Tulum

Chapter 18: What happened to Aiolos?

"Dad I'm home!" Aiolos called returning from his work taking off his light brown messenger bag putting it on the couch.

"Dad?" He called again picking up empty bottles as he goes to check the "formal" living space they had. The house was a 2 bedroom 2 bath house it looked nice on the outside and the inside probably would have been nice if his dad didn't let it fall into shambles. They could pay a witch to fix it up with a nice spell. but damn witches aren't cheap.

Upon entering the living space, he sees his dad sitting in his rocking chair as a man with slick black hair, crooked grin with a fancy suit sits across from him. Aiolos knowing the face all too well froze letting the empty bottles fall on to the beaten down wooden floors and break.The sound of the bottles breaking made Nero make eye contact with Aiolos, but it wasn't until Aiolos got the look from his dad that made him want to run.

"Son glad you could join us. We were just talking about you." His Dad says with a normal tone that scared Aiolos even more.

"Me?" Aiolos asks wishing he didn't leave his book bag in the other room.

"Yes evidently Mr. Nero has heard you are harassing people at work with your Wendigo friend."

"What? No, I haven't. We keep to ourselves."

"What did you just say?"

Hearing his dad's tone get sharper he looked down at his feet. "I'm sorry I mean, No Sir me and Dagen haven't bothered anyone at our Job."

"What about this girl named Emily?"

"We've only just met her sir. If anything, she harassed Dagen by putting her fingers in his mouth."

"I'm sorry to say but we have several witnesses saying you harassed her and continued to badger her with insane questions. She also reported that you had stolen something Valuable of hers when she greeted Dagen." Nero spoke in what Aiolos suspects is a fake concerning tone.

"You stole from her?" Aiolos's dad asked. Aiolos thought he would die if looks could kill.

"No, I didn't sir! And I certainly didn't badger her with questions. Maybe one or two but your witnesses have to be lying I never did anything to that woman!"

"Do not raise your voice in front of me nor Nero!" the father snapped back getting out of his chair.

Aiolos went back to looking at his feet biting his lip so hard with anger and fear that he could feel the blood start down his lip.

"I want to believe that you didn't steal from her. But we need proof. Let us look in your bag and see?" Nero asked as he too stood.

"Fine go ahead but you're not going to find anything. It's on the couch in the living room."With that said Aiolos's father and Nero followed him to the front living room where he dumped out all the contents of his bag on the small table between the couches.

Things that was in his bag was 2 packs of gummy bears, fingerless gloves, rocks with a slingshot,An extra apple, a notepad, several pencils, different color pens, lock picking kit, paperclips,small flashlights, needle with black thread, and a golden pocket watch that Aiolos has never seen before but Nero has.

"Oh, I was so hoping you were right about my witnesses, but that pocket watch was Emily's grandfathers, no wonder she was so upset about it being stolen.'' He says in an almost sincere voice.

"Wait what? No, I didn't steal that! I've never seen this before!" Aiolos pleaded to his dad ignoring Nero.

Nero just sighed and grabbed the pocket watch. "I must get going to make sure Emily gets this before she leaves again. I'm terribly sorry for this."

"No sir. I apologize for my son's behavior. He shouldn't have never done what he did but don't worry he will be punished for it." Aiolos dad stated leading Nero out of their home.

Once Aiolos saw his dad close the door behind Nero just leaving the two of them alone he took off running. His dad being shorter and a lot older should have been slow but this not being the first time he had to chase his son around the house knowing all the ways to catch up to him made it quit easy to catch him and shove him into the wall.

Aiolos hit the wall hard, feeling dazed he was still determined to run. But his dad grabbed him forcing him to face him. Seeing how angry his dad looked he quivered and try to look away from his dad 

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" He's dad says taking the hand that was holding his son and grabbing his chin forcing him to look.

"I will teach you not to disrespect me in front of guests!" He yelled punching Aiolos hard enough to make him fall and bust his nose on the floor. But his dad wasn't done yet. Getting on top of his son forcing him to stay on the ground as he grabs the collar of his shirt lifting just his head of the ground.

"You will not lie to me in front of guests!"

Aiolos nodded quickly feeling the heavy blood pour coming from his nose. "Yes sir. I'm sorry sir!" He begged.

"Your sorry will not cut this time or the next!" He's dad raises his fist again and Aiolos couldn't do anything to stop his dad from punching him again and again in the face. He begged and pleaded for his dad to stop but his dad just kept on blabbering about how he should know when and who to steal from.

"How could I have such a stupid son!" he questioned shaking Aiolos a bit before going back topunching him again just as the sound of the front door being opened was heard. Aiolos knew it was his mom. He could hear her heels walking this way on the wooden floor and once she made her way in the hallway between their bedroom and Aiolos's bathroom. He began to plead to her.

"Mom please help me! I said I was sorry!" Aiolos says before his dad could land another punch but like usual his mom just watched with a bare expression.

"Mom please!?" He begged again trying to move his hand from under his father leg to reach out to her. "Please!" he cried "I-I said I-I was sorry!"

Yet again his mom just stood there for a few more minutes before walking past them and into the bedroom. Aiolos let out a choked sob as he feels his dad fist connects with his face yet again before feeling his dad get up.

Once the heavy older goblin was off him. Aiolos curled up crying softly to himself for he was hurt and all he could think to do was cry.

His dad laughed and kicked him stomach which made Aiolos cry out and grab his stomach."Fucking pansy!" his dad laughed at him doing it again watching his son curl tighter in a ball before getting his leg ready to do it again before hearing his wife cough loudly.

"that's enough I'm tired of hearing it." She says in an irritated manor.

"Sorry my love." He says apologetically before walking over to where she was in the bedroom door.

Aiolos laid curled on the floor bloody, crying and in pain as he's parents went their room pretending as if their son wasn't just beaten or neglected by either one of them.Once Aiolos could clearly tell they were in the middle of something. He forced himself to get up put his things back in is bag, before limping off all the way across town to where his only friend stays.

--

Dagen laughed as Marlowe jokes about at the dinner table. Everyone laughed except Atticus who sat there peacefully and ate quietly letting the kids have their fun when they hear a knock on the door.

"Who could that be this late?" Juniper asked

"Do you think it's Nero?" Marlowe questioned

"Only one way to find out." Dagen says getting up and walking over to the door.

"It's definitely not Nero" Calliope says just as Dagen opens the door.

"Hey just in time for the party" Aiolos slurs holding his side tightly. He stumbled towards Dagen before murmuring "timber" as his knees give out and he falls at Dagen's feet everything going black.