HUMAN - The Son

Chapter 3

Amaury

"Ams! Come! Play cards with me!" Amaury's little brother jumped up and down in front of him with a few cards in his hands. "Come! Please!"

Amaury yawned and took off his thin jacket to hang it on the coat rack. The day had been long and tough. Tons of buns and three large cakes had to be baked because a family had placed a very large order for a celebration. And this in addition to what was baked every day. Everything Amaury wanted now was sleeping. And his father was still in the bakery to clean. He had sent Amaury ahead, who couldn't wait to fall unconscious into his bed.

"Ask Ava. Or Aleidis! They like playing cards", he grumbled.

"What? No!" Ethan pulled an offended snout. "They never play by my rules!"

"Ethan? I'm tired. Ask Adaliz."

Ethan shook his head and held out the cards to him. The little boy looked at him with big, differently colored eyes. "Adaliz still has homework to do. I'm already done. Homework is stupid! Mom said she's sure you'd like to play cards with me when you get home. She doesn't have time."

"I'm sorry, Ethan. But not today. Maybe tomorrow! I'm tired." He ruffled through his little brother's light hair. Ethan snorted angrily and ran away.

"Mom! Amaury is meant to me!", he exclaimed, sounding extremely wistful. Amaury rolled her eyes. So Ethan played the mean-big-brother card again. He was particularly good at that. And he was especially fond of doing this when he didn't get his way.

"Does he?" His mother looked out of the living room, holding Ethan's hand. "Amaury? What did you do?"

"I dare to be too tired to play cards", he muttered, yawning.

"Oh." His mother smiled. "Have you had a long day? Where is your father?"

"Yes! Where's Daddy?" Ethan immediately asked reproachfully. "Did he get lost? Have you forgotten him?" The six-year-old chuckled softly at his own joke until he remembered that he was actually offended right now.

"Dad is still cleaning. I'm going to bed."

His mother shook her head. "And dinner?"

"And my cards? Mom! Say something! That's mean!", shouted Ethan, while Amaury shuffled lazily past the two of them. He heard his mother trying to calm Ethan, who didn't like that Amaury wasn't playing cards with him.

"Ethan, go play. We're about to have dinner!", he heard his mother say. He reached his room and closed the door behind him. His bed looked more than just inviting.

Amaury took off his flour-stained clothes, slipped into comfortable pajamas, and lay down on his bed. He liked being a baker, but days like this made him dream of all the other possibilities. Did he want to study after all? But what? No, that wasn't for him. Then he remembered the job advertisement that someone had pinned to a blackboard in the village square. He had seen it on the way home. The academy was looking for employees.

The Academy. The school for all magically gifted people. For the country's magical elite. Did he perhaps want to work there? In the kitchen? Would that be something for him? He decided to take a closer look at the job ad the next day. Perhaps a talented baker could be useful at the academy. And he would see something other than his small village.

He was about to pull the blanket over his head when there was a knock on his door. "Yes?", he replied, groaning.

Adaliz looked cautiously into the room. "Are you asleep yet?"

"Unfortunately, no." Sighing, he sat up. "Did something happen?"

His little sister nodded and sat down at his old desk. She had paper, a textbook, and a pen with her. "I don't understand this homework. Mom told me to ask you. She has her hands full with Ethan. The two are playing cards and at the same time, a soup is cooking. With bell pepper and mushrooms. I don't like mushrooms. Mom constantly forgets about this. I guess I'll only eat bread. Again!" Adaliz grimaced. "And dad isn't back yet, so he can't help me... And you know Ava and Aleidis."

Amaury smiled. Ethan loved mushrooms. Surely he had wished for this. Adaliz, on the other hand, refused to eat mushrooms. In general, everything that contained mushrooms. "Is it a lot? This task? I'm tired, you know?"

Adaliz nodded. "I know. But our teacher collects this homework and grades it! He said that if one task is missing, it is immediately a five! It's unfair! That's for sure because of the boys! They never do their homework! And if I ask Ava or Aleidis..."

"They would do the homework for you instead of helping you. And you would have trouble with Mom since Aleidis can't keep such things to herself. In addition, she has a different handwriting. That's striking." He stood up and looked at his sister's homework.

"Thank you!" She wrapped her arms around him.

(c: sasi)