Before the Death of a stag

The innocence of a child

Heels clicked down the hallway as he scrambled toward his bed. Shivering under his blankets, his mother walked in and kissed his forehead, tender and sweet.
"I'm sorry, my darling, its for the best" tears welled in her eyes as he desperately tried to stay looking as if he were asleep. "Just keep smiling, your never fully dressed without one"
He threw his arms around her.
"Don't go, please mother, please don't leave me with him"
Gently she peeled his arms off her
"I must go" he watched as her shape blured and disappeared down the hall before vanishing behind a corner. He remembered her words, but wasn't sure if he could do what she asked. He wasn't sure he could keep smiling in this light, no, not light darkness. Alastor dropped to his knees on the cold, hard floor, splinters digging into his knees.
"I'm sorry mother- please" he sobbed "please don't leave me"

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The next day he was quiet, avoiding all attention he was given. His father tried multiple times to claim that she didn't love them, and she stormed out of her own accord. Alastor knew this wasn't true, he had heard their argument, the way their voices echoed around the house, loud and horrible.
"Just leave already!" His father had snapped "nobody wants you here! Certainly not me" the argument had stemmed from his school fees, he was supposed to start next week, but his father wouldn't pay them. Alastor had begged and pleaded to go, to be around other children, his father denied him every time. He clenched his fist around his fork as his father tried to justify his actions.
"She was crazy, wanted to blow all the money on crazy things, there wouldn't have been any left to feed us-" Alastor cut him off,
"Thank you for dinner, I am tired and will go to my room now" he hated speaking so formally, but in his fathers eyes, it was the only way of being polite. Of course Alators dad never showed the same respect as he and his mother did.
As he retired to his room, he wondered the point in smiling if nobody could see it. He had asked her before, she had replied with-
"The reason we smile is to show happiness, or to hide weakness. By hiding our weakness we feel stronger"
He didn't want to be strong, he simply wanted his mother again.
His father rapped on the door softly.
Weird Alastor couldn't help thinking.
"Look, I'm not sure how much you heard that night" he paused and took a deep breath "and I know your not happy with me, and thats fine. however It does not excuse you from your duties" dread crept though him, seeping terror and cold into his bones before his father had even said the words.
"You will join me on my hunt tomorrow, I will teach you to catch wild creatures for dinner so I do not have to." Alastors eyes widened. He never wanted to hold a gun, he didn't know if he could bring himself to shoot something so innocent. His face paled.
"Please father... I don't want to..."
His fathers expression hardened
"You will do as I say, do you understand" Alastor trembled at the sight of his fathers angry face. He wasn't even sure he was big enough to hold a gun, he was pretty sure the thing was taller than him. But then... he thought of the thrill of catching something, being independent instead of dependant. The boy had no idea where these thoughts came from and shoved them into the back of his mind.
"Yes father...." he said calmly, putting on a smile
"Good" his hand slid from the doorway, and Alastor relaxed as his heavy footsteps receeded outside.
He was not looking forward to tomorrow.