anthony ewald-laws | d12 | fin | cb #2
Jan 10, 2017 20:18:45 GMT -5
Post by Lyn𝛿is on Jan 10, 2017 20:18:45 GMT -5
anthony ewald-laws
16. male. district 12
16. male. district 12
"Mommy?" he asked, teddy bear in sticky fingers, little head peering over the bed Mommy had to stay in, "when's daddy going to be back?"
"Daddy's going to be gone for a long time, honey," she said. "Mommy will be going away soon to find him."
"Is it going to be like the stories, where an evil stepfather comes to take me away?"
"No, honey. There will be no evil stepfathers of any sort."
When the man came, he was still scared, for the books talked of witches that adopted kids to make them their servants or to eat their flesh. But there was nowhere else to go, and so, he followed.
Little boys who were naive did not escape giants. Little boys who were awkward did not charm sorceresses. And little boys who were clumsy did not gain recognition in the Laws household.
Fifty-two times seventy-two over fifty-two-choose-five made for the probability of a full house. It was all easy - in theory. But that didn't explain why he kept losing, why card tricks and bluffing and wagers came so easily to the others - as easily as the word father came from their mouths.
He called Mr. Laws father too, but the word always felt foreign on his tongue. A single memory clung tightly, his real father tucking him in at night, only months before the illness that had slowly taken his life. Mr. Laws was nice enough, but he wasn't his father.
He would never say that out loud, however, for those who questioned their fortune often met an untimely demise. He didn't question the stealing or the gambling or any number of other shady things he suspected was going on underneath the same roof, so was this really any different?
"Daddy's going to be gone for a long time, honey," she said. "Mommy will be going away soon to find him."
"Is it going to be like the stories, where an evil stepfather comes to take me away?"
"No, honey. There will be no evil stepfathers of any sort."
When the man came, he was still scared, for the books talked of witches that adopted kids to make them their servants or to eat their flesh. But there was nowhere else to go, and so, he followed.
Little boys who were naive did not escape giants. Little boys who were awkward did not charm sorceresses. And little boys who were clumsy did not gain recognition in the Laws household.
Fifty-two times seventy-two over fifty-two-choose-five made for the probability of a full house. It was all easy - in theory. But that didn't explain why he kept losing, why card tricks and bluffing and wagers came so easily to the others - as easily as the word father came from their mouths.
He called Mr. Laws father too, but the word always felt foreign on his tongue. A single memory clung tightly, his real father tucking him in at night, only months before the illness that had slowly taken his life. Mr. Laws was nice enough, but he wasn't his father.
He would never say that out loud, however, for those who questioned their fortune often met an untimely demise. He didn't question the stealing or the gambling or any number of other shady things he suspected was going on underneath the same roof, so was this really any different?
