Manaflow - Alexander

The Red Hair Boy - Part 2

Alex walks alone towards the outskirts of Apple Grove to reach the unicorn ranch. As he's about to reach the bridge that connects the village to the fields, three boys around his age wearing dirty leather clothes stand in his way. One of them approaches him and puts a hand on the box.

"What do you got there, red hair freak."

"Leave me alone Thomas" Alex steps back holding the box tight "I'm delivering this for my dad."

"As if your dad could ever afford a box like that. You stole that didn't you!? Give it to us!" Thomas walks forward and tries to grab the box.

Alex starts running away back to the village. The three boys chase after him, throwing rocks while laughing and shouting "Freak!"

One of the rocks hits Alex on the leg, he trips and falls in front of a small fruit shop. The owner of the shop, an old lady, notices the boy fall and rushes to help him. As soon as the boys chasing him see the lady approach Alex they turn around and run away.

"You got lucky this time freak!

The old lady helps Alex up.

"Are you ok Alex?"

"Yes aunty" picks up the box trying to hide the bruises in his hands from the fall.

"Those dam Oak boys are always up to no good."

"It's ok, I'm used to it" looks down.

"That's a beautiful box you got there, where are you taking it?"

"My dad asked me to take this to Patrick at the unicorn ranch."

"I see, I actually have something I need to take there as well, would you mind if I accompany you?"

"Sure."

The lady picks up a small crate filled with apples.

"Now we both got boxes Ahah." Alex smiles at her "Let's go Alex."

The two of them walk towards the unicorn ranch.

"So how has your father been? I haven't seen him in the shop for a while."

"Dad's been working a lot lately, he's practically been living in the workshop for the past week but, today he let me help him out by lighting the forge" proud smile.

"Ooooh you can use some magic now?

"Just some simple things, but i'm getting better.

"That's good, you turned fourteen this year haven't you?"

"Yes."

"Ah, so you're going to the bonfire then, that's exciting."

"Did you also go to the bonfire when you turned fourteen?"

"Ahah I wish, I never had any magic in me ever since I was born. Sometimes I wonder how my life would have been if I had." Gazes to the sky "Life seems so much more exciting to those who can wield it" Smiles at Alex "I hope the bonfire lets you keep your's."

"Me too" looks down smiling.

Eventually they reach the old rusted gate of the ranch. Looking across the fields they see a couple of unicorns running around, in the distance above a big barn they notice some sort of dark cloud forming.

"What's that aunty? — points at the cloud.

"I don't know, why don't we go find out?"