Purification Withdrawal (DANIEL X OC)

Chapter 6: Innocence

CONTENT WARNING:  Violence, death and brief mentions of vomiting. Don't want you guys getting a belly ache if you're not willing to!

Also, sorry for taking so long! Brain is empty like 88% of the time! It's echoey in here

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Daniel was a child, only nine years old. He did well in his studies, and he was always rewarded for his good behavior by being allowed to leave the compound and help the church leaders go door to door and spread the word of Xemüg to the commoners that lived outside. He was a helpful and mature child who did what he was told. He knew that the elders knew best.

Daniel also knew that he was a special boy. The church leaders always made that clear. Out of all the bratty, snot-nosed kids in his classes, he was the most clean and proper. He followed Xemüg's teachings by the book, after all. In Xemug's perfect earth, children were supposed to act like adults. The selfishness of childhood immaturity only held back the growth of the universe's evolution. Humanity can only be salvaged when childish emotions like anxiety, fear, guilt and grief are thrown into the depths. Daniel was proud of his ability to be a grownup in a child's body.

As Daniel sat between his mother and father at the dinner table, he kept his hands in his lap and his legs were kept very still. No fidgeting or kicking.
Daniel's mother broke the silence with a soft clearing of her throat.

"So, Danny," She started with a smile.

"What did you do at school today? I got a note saying that you performed very well, but they didn't specify what you did!"

Daniel took his time before answering, chewing his food slowly and swallowing quietly.

"We just read today, Mama."

"Hm? Just reading?" Daniel's father butted in.

"From the way they phrased it in the note, they made it sound like you were doing some kind of presentation."

"Well, I presented myself quite well when Clara started one of her tantrums."

Daniel's mother tilted her head.

"Ah...A...tantrum? What do you mean by that?"

Daniel sighed wistfully with a smile plastered on his young face.

"Oh, you know. Childish squealing and shouting. She looked very silly. She started crying at the scripture she was supposed to read out loud, then she acted like the world was ending when the teacher told her that she would get in trouble if she didn't finish."

Daniel's mother and father gave each other a tense look for a moment.

"Well, what was the poor girl reading that made her act so distraught?"

"I don't think that matters, Mama. It isn't relevant. It was just something she didn't like. She said it was sad and evil."

Daniel took a long sip of water before continuing his retelling.

"Well, anyway, I had to drag her by her hair back to the purification sauna. She screamed the entire time!" Daniel chuckled.

Mother's face scrunched up at Daniel's words, and she turned her head away for a brief moment.

"Bertie, are you okay?" Father reached out to touch Mother's hand.

"Mm-hm." Was her only reply.

"Daniel, why don't you go up to bed? We'll be up to tuck you in in a few minutes. Ma and Pa just wanna talk."

Daniel nodded quickly and wiped his mouth with his napkin.