🐉-Dungeons and Dragons

A Boy with no Name

His mom wasn't coming back,
She was gone.

He had been sticking around his old crumbled cobblestone wall somewhere in the middle of the woods for 2 days. He was cold, tired, starving.. it was dark, and he swore there were shapes moving within the thick woods around him.. he was impossibly thirsty and he just wanted someone to hold him.. his mom was nowhere to be found. His hands clenched in and out of fists as he pushed himself off the crumbling wall, his hands clutching as his thin clothes as he glanced around.

Where was he? He didn't recognize this place- she had taken him far this time. Farther than normal. If this boy had anymore tears to cry they would have fallen by now. This time his eyes were dry. He couldn't cry anymore. Besides, crying was for the weak. But he had bigger things to worry about; not starving.

He started to walk slowly, his small frame walking easily through the thick undergrowth of the woods. Thorns stabbed at his feel, occasionally, causing the boy's breath to hitch before he cursed and reached down to swat around his bare feet. Some shoes would really be nice- some new clothes, too. His pants were too big and his shirt was almost reduced to a cruel rag. Of course, Mum would never go out of her way to spend more than she needed to this child..

She really wouldn't be spending a coin on him now. Nor would anybody.

".. mum? Mum, I'm scared!" The bot shouted, his head snapping around as he yelled. His ears were flattened against his head, his tail curled protectively around his left leg as he walked. "Where are you? I'm sorry if I did something just-.. just come out! I'll be quiet, I won't fight you anymore, I won't do anything!-" the only sound in the woods was the creaking of trees and the shouts of the child, which went on pleading for a woman who wasn't there for nearly an hour. Then he walked in silence.

By hour two, the trees were thinning. Now they weren't lush and green, with prickly undergrowth hidden around the soft moss. It was bare, skinny brown twigs. The ground was bare, other than the occasional patch of leaves or dead thorny bush. At least here it was easier to watch your step. Now his feet would finally stop bleeding.

...

He had always been told he was a problem child. Even when no one was around, he was still causing problems for himself. His feet were aching and had blood running from the soft flesh, he was hungry, thirsty, tired- he just wanted someone. His mom maybe.. no. Not her. She didn't hold him. He couldn't remember the last time she had held him and kissed his head. He didn't think she ever did. Sometimes she would kiss his skin with the bud of a cigar, or the palm of her hand- her great mighty hand. He rarely saw other people, so affectionate from anyone but mom was rare. Rare, or disgustingly unwanted.

He wasn't sure why he was blamed for his mother's.. choices. It wasn't his fault she was a whore. It was her choice to sleep around, and it was her choice to have this boy. Yet he was always the one who was blamed. He couldn't even count the number of times he was told that he had ruined everything for his mother. Eventually, he stopped fighting her on these accusations. He would agree, nodding along to his mother. "I'm sorry, mum." It was probably the most spoken phrase from the lad, right next to a soft "I know, mum." , which almost always got a sharp "sorry is for pussys. You outt' to show how 'sorry' you are."

even if she didn't want to reply verbally, her hands would eventually reply for her.

Mother aside, this boy was feeling more and more uneasy with each staggered step. His eyes darted around restlessly, the fur on his tail rising as he hugged his arms around himself. He smelled.. something. He wasn't sure what it was- some foul odor. It wasn't necessarily bad- it was the smell of desperation. And.. he could hear something too- people! People laughing maybe? His ears instantly shot up, angling twords the sound. Directly in front of him, thank the Gods! The pitter padder of his feet grew faster as he started to rush forward, desperate to see people- anyone.