𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 • 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 & 𝐰𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐦

[transcendence]

CLAUDETTE COLEMAN

“You did what?” She questioned her father with attitude and an eye roll. “Why didn’t you check with me first? It is my farm after all.” A protest because her father hired her a farm hand, someone she doesn’t even know to help her out on the farm that she built and grown to love. A sigh of contempt exhaled from her parted lips as she lowered her head in defeat.

In the distance, there was a vehicle pulling up, which caused her face to scrunch up into a scowl. Her brown hues pleaded as they rolled over to her father, who waved his hand towards the door as a means for her to greet the farm hand. Claudette scoffed while pushing herself off the doorframe, unfolding her arms, and walking outside to see her hired help standing there.

As much as she wanted to smile, she just couldn’t find herself to do so, no matter how hard she tried. She was this sweet, southern belle until she didn’t get her way, which was happening right now. To her knowledge, Claudette didn’t need any further help but if her father insisted, maybe there was something more underlying there that needed to be told. Something that she placed in the back of her mind, for now.

With a soft huff to herself, she walked down the four steps that were connected to the porch and walked up to him, extending her hand out towards him. “Hi, I’m Claudette. Come, let me show you around.” She waved her arm for him to follow her to the stable, where the cows and horses were housed. There was also a chicken coop that housed chickens, whose main responsibility was to lay eggs and roosters.

There was also a pigpen on the far end of the field, which she made a mental note to show him at a much later date. “So, here in the stable is where the cows and horses are kept. Just need to make sure that each stall is clean along with the walkway.” She explained as her index finger pointed over to the chicken coop. “In there, just need to check for eggs and clean it every now and then.” Claudette waved her hand with a smile finally forming on her lips.

“And lastly, we have the pigpen. Just feed them and they’ll be happy.” She laughed although she was serious and stopped there with her hands wrapped around the wood that kept the pigs in. “I am looking to get more animals soon but wanted to start small before going big,” Claudette spoke softly and bluntly as her gaze fluttered over towards him. “We do have a spare room for you to stay in should you wish to do so.” She let that thought linger in the air for a moment before her tongue ran over her lips. “Any questions?” Claudette inquired while turning her body to fully face him now, quirking an eyebrow in his direction

​

 

[Wade Von Doom]

Michael Belloq Cassel

While a French surname, Michael was born and raised in the US. His mom was a foreign exchange student in college, studying for an engineering degree, before meeting her boyfriend and future husband Cody Harrelson. Unlike her, Cody didn't have much prospects in his future. He went in for a mathmatics career, but it was merely a placeholder for the time being until he decided on what his career path would be. The two met in the same math class on campus, and from there became good friends, to eventual lovers. Cody eventually dropped out, while Michael's mom stayed to finish her degree, eventually moving in with Cody.

Within a year of meeting each other, they were married, and had Michael not long after. What started off as young love, however, turned into a family drama. Michael's mom was now given a greencard marriage to stay in the US, but Cody revealed his true colors as their relationship continued on, becoming more jealous, demanding, and eventualky abusive towards her. They were struggling to gain a stable financial income as both were struggling to find work, and Michael's mom trying to wrap up her diploma education, but as the child was becoming a larger burden on their already fragile stability, she dropped out and took up a waitering gig to earn. Cody found himself work as a greenskeeper, but the pressure of the family life was getting to him, and soon started trying to deal out in drugs to make extra.

He was caught making his first deal on a sting operation, and while managed to get off without jail time, the bond put on him hurt the family more. Fights became more frequent thanks to the felony charges, making Michael struggle further to find adaquate work, and soon the household was falling apart once Michael was three. His mom began stripping for better income, which made Cody's jealousy worsen, and his abuse more physical in trying to control her. By the age of five, Michael's family was barely held together, with both his parents shouting and screaming on a nightly bases, while his father on several occasions threatened to kill them both to 'get free of this hellhole.' Yet, neither one of them found the courage to break it off, maybe out of fear of their futures without each others support, or the toxicity of the marriage convincing them to stick it out.

Either way, it would end for them outside of their control. A fight one night spiraled out of control with Michael's father breaking a window, then destroying their front lawn by driving his car over it, before accidentally smashing into the neighbors vehicle as he drove away. When the cops were called, enough evidence was given to hand Michael into the foster care system, while his father finally served time in jail for good. His mother was supposed to file paperwork to get Michael back.

She never did. Michael never saw her again, as she decided to abandon her old life entirely and start anew. He still doesn't know where she is now. As he grew up, he was transfered from home to home for erradic and violent behavior, throwing temper tantrums that ended with him breaking furniture or trying to attack the parents, or causing his own misdomeanors like vandalism and shoplifting. Even twice being caught drinking while underaged. Now, as he enters into his mid-twenties with not even a high school education, and a litany of emotional and mental problems, Michael's social workers tried giving him another shot at a stable life. Instead of keeping him within the city, they decided to go for an outreach program instead. Claudette's father had signed up for his farm be used as a work program for the local Boy's Home in town. Today was the first day Michael would see his new home going forward.

He looked tired. There were small scuff marks along his cheek, like bruises healing from a fight he had, along with a bandage over his nose that covered up the cut along his temple. He had a disinterested look in his eyes, like he couldn't care less for where all the animals lived and who she was. Least of all the work he would have to do here. He just wanted to lie down and sleep off the headache he had, and curle up inside his large jacket like a turtle would in their shell. He stayed completely silent as she spoke, not offering his hand back to her when she wanted to shake it, not saying anything back as she explained what his chores would be going forward, and especially when she asked him for questions.

The only thing he said to her as the silence in the air lingered betwee them, the first words he spoke to her with was, "Where's the bathroom."

 

[transcendence]

CLAUDETTE COLEMAN

She couldn't do this. She didn't want to do this actually.

Claudette ignored his scars and bruises because she didn't feel like they mattered right now but then he dismissed her handshake, which was strike one. She also saw the disinterested look in his eyes, which made her want to give up earlier on but yet and still, she kept showing him around as she held on to hope that he would care at least a little.

The silence was deafening between them while they were at the pigpen before her ears twitched at the sound of his voice. "Nice to know that you can speak." She spoke, bluntly and firmly, before she turned on a heel and started to walk back toward the house. "Come on." Claudette didn't even bother to turn around to ensure he was following him but could hear his footsteps behind against the ground. Deep inside, she blamed her father for this because she really cared about the farm and if no one else did, then why were they here?

Once they reached the house, she opened the door but didn't hold it for him as she eyed her father, who was in the kitchen then rolled her eyes before she continued walking forward. Down the hall on the first floor and the last door on the left, she waved her arm in that direction and gave him a silent answer that was the bathroom. Claudette walked past him with her arms folded as she entered the kitchen to yell at her father, who was smiling now because he could feel her anger. "You have to get rid of him. I can do this myself." Pleading with him, she sat down on the stool by the kitchen counter as she exhaled a sigh. She knew that her father was trying to be helpful and appreciated that fact but there has to be someone better out there.

"Give him a chance." He spoke while seemingly preparing dinner as she scoffed with defeat again. In her peripheral, she saw appear as her father eyed the disinterested boy with a smile. "Claudette, why don't you show him where he'll be sleeping?" She peered at her father with intent because it seemed like he was doing it on purpose. "He probably doesn't even want to stay here." Her brown hues fluttered over to him with a quirked brow. "Do you?" Her father sighed while looking between the both of them as they both waited for a response from him.

​

 

[Wade Von Doom]

"... I'm still looking for the bathroom," he repeated, since she didn't actually answer him. Again he had that disinterested look as he analyzed the kitchen. The father seemed to know what type of kid he was dealing with, and was prepared for a long emotional and mental battle of attrition to get him out of his foul mood and open up to his new environment. If not, he was going back to the city. But, like any troubled kid, if the work was put in, he could be improved for the better. It just took a chance. Something his daughter seemed to already accept defeat on.

And Michael was more than ready to just give up. Farming wasn't his thing, he hated hard labor like this, and thought cleaning up shit was beneath him. He was better off in juvi than this place. At least there he fit in better with a crowd that understood him. Admittedly, it was juvi gangs, but still.

 

[transcendence]

CLAUDETTE COLEMAN

When the male came back into view out of her peripheral and mentioned that he was still looking for the bathroom, she scoffed with a sigh. "I showed you where it was. Go back down the hall and it's the door on the left." She explained briefly. "You do know your left from your right, do you?" Claudette questioned with a smirk as her father practically screamed her name. "Claudette! Be nice." He muttered as he turned back to the troubled male.

"Dinner will be ready soon. You must be starving." He mustered a chuckle while Claudette rolled her eyes again.

After a while, she got up from her seat and walked over to the hall to make sure he had found the bathroom. Her eyes circled back to her father, who was busy preparing dinner as she parted her lips to speak. "He has to go. Who knows what sort of trouble he'll cause." Claudette spoke bluntly as she stood firm on the matter, not budging. "It's only been a day. Give it some time." Her father retorted, which made her face scrunch up slightly. "Go wash up for dinner." With a stomp of her foot, she turned to go upstairs and into her room, where she grabbed a pillow to let out a bloodcurdling shriek of frustration.

She waltzed into her bathroom and turned on the faucet at the sink, cupping both hands together to catch some of the water and splashing it on her face. Her hand reached out to grab a nearby washcloth that she ran over her face to dry it off. Claudette turned the faucet off as her dark brown hues stared at her reflection in the mirror and she knew that her father was right. Give him a chance, Claudette. Just give him a chance. She thought to herself, trying to implant it within her own mind.

But it was easier said than done, in her case.

​

 

[Wade Von Doom]

As she wondered to herself the challenges of this new face on her family's farm, Claudette would hear the sound of creaking outside her bedroom window. When she went to check, she would see the faint light of something illuminating against the far edges of the glass. And when she opened it to gain a better look at what that light was, she would see Michael sitting cross-legged on the edge of the porch roof, smoking a cigarette.

He was emotionless at her rude comment about his left and rights, and when he entered the bathroom, he locked the door behind him and crawled out the window. The cop that brought Michael here was a smoker himself, and when he stopped at a gas station to refill the car, Michael swiped about five cigs from his pack that was just sitting in the cup holder of his car; stuffing them down his pants just in case he tried frisking him once they reached the farm.

With some peace and quiet, and allowed to finally be alone, Michael just needed something to take the edge off. He hated this place. It smelt of a farm. A mixture of grass, animals, straw, mud, and whatever else was mixed together reeked across the whole plot of land. Even the house smelled of old food and animal fur. No matter what you did, the stench could never go away. All he could do to disguise it was to enjoy the tobacco as long as he could.