Chapter 1: Drunken Rage

The breaks of the speeding 1984 Cadillac screeched as it abruptly veered around the bend of the littered street. An aged drunk whispered deliriously to himself as he stumbled down a dingy alley. A weary looking boy shoved past the inebriate, and scuttled up the steps of the bloodstained stairs of a dilapidated apartment building. The intoxicated man howled a string of incoherent curses at the boy and then hurled his empty liquor bottle at the boy`s head. The youth hastily jerked the door open, and slipped inside before the bottle could crack against the solid brick wall of the building, where his head had been a second before. He sighed, is heart beat one hundred miles a minute, pumping adrenaline through his veins. He licked his cracked lips, and proceeded up the stairs up to his apartment. That was only the third time this week he had barely escaped from being seriously injured, or killed. New York City was becoming more of a dangerous place by the minute. It was either a half crazed drunk chucking bottles at him, or some drugged gang member pulling out a knife on him. He hated this city, no, hate wasnt a strong enough word, he despised it. It felt like he could become a victim of a murder case any second. He dragged his aching feet up the last few steps of the stairway, and pushed open the door to his apartment.

A middle aged woman was slumped in a foldable lawn chair next to a plain wooden table, asleep. Stress wrinkles colored the woman`s once beautiful face, purple shadows appeared under her eyes, and a bottle of cheap alcohol was slung beneath her arm. Anger fogged up the boy`s mind as he stared intently at the bottle under her arm. So, she had finally broken, she started drinking again. The boy wondered how she could do this to him, he wondered why he felt anger at the world, but only mercy for the woman. He stroked a few stray hairs behind the women`s ear, and gently shook her shoulder.

"Mom...mom wake up." He whispered to the woman.

"...Gregor?" His mother questioned drowsily. Her breath smelled of alcohol.

"Yeah, its me mom...how long have you been up, it almost twelve o`clock...you know what, never mind. Lets just get you in bed." Gregor said as he pulled his mother`s limp arm around his shoulder, removing her from her chair.

"No Gregor, I`m fine. We need to talk..." She emitted while rubbing her eyes and yawning deeply. She untangled herself from her son and stumbled against the table, clutching the edge for support.

"Are you sure? You look pretty tir-"

"-Im fine Gregor. Sleep can wait, we need to talk." She snapped.

"Okay...what about?" Gregor asked, anxious for her response. He could never trust his mother when she was drunk. She would say things that she would never say sober.

"Gregor you know exactly what! Where in the hell have you been?" She thundered.

"Shh! Shh! Mom, be quiet! You`ll wake up Maggie and Lizzie!" Gregor whispered hastily.

"Gregor I dont care! The only thing I care about now is where you have been! Can you tell me? You would think I would have the right to know, being your mother! Is this how seventeen years olds act? Skipping weeks of school, leaving the house at five in the morning and not returning till midnight?" She shrieked practically in tears. Her knuckles were white from clutching the table so firmly.

"No mom listen-", he started.

"No you listen to me Gregory Andrews! I am your mother. And you will tell me what is going on. This must stop Gregor. I cant do this without you, none of us can. Gregor I need you. Af-after your father-"

"No mom please stop I dont want to talk about th-" Gregor intejected, he knew where this conversation was headed. He did not want to talk about this. He couldn`t.

"Gregor, listen." Gregor`s mom whispered, tears flooded down her haggard face. " After your father...died, this family fell apart. Im pretty much gone Gregor. I cant do it anymore, I just cant. And you not helping by not being hear half the time. We need you, don`t give up like me Gregor. You still have a futur-"

"DAMNIT MOM! I DON`T HAVE A FUTURE, AND YOU KNOW IT!" He barked. His skin boiled, and his blood bubbled. A slight tingling sensation started to slither into his fingertips and up his arms. He had felt this way before...

His mother cringed backwards, shocked at his sudden harshness.

"Gr-Gregor, what are you talking about? You are seventeen years old, you do have a future. Maybe you think because of our...not so good past that your life wont get better, but it will baby, I promise." She sympathized. She reached out to stroke his arm, but he flinched away.

"No mom, It wont get better...not here at least. You think you`re the only one who cant take it anymore? How about me? My life was ruined when I was just eleven! Not yours! Im the one who fell into a whole different world! Im the one who has killed things by accident, and then regretted it all! You`re just the mom! You just happened to be my mom! Well life might of gone on for you mom! But not me! Nothing has or will be the same! Ever!" Gregor retorted. He was fuming, sweat dripped from his brow onto his nose. He was a mess.

His mom shook her head frantically,"Im sorry, I don`t know what your talking about..." She whispered, suddenly interested in a spot on the time floor. She was either extremely drunk or frightened. Or both.

"You know exactly what I`m talking about mom. The Underland? You should remember. Thats why you started drinking. When dad died a year ago that just made an excuse for you to drink more."

"Gregor, we are not having this conversation."

"It`s not a conversation mom. I`m the one who cant take it, have you not noticed how depressed I am? Maybe I don`t hang around the house anymore because all it does its remind me of the Underland. Oh wait thats right, you have been to busy drinking your life away!" The minute the last sentence came out of his mouth, he wanted to shove it right back in.

"Fine Gregor...leave. I cant take it. Maybe I`m drunk, or maybe I`m just tired. Or maybe I just cant even stand to be on this earth for a second more, but fine. Just know this, if you leave Margaret and Lizzie will be alone." Gregor`s mom said with a cold glassy expression in her eyes.

"Mom, please. I can get help. They will help. The Underlanders will help!" Gregor suggested.

"No Gregor. If you leave, you wont only be leaving me, you will be deserting this family."

"Mom,-" She would never say to just leave, maybe if he apoligized-

"Gregor I already said fine! Leave! I dont care! Go wherever the hell you want!" She shouted. She hobbled away from the wooden table into the small kitchen area. She ripped open the alcohol cabinet and took a swig of a bottle of Vodka.

"Mom stop-"

"Leave...now"