"Bam!"

My skin molded around Clive's fist as it slammed squarely into my jaw. The blow sent me tumbling back. Then with a sudden jerk, Clive grabbed my collar.

"That's enough talking from you!" Clive said.

Clive's thick eyebrows furrowed at me. If only he had let me pluck them. Then I wouldn't have been in this circumstance. We could have even been friends. So, instead of him pounding my face, we could be gossiping. The idea of Clive and I painting our nails by the fireside and talking about boys gave me the courage to continue taunting him.

Clive released my collar, allowing me to slump onto the ground. I could already feel the indentations of his fist settle out of my face. If I let Clive hit me more, would my face permanently round itself out? The way it was, I  needed a lot of concealer and bronzer to show my softer features. Alfonso would notice me more than. That's a nice thought.

I heard my brother's footsteps from the alleyway as they became fainter. At least he won't indulge in this beating with me.

"People like you don't deserve to breathe," Clive said.

"At least I don't need a bag to…."

Clive wrapped his meat cleaver around me as the words left my mouth. His nose pointed defiantly towards the right. Even the caterpillars attached to his face seemed to be crawling away.

"Still talking?" Clive said.

 "Please just let me pluck them…." I choked out between breaths.

"Heathen!" Clive screamed as he introduced the toe of his boot to my stomach.

"Is that it?" I whispered, choking on each breath.

My head began spinning. The lack of air and the nausea of getting pounded were too much.

"Why don't we end this?" Clive asked as he squeezed tighter around my throat.

I tried to squirm free, but as I did, I heard a snapping sound coming off of Cive's waist. Then the feeling of cold steel kissed up against my cheek. Now it was clear I had pushed him too far. Was this to be my death? Dead before I could express myself to Alfonso.

"The Gods do not favor your kind. So, we will do what your parents should have and purge you here and now!"

"Stop, please, Clive!" Neal begged, "Devin gets the point."

"No, he doesn't! No matter how much I beat him, he continues to run that mouth," Clive said.

"Look at the blood Clive. Look at what you're doing! The church won't be able to protect you for this," Neal protested.

"Fine, but when I am ordained, you and I will take this up with the Gods," Clive stated.

The sound of their boots gripping the gravel in the alleyway let me know it was over.

Moments passed before a hand brushed against me. Staring down at me was the worried expression of my younger brother Rupert. Rupert, although three years younger than me, was already my equal in height.

"You alright?" Rupert asked.

"You should see the other guy," I whimpered.

As I searched for air, my stomach cautioned me that I was in a bad way. As the cool air hit my lungs, my body reacted violently, and I began coughing up blood.

"Devin, I saw the whole thing. Clive was serious this time. If Neal hadn't said something…."

My brother had been with me when we were walking home from errands. I thought I told him to run when the boys started mocking me.

"Please, Rupert," I stuttered.

"No, Devin! You need to stop giving them a reason," Rupert said.

"Me being around Alfonso is reason enough for them."

"Then don't! You and I will never fit in with people like him."

"You don't know that!"

"You are not kidding, are you?" Rupert retorted. He paused for a moment, looking down at me.

Rupert continued, saying, "I know you think he is a friend, but he does more harm than good. Latching onto our Lord and Lady's son has put a target on your back."

"Don't you think I know that!" I cried. The tears began streaming down my face as it all became too much. My voice reverberated through the alleyway. I could hear the rustling of wings from behind us as the alley pigeons fled from my tantrum. The beating of my heart seemed to keep increasing as my emotions continued to spiral out of control. Soon I was gasping again for air, only to have more blood escape my lips. I wanted to do nothing more than flee. Flee from this conversation. Flee from this bigoted backwater town. But, most of all, flee from those who only see me as a boy.

"I am sorry… I want to be alone," I said as I tried to pull it back deep inside me.

I rose to my feet, but a third wave of blood extricated itself from my body as I did. As the blood dripped from my mouth, I looked at my reflection in a mixed pool of blood and street water. Doubt raced through my mind. Was this going to be me for the rest of my life? A broken hack? An abomination? A freak. Well, hopefully, it was only as a freak. After all, a freak was better than a ghost.

"Brother," Rupert cried out, "You know that life isn't for the likes of kids like us."

Rupert tried to help me up, but I pushed his hand away. I don't know if it was the weakness of my body or the loose gravel, but I slid and fell. I landed squarely on my tailbone, feeling more hopeless than ever.

"Brother, please let me help you," Rupert scolded.

With reluctance, I took his hand. He pulled me up and slid his hand underneath my armpit and around my back. I didn't resist. It wasn't glamorous, but I needed the help.

The look my mother gave us was of utter disappointment as we entered from the back of the family bakery. The bakery was filled with the scent of freshly grilled steak smashed into a meat pie. The strong hickory smell always brought customers later in the evening from the swamp.

"It smells good," I said.

Rupert turned to me with horror in his eyes.

"Fighting again," Mom said scoldingly, "Throw that shirt with the laundry, and wash that dirt out of your hair."

"Yes, Mom," I said.

"For God's sake, boy, take that powder off your face!"

"Yes."

"And hand me those groceries, Rupert. You were supposed to get the cocoa beans and return right back."

"Sorry," Rupert and I said in unison.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"Honestly, whatever compelled you to pick a fight on the errand? It better not have been with Neal!"

I looked down at my toes as my mother continued scolding me.

"Devin! That family is the only one that imports cocoa beans. Are you trying to ruin this family business? It's bad enough that you insist on walking around like that."

"They were waiting for me as I left," I protested.

"I don't want to hear it! Go upstairs and eat your dinner!" Mom scolded.

I began limping up the stairs, dejected.

"And Devin, don't let your father see you like that. You know he has already had enough of you getting yourself into trouble."

As I ascended the first few steps, I felt a rush of dizziness. As I was about to fall back down the stairs, Rupert grabbed me. Rupert helped drag me up the stairs and into our room. He sat me in an old rickety chair and let me peel off my grimy clothing.

"I will get you a cloth," Rupert said to me.

"Thanks," I muttered.

Rupert left our room behind and stepped back out into the hallway. As he exited the room, I heard our mother call back, "Rupert, come grab both of your dinners. I don't need Devin fainting tomorrow in the shop."

"Devin?" Rupert called out as he entered our shared bedroom. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I am fine. I want to sleep, alright?" I replied to him. 

I had turned over on my bed as he entered the room. I didn't need Rupert's constant scolding, especially right now. I wanted to be alone, but there was no place to flee.

"I brought up some leftover meat pies and a wet rag for your head."

"I am not hungry."

"You have to eat something."

Rupert walked over to me and set the meat pie on my nightstand. The smell of the spiced meat wafted into my nose, and my stomach grumbled. Rupert leaned over me and plopped the rag onto my head. The cooling sensation of the rag immediately sent relief through my body.

I turned over on my bed and began scooping the meat pie into my mouth. I immediately had to spit a portion of it back out. It was hot. Mom must have heated them for us before sending them up with Rupert. I looked over at my brother, who was now seated at our shared desk. He was fiddling with a wood carving under the dim light of a candle.

"Mmm, this is good," I said.

Our mom's cooking always seemed warm in my spirit. Her food always made me smile, even if it was sometimes over-salted. It was because of her time and effort into each dish. 

"Yeah. It's alright. A bit seasoned," Rupert responded.

We sat there momentarily as I slammed my spoon into the bottom of my bowl, and Rupert fiddled away with his carving. Then through the old wooden floorboards, I heard the opening of our back door followed by a fury of footsteps. Before Rupert or I could fully react, our door swung open, and Sky flew in. He landed on my bed with as little grace as possible, tumbling the rest of my food.

"Sky!" I started.

He jumped off the bed and lapped my leftovers as if on cue. His tail beat back and forth as he claimed his prize for his grand entry.

"Hand me that cloth, and I can wipe up the mess," Rupert said.

"Ugh, what are we gonna do with him?" I joked as I handed over the damp cloth on my head.

As Sky finished my dinner, Rupert bent over on his hands and knees and began cleaning up Sky's slobber. But now, with Rupert's head at the right height, Sky started to lick Rupert's forehead.

"Sky, stop!" Rupert protested.

"He is only helping," I said.

Rupert managed to keep Sky off him long enough to finish cleaning up the mess. After Rupert was no longer in kissing range, Sky lept back onto my bed. After a few circles, Sky plopped back down onto my bed. I managed to worm my way underneath him, although he did give me a few disapproving huffs.

"What? Do you expect me to lay in a ball like you?" I asked him.

"I am pretty sure that is what he expects," Rupert interjected for Sky.

As if to agree, Sky gave Rupert a look and began panting for a few breaths. Rupert and I let out a few quiet laughs to not disturb our parents. I began to cozy in for the night when Rupert started on his food. He had been so preoccupied with his wood carving that he hadn't eaten dinner.

"What were you making?" I asked.

"A good luck charm for your ceremony," Rupert replied.

"Do you think it will give me enough fortune to escape here?"

"I hope not, but if that's what you want…." Rupert cut himself off from finishing.

"Hey, don't worry. Even if I become rich and famous, I will still return to visit you," I joked.

Rupert giggled and tossed me the charm he was working on. It was a small wooden medallion with a willow tree engraved into it. It had a small piece of yarn fashioned onto it, making it into a necklace.

"Wear it on your ceremony day?"

"Of course. What kind of powers do you think it will get me?" I asked.

"Does it matter?" Rupert responded.

"Of course it does. You know that I want to join Alfonso's party."

"But, you might not get anything."

" Don't say that."

"You know it's not too uncommon. Dad didn't," Rupert reminded me.

"Don't say that too loud. You know how Dad gets when we talk about that," I paused momentarily and cleared my throat. Then with my best impersonation of my father, I said, "It's not every day that you can use an affinity. But it is every day that you can use hard work." Rupert and I both began to laugh.

"At least we got some hope in the family with mom's fire affinity."

"She always chides him when he says stuff like that," I agreed with Rupert.

"Be careful with saying that. Mom might make you eat dad's cooking if you are not careful," Rupert said.

"Ugh, but all he makes is sweets and cabbage casserole. The last time mom made me have that punishment, I had a stomach ache for a month."

"Well, I am only warning you. Anyways, you need to get some sleep. Clive didn't go easy this time."

"I know I am just sick of them doing whatever they want to me."

"Try and be more careful. If not for you, then for Sky and me."

"No promises," I said as I gave my brother a small smile and turned around to fall asleep.