Burned | A Fairy Tale

Chapter 4

After the hell that was school, I found Shawn waiting for me outside. He did that hand motion that his sister did earlier, so I did as he wanted. We walked down the cobblestone while the adults in the constricting clothes looked at us from across the street. Some moved to the other side, while some ran through us, bumping into me. His house was much smaller than the school, but still a little smaller than the house I had. This house did not look to be as cozy, but it was better than the school. He opened the door and led me in. His sister was there. She sat cross-legged at a table with who I believe is her mother standing over a weird metal machine. I walked over to the machine and stared.

"What is machine?" I asked out loud, startling their mother. 

"Who the hell is this," she exclaimed.

Shawn answered her, "This is Val, a new student from Viken."

"Why did you let that heathen in?" his sister asked. Shawn ignored her. I did too, as that is the easiest thing to do. 

"Wow, why did you come here from Viken?" his mother asked. I could not hear any malice coming from her. She must hide it well. 

"I had to leave. Our village destroyed by evil force," I answered, leaving out the part that it was because of you Invaders. She tried to look distraught. 

"Anyways, why don't you stay for food, you can even stay the night," Shawn suggested.

"His parents might not like him staying at our house without them knowing," Shawn's sister said. 

"I no have my parents, they left me," I said. I don't know why I told them the truth. Honestly, it just slipped out. Even Shawn's sister had nothing to say to that. 

"Shawn's mother, what is machine and how does it work?" I asked her.

"Oh, I am not his mother. I am his older sister. Our parents died a long while ago, " she said. Serves them right. They should be punished for their misdeeds, although I didn't say it.

"And this machine you're talking about is called a furnace. It is used to cook and keep us warm when needed."

I asked her, "Why not just make fire?"

"That is harder and more dangerous." These English people make no sense, but as long as they can cook with this machine, it can't be bad. The meal was mainly bread with a little amount of meat. It tasted as good as it did back home that I began to cry at the memories. I pushed them back. Only Shawn's mother saw, but she didn't press any further. 

After dinner, Shawn got out these x-shaped things and a ball. He said it was something called jacks. I was confused at first, but it was just like the knucklebones game I sometimes played in The Great Hall. 

"Wow, you're good, where did you learn," he asked me.

"Home."

"Did you play with your parents?" he asked.

I could feel the tears starting. "My father taught me. It was a long time ago, then he left. I am trying to find him"

"What is his name?" he asked me.

"Asmund."