Free More Than This: A More Novella by T. T. Kove

tilted his head back to stare up at the cloudy sky. “I stay back at school to do homework. I go out to eat, either at BK or one of the many take-away places around town. I go in early to work, spend some time in the back room. I go for walks. Whatever I can to avoid him.”
    I frowned down at the ground. It wasn’t fair that he should live like that. “That’s messed up, Roar.”
    “I know. But there’s only a few months left now until school’s over, and as soon as I get in somewhere, I’m gone.”
    That made me feel bad, even though it shouldn’t. I didn’t know him—I didn’t have any right to him. And considering how his life was, of course he’d want to get away. I would’ve too.
    The house was locked when we came there, which meant Thomas was indeed at work. If Ben was in or not was a guessing game, but he wasn’t on the ground floor anyway.
    “What does your uncle do?” He looked around with interest.
    “He’s a doctor. Works at the hospital.”
    “Has he got any children?” He stopped to look at our school pictures that hung on the walls in the staircase.
    “No, none of his own. He’s taken care of my cousin Ben for most of his life. His mum’s dead. And then when our dad… died… he took us in too.”
    “Who’s us ?” He looked at me with interest.
    “Me, I’m the youngest, and my older brother and sister. Andreas and Christina.” I pointed them out in each their picture. “Christina’s moved out with her boyfriend. Andreas’ in the army, but his boyfriend Alex comes back here during the weekends.” I couldn’t show him a picture of Alex, because he wasn’t in any of them. He hadn’t been in Andreas’ class.
    “You’re lucky to have someone who takes all of you in.” He gazed at my school picture from seventh grade.
    “That’s Thomas. He took Alex in too, last year. His parents are shitty. And after his brother celebrated Christmas with us, he comes back here most weekends too with Alex.”
    He looked like he couldn’t quite believe it. “And your uncle doesn’t mind? All those people…”
    “No, I think he likes it.” I smiled. “Uncle’s great. He’s done so much for all of us. He’s the only one in the family—in his generation and above, anyway—who we keep in contact with.”
    “The rest of your family’s bad?”
    “Well… yeah. Grandma’s okay, but she lives in Spain, so it’s not often we get to see her. My dad’s dead, Ben’s mum’s dead, and my uncle’s oldest brother… he’s not around. No one wants him around either.” I didn’t like to think about him and how Jo and Jørgen had suffered through their entire childhood.
    If Thomas had known what had been going on there, I was pretty sure he would’ve taken them both in too. But they’d kept themselves separated from the rest of the family, so Jo and Jørgen had suffered without anyone being the wiser.
    “So it’s not all good in my family either. In fact, some things are pretty bad.” I led him up the stairs. “That’s my uncle’s bedroom.” It was the door to the right. “There’s the bathroom, and that’s Christina’s old room that’s usually Leo’s now, and at the end of the hall… my room.” I opened the door and preceded him inside.
    I wished I’d cleaned it better that morning, because clothes and books were scattered around.
    Then again, I hadn’t known I’d bring Roar home earlier today.
    I dropped my rucksack next to my desk. He tentatively took a seat on the chair, whereas I sat on the edge of my bed.
    His foot kept tapping now he sat down, like he was nervous.
    Maybe he is .
    “Are you hungry now?” Considering he’d been outside fighting during lunch, I didn’t reckon he’d had anything to eat then.
    He shrugged.
    “Have you had anything to eat today?” I raised both eyebrows questioningly.
    “No,” he admitted, voice low.
    “Right then.” I dragged my laptop over and opened it. Once I typed in my password, my browser with all its tabs came up