Warning: Slurs
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Another peaceful day in the large neighborhood came, with children playing and frolicking through the colorful gardens, the sky bright and the sun high above, the green land shielded from its waves of burning heat by clouds, but not many. A cool breeze passed through the trees and buildings, greeting the kids and keeping the smiles on their faces.
One particular pair of children stood out amongst them. At age 7, they loitered near their grand but still humble abode. One of them pulled on the sleeve of the other, who sat in the shade underneath a tree, book in hand.
"Come oOOOOON [Dee]!! Pleasepleasepleaseplease pleeeeaaaase-"
Dee rolled his eyes and groaned, closing his book and joining his brother and his brother's friends. "Fine, but you owe me candy later, okay?"
"Okay! The usual?"
"Yeah." He smiled. Damu cheered and pulled him along for a game of hide and seek. Their mother, Kaira, watched them with a smile, laughing at their small mishaps and funny moments.
Damu laughed at his brother as he got the smallest stick. "Guess it's your turn to find us, [Dee]!"
Dee blew a raspberry. "Just my luck... Go on, hide..." He turned around and faced the wall, counting to 10. All of the kids giggled and scrammed, running away to hide.
"Ready or not, here I come," Dee said in a monotone voice. He never was much of a social person, but his brother was too whiny to ignore. He began walking around the large area casually, catching people. He walked too quietly, however, for each time he approached someone they'd scream in fright, as they didn't even hear him approaching.
He secretly had a habit of getting midnight snacks when everyone else was asleep and ended up being sneaky not only at nighttime but at all times.
They lived in a large house, easily one of the biggest in the area. They were rich, after all.
Finally, his brother was the last one to find. He searched everywhere, and soon even the other kids and his mom had to help. Eventually, the loud afternoon turned to calming dusk, and the other kids had to get home for dinner. Now it was just Dee and his mother, in this wild country Australia, in the middle of summer in 1905.
She shook her head in worry. "I saw him go this way, but he's not here... Where could he be?"
Dee stayed silent, looking around. His look of surprise became a grin as he realized whose hair was visible from around the corner, by the rubbage. He ran over and his mother followed his eyes, sighing in relief. "[Damu]..!" She followed her son.
"[Damu]! There you ar-"
Damu looked at them with eyes wide as plates, shushing them.
"[Damu]? What's wrong-"
Damu shook his head, the tears visible in his eyes. He frantically gestured for them to stop talking as he pointed at a closed area nearby.
There, their father was drunk, kicking someone, bottle in hand. His wife covered her mouth in shock eyes widening at the terrible sight. The sound of his foot hitting the man and the man's crying and pleads were audible, as well as their father's yells.
"FUCKING FAGGOT! HOW BLOODY DARE YOU GET IN MY WAY??"
"I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY, PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!"
He didn't even listen to his cries for help as he beat him to a pulp.
Kaira held her sons close and whispered to them that it'll be okay. Damu was frozen, unable to hear nor see anything other than his father murdering the friendly man from across the street. His father always did hate that guy for reasons he didn't exactly understand. What was wrong with two men holding hands?
