"What's school?" Dodger asked with a curious crinkle on the left side of his nose.
"It's a magical place where teachers infuse knowledge in your brain." I twisted my finger on Dodgers temple.
"Does it hurt!" Dodger squealed with concern.
"No, of course not silly!"
We have seen the last days of summer solstice and Dodger is of age to attend school. In school, Dodger would learn about the different paths and careers he could follow into adulthood. With the rise in demon activity the need for squires and knights has risen sevenfold. I hoped that he wouldn't take on that path, it's extremely dangerous. Most squires never make it to knighthood.
We headed down the dusty street towards the schoolhouse. Since Dodger couldn't rely on sight, I had taught him a little song to help him find home if the need arises.
"Remember what I taught you?" I asked him, his hand wiggled in mine.
"Yes," Dodger skipped as he chanted the song:
"Down three apartments,
The tiny mouse tiptoes,
"Past stinky feet it goes,
Old Ladies sewing with needles,
Shriek at his sight,
A fright!
Right he goes down the street
and hides in his hole up two flights of stairs
to return safely home."
Children remember songs they love, their favorite colors, and the smell of their favorite flowers. If the child is bored in their learning process, they won't retain knowledge. I made the song catchy, I sang it with glee, and I wrote it to make Dodger giggle. The lyrics gave Dodger direction home, he would remember to pass three apartments, the shoe shop that smells of leather, the right turn past the linen factory that whirs from the magically powered sewing apparatus, and the two flights of stairs he must climb to get to our apartment. If something happened where Daniel or I couldn't pick him up he could still find home.
We made it to the shoe shop that's three buildings away from the school.
"Remember the smell of leather, Dodger. This is the shoe shop I told you about."
"The stinky feet!"
"Yes," I answered with a chuckle. Dodger took a long whiff of the air.
"Leather doesn't smell stinky. It smells nice."
I lifted my nose and strained to smell an odor other than piss but there was a slight stench of leather. "Not my desired smell, I guess."
Dodger jumped around the street, pulling on my arm as he dodged left. It seemed that he was avoiding the cracks in the street. His game slowed us down. School was about to start and the families passing us would find better seats.
"Why aren't you stepping on the cracks?" I asked, curious where he learned such a game and concerned by his determined look.
"Mnakaraneh told me if I step on a crack I break your back." He said glumly. "I don't want to hurt your back."
"Well that's just silly." I said hiding anger in my voice. Only something truly evil could create fear in the simplest things for a child, a fracture on the ground for instance. "It's not true, don't listen to that... silly creature."
Refraining from cursing in front of Dodger was difficult. I always thought that swearing would be easy to avoid when I trained my tongue to speak of nicer things. But when this creature was telling Dodger about evil superstitions, making him afraid to do simple things, it made my blood boil.
"Ok." Dodger walked normally and stepped on a small lightning bolt crack with spear shaped leaves growing from it. A sharp quick pain stabbed me in my back causing all my muscles to tighten then weaken immediately almost knocking me to the ground. Dodger noticed.
"Mae, did I hurt you?" He asked, his eyes drooped with worry and his shoulders tensed.
"No," I feigned a chuckle to lighten Dodgers anxiety, "I walked over ten miles yesterday, my bodies tired. It's only a muscle spasm." I said to convince myself as well. It wasn't a lie, my body ached and if I took one step out of my planned course I would collapse. My mind kept repeating itself but my heart was not convinced. My breathing hastened, and I kept a wary eye behind me. Other than the man in a tattered over coat with the hot morning sun blaring overhead, it seemed he was trying to hide a giant puss bubble on his left cheek but didn't have a big enough collar to cover it, nothing else seemed out of the ordinary. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye a dark puff of smoke flashed into my peripherals only to disappear again. I looked to the street, hoping I just imagined eyes staring at me and a malevolent chuckle echoing off the buildings.
I must be psyching myself out, focus on Dodgers schooling and the images would go away.
"We're going to be late, let's get a move on." I wanted to get out of this area. I tugged on Dodgers hand and trotted alongside me as we arrived at the school's courtyard.
The school house wasn't a sight meant to shock and awe. It was a plain wooden shack with broken shutters and the plastered areas were just as cracked and worn as our apartment. The shingles were spotted with diverse colors and textures, some were broken off and revealed patches of the roofing underneath it. Around the outside was fenced in by a red brick wall. The wall barely made it past my hip, I assumed its purpose was to keep in small children that hadn't quite understood obedience yet. Older child could easily hop that fence. Standing tall above the school and the fence was an old oak tree that had long stringy pieces of moss dangling from the branches. It didn't have any leaves, not even orange leaves that would blow with the wind as we approached winter. This tree was dead.
Something about that tree created a lump in my throat, I could tell Dodger sensed it too when he moved closer to me, tightening his grasp in mine. Suddenly, I didn't want Dodger to attend school anymore.
Children of all ages and sizes poured into the school house. The nicest pair of clothes I saw was a boy with an untattered brown jacket. This was a school meant for low-class citizens and our best clothes were faded brown breaches blackened by dirt and torn by rough play. The girls normally wore dresses, similar in color and wear and tear.
Inside the school was lively with bouncing children dragging their parents everywhere and screeching like banshees. The older children left their parents and stood by their friends. The noise made it difficult to hear Dodger and I hadn't noticed he was speaking until I felt a tug on my arm.
"Will I have friends, Mae?"
"You'll be very popular. Just be nice to people and you'll have friends in no time." A reassuring smile crossed my lips, I bent over so Dodger could trace his fingers across my smiling face.
We followed the crowd of children and parents to a room with drawings pinned sideways on the walls and small books disorganized on shelfs, certain toys and supplies were spilled on the floors. The ceiling was tan with random brown spots showing signs of mold and water damage. I couldn't complain, families without money don't get to choose, we were fortunate that we even have the money to send Dodger to school at all.
"Hello! What is your name?" We were greeted with a loving smile by a small dark-skinned woman with gray hairs peeking from underneath black ringlets. Her smile could lighten up any room. "My name is Ava."
"Mae Ember, and this is my son Dodger." She followed my eyes to Dodger, I shook his hand in mine to avoid confusion with the other children that ran frantically in and out of the classroom.
"Ooh! You have quite the name? You're lower class?"
"Yes. My family's lineage was military."
"Impressive! It's always easier to earn a name through the military."
Lower class citizens were not deemed worthy enough for a last name. Names originated from great acts of bravery and honor, some got their name through money. With society marrying rich people to rich, lower class citizens never get a chance at a last name unless their actions in war have become noticed by a higher rank, or better yet, the king. This gave them enough fame and fortune to rise from lower class. My last name Ember, came from an ancestor in the great war against the Lumos. His actions were honorable enough to be presented to someone with status, I'm fuzzy on the details but the name means "burning with passion" and through that my ancestor honored himself and generations of relatives after him with a last name.
"It's nice to meet you both! I'm the first term teacher and this is my classroom. Do you have any questions before we start?"
"Yes, do you have any special experience?" She stared at me for a second.
"S-special?" She stuttered a little, confused.
"Dodger is blind."
"OH! Yes, the school assigns a special assistant that will teach Dodger individually on how to read brail." I sighed in relief. "I suggest he avoids the middle and sits on the outsides so the assistant has room to stand near him."
She added, "You may stay, if you'd like. I'll go over schedules and what to expect as his mother when the rest of the children arrive."
I picked a decent spot near the back, on the outside isle just as Ava instructed. When Dodgers hand slipped from mine as I stepped back, Dodgers shoulders slouched forward creating his own antisocial bubble. His fingers picked at the wooden table, pealing little bits of slivers and letting them fall in his lap.
"Don't slouch, it's bad for your posture." I tapped on his shoulder. He straightened but his face was red with discomfort.
Thirty seats were filled with anxious children between the ages of six and nine solstices old. They rocked back and forth and side to side, some bounced up and down while holding onto their seats for fear they'll float away. A group of children twisted their backs to have a conversation with their neighbors. One lonely little girl with curly pig tails sang to herself to calm her nerves. Dodger, on the other hand, was as still as a rock. He's never been in a room with jabber growing into shrieks as thirty-some children try to speak over the others, it must be disorienting to have so much noise crowding all the senses. But this is another reason why Dodger must be here, it'll train him to deal with crowds. I crossed my fingers and prayed to the goddess of mercy that school would be good to him.
The teacher demanded attention from the small-minded children and the parents as well. Me along with over thirty parents squeezed in the back and migrated to the sides for more room, a group of parents left the room since their spouse was present and didn't want to add to the chaos, I appreciated the extra space.
The teacher babbled on about her name, how her ancestors were all teachers like it would settle our minds, she talked about schedules and their curriculum, where we can pick up our kids, and what we can expect them to learn by the end of the school year. I'm interested mostly in what kinds of spells Dodger would learn and how he could apply them at home. When I was in school, our realm didn't have as many spells as we do now. Maybe Dodger could teach me thing or two?
The introduction was over and I headed out the door. I wasn't paying attention when Ava hollered across the room. A small hand tugged on mine and gray eyes stared at me with hundreds of questions.
"Dodger, you have to stay." The other children were snickering and whispering. One spoke their mind loud enough for me to hear, they called him "baby."
"Aren't you staying?" His blank eyes stared at me and demanded comfort, how do I walk away from this cute little face?
"I have to go back home." He pouted to my response. "You don't have to spend the afternoon bored with grandma anymore, you can come here and learn all kinds of new things and make friends."
"I don't like it here." He admitted.
"Why not?" Besides the snickering children that pointed at him and made impudent remarks about his ears, this place was decent. He didn't respond, he relocated back to his chair and slouched.
"I'll be back to pick you up." I told him, hoping he'd reply but he didn't.
~~
The remainder of the day was busy, I spent it searching for a job and working odd ones as I worried about Dodger. Was he making friends? Did he miss me? Have the other children accepted his differences or are they bullying him? Concentrating entirely on Dodger interfered with my performance at work. I did all I could to direct my mind in the path of my job but my stomach fluttered. I left work with anticipation quickening my step to pick Dodger up from school. Dodgers school wasn't even a mile away from home. I made it to the school in time to watch as the kids burst through the door.
Dodger attempted to push through a small crowd of children that were taller than him, they blocked his path. A stout boy pushed him as he wiggled past them. I wanted to intervene, a powerful desire to smack that kid across the face grew but I refrained. I didn't want Dodger being bullied further for being a momma's boy.
The dark surge of violence hadn't left me, my hand twitch with anticipation and I had to force my feet from taking another step. I never wanted to hit a child my entire life even when they acted as brats. It wasn't natural of me to even think such a thing. I pushed it out of my system and tried to forget the whole thing.
Dodger finally made it past the crowd and called out my name in excitement while the other kids stuck around to play, even the nervous little girl with pig tails found a friend to hang out with. My heart ached for Dodger, I wanted him to have a normal friendship. He hastily ran to my side with excitement and told me the good news.
"Mae! Mae! Mae!" He bounced around me like a bunny.
"What is it?" I faked my excitement to mask the anger that lingered.
"Guess what I learned today." He puffed his chest out with pride of his newfound knowledge.
"Hmmm... I give up what is it?"
"Did you know, that this realm spent six-hundred solstices without the north and south and east and west tree of life?" He pointed in four different regions that weren't the correct directions for east, west, north, or south.
"Really?" I pretended I didn't know. "Do you know why that is?"
He paused with a confused look as if it was a trick question. "I haven't gotten that far yet."
"Well, make sure to tell me when you do know." Truth is, no one knows how this realm thrived without the trees or how they came to be. Historians believed that the trees were always there but they needed six-hundred solstices to sprout. Another speculation is that the trees sprouted right as the 'Great Sin' was committed by the notorious demon lord Zaith Vail, that the trees cleansed the people and the land of his defilement to our souls but that one never fit with the timeline. The Vails sin was committed about two-hundred and sixty solstices ago, the trees are centuries old but people are ignorant and don't care for the facts. There are other theories that the god and goddess lived with us during six-hundred solstices and gave life to the land. When they jumped into the sky to light the rest of Chara they replaced their presence with the trees to sustain our life. Only the gods and goddesses could answer that question.
Dodger and I walked hand in hand, he carried his books by a thick ribbon tying them all together. Like two little mice scrambling around we sang the song with the little directions as we passed the sewing factory, and the leather store helping Dodger to make a mental note about his surroundings. We counted the number of stairs as Dodger hopped onto each one instead of stepping, this climb took forever, but it was an eternity I could spend happily. We took a turn at the top of second floor. Dodgers fingers grazed the wall.
We counted, "One door, two door, three door…" Until we came to the sixth door.
The smell of cooked beef wafted into our nostrils when we opened our apartment door. The kitchen was empty except for a jug of moonshine, the thought of the taste made me cringe.
We ventured to the living room.
Daniel sat on the balls of his feet facing the cooking pot. Swirling around inside were soft potatoes that broke apart and thickened the broth, carrots stained brown by thick gravy that bubbled as the coals crackle, and stringy beef with chunks of fat hanging loosely on its side.
"I thought you were at work?" I asked.
"I took an early day off." He dared not look at me as he lied. A smirk peeked from the small portion of his face that I could see as his back greeted me.
"Where did we get that beef?" Beef was too expensive for us to afford even taking early days off as I had was too expensive.
"Um… An old lady gave it to me."
"A random stranger gave you beef?"
"No, I… Worked for her. I did more than she expected and said I deserved more." He left it at that.
"Did she give you the alcohol in the kitchen too?"
"No, Ja'resh sold it to me for some work." I could smell the smoke on him, Daniel never smoked. Last he gambled he carried the same smell as he is now. Cooking dinner for me was a way to cover up his guilt.
"You took an early day off but worked two jobs? And did beyond what was expected from you?"
"I've been working for this woman all week."
I stopped prying, he would have an answer for every question. If he lost… No, when he loses a game, I'll find out and he'll hear more than an earful. I'll make his ears bleed with the amount of nagging and I-told-you-so's.
"I'll set the table. Dodger, will you help me please?" Dodger nodded. We set the coffee table as we were without a dining table with silverware which was made from scrap metal, bowls, and napkins.
I filled each bowl to the rim with gravy and thick pieces of meat and veggies. I gave Dodger one piece of beef, two carrots, and a large piece of potato and one spoonful of gray.
"Eat this and I'll give you some honey and toast for desert." Dodgers face lightened, but I caught Daniel rolling his eyes. "What was that for?"
"He shouldn't be bribed for eating what he's supposed to."
"It's positive reinforcement. Besides, Dodger did good in school. It's a reward."
"It's spoiling, he's going to grow up thinking there's a prize for everything he's supposed to do." He turned to Dodger. "No dessert, just dinner."
Dodger replied with a scowl. "And don't give me that face. Be thankful you have food at all."
Daniel scarfed his food down until the only thing left was the broth and small bits of fat on the side of the bowl. I ate, but my stomach was sick from being mad at Daniel. Dodger hadn't touched his food except to watch the fat bounce against his fork.
"Dodger, please eat." I asked him politely, but it did nothing.
"You're going to sit in that spot until your bowls empty." Daniel threatened, he leaned back with the paper and began to read.
It took me awhile to choke the food down, my taste buds were filled with acid from my bitter hatred for Daniel that grew rapidly. Why was he being so mean to Dodger? I washed mine and Daniels bowl in the kitchen but when I returned Dodger still hadn't taken a single bite.
"Eat your food." Daniel yelled.
"I want toast." Dodger whined. Daniel casted me a nasty look.
"See what happens with your promises and treats. He acts like a little brat!"
"That was uncalled for." I kept my cool regardless of the heat rising to my face.
"You deal with him! I'm tired of dealing with this butthead."
"Do you have to throw names around like that? He's a kid, kids don't eat their food it's normal."
"He could murder someone and you'd let him get away with it." Daniel stormed into the kitchen, grabbed his nasty moonshine and slammed the door as he stormed out. Probably to gamble again. I wanted to stop him, tell him to come back and stay away from that temptation. My anger had sealed me in my spot.
"Dodger…" My desire to be as cruel as Daniel tempted me to yell at Dodger, send him to the room and sit there while he thinks about what he's done. I breathed in, then let it out. It did little to calm the storm inside me, but it gave me a second to think about my poisonous tone.
"Eat your dinner and I'll get you some toast."
Instead of punishing Dodger for a promise I made, I decided to follow through with it. Dodger stuffed his food in his mouth, choking on the beef. As he ate, I held the toast over the coals, spread honey on it, and then watched him shove it in his mouth.
Dodgers silly smile usually calmed me, I always smiled back. But I didn't. I couldn't shake this hatred inside me. One wrong move and I could black out from anger and I'd lose control over myself. Something in this home wasn't right. Why did I feel so angry? Why was Daniel being so mean? He's always been more strict than I when it comes to parenting. But the name calling was so unnatural for his character.
After I finished my meal I lied my head on the couches armchair and let sleep wipe my mind and calm my nerves.