endorphins chase through his body, fighting, teasing, giving him a reason to feel alive.

He sat there watching the swelling red of blood trickle down his arm and fall onto the decaying leaves beneath him. The dusk and become dark as he continued to stare at the wound he inflicted upon himself. The night time animals began to stir as a cacophony began to play around him. Andrus lay his head against the tree trunk. The endorphins that had at one time protected him from the pain had faded. Now he felt the full pain, of both what his parents had said and of what he had done to himself.

A winged animal flew close to Andrus' face before flittering off in the distance from a noise, no a bright light that shown into his face and eyes.

"Andrus Morganth?" came an unfamiliar voice.