Post by nightreflection on Oct 10, 2012 12:46:06 GMT -5
Part CXIX
The lower class area was dangerous, but the school and surrounds was kept at least marginally safe. I was here that he stalked a different kind of victim. He'd personally groomed three of the four, and it looked like he would have to groom more. They were doing a respectable job, but there were signs that it wouldn't last forever. It was also clear that they would soon, like him, outgrow their roles. They would hang on out of the sense of duty he'd carefully nurtured within them, but that would only last so long.
There was no crying, but there was the smell of tears. He quietly walked over. The little boy trembled and huddled further into the stale corner. He could hear his thoughts willing the stranger away. Oren crouched down before him.
“Hey,” he said softly, “you look like you've been in a bit of a scrap.” his tone was gentle and reassuring. He had to resist the urge to suddenly show his face and terrify the little critter.
He put his head down and covered his head with his hands. Looking up at Oren, but trying badly to make it look otherwise.
“Oh come now, I'm not going to bite. I've already eaten today.”
A snort broke through the terror for a second. “S...s..sorry sir.”
“Oh, so it does have a voice. Come now, it probably wasn't your fault. Did you at least get in a good shot of your own?”
He looked down and quickly shook his head.
“Well, what did they say you did?”
“They didn't say, they just called me ‘nigger’ and then started beating me up.”
“They did did they?” Oren put an obvious edge on his voice.
The boy looked up and smiled a little. “Can you stop them sir?”
“I don't work like that boy.”
“Oh.” He looked away sadly.
“But tell me, how would you like to beat them up yourself?” the tender little mind hadn't even considered revenge. He hoped the family wasn't religious.
He smiled, “That would be nice.”
“Well then, I will give and teach you things to get even with people who hurt you, but, you have to work for me. Okay? I promise, it will all be fair.”
“Yes sir.” He smiled, stood up and was about to leave.
“One more thing.”
“Yes sir?”
“You tell anyone, even your family about me and I'll leave.”
“Yes sir.” he sounded sad. He obviously had a lot of respect for them.
“One more thing.” The kid perked up again. “drink this, it will get rid of the bruises.”
“It's not bad medicine? People say a lot of people are giving out bad medicine.”
“If you want I'll drink some.” The kid watched him drink half of the potion, then drank the rest. A half potion would be enough for a kid anyway.
“Wow, it tingles. That was good medicine mister.”
“Good. Good. Two more things.” He could see the kid was getting impatient. “Wear this for a minute.” He gave the kid a Halloween snake. The blood would serve for a few protective and locative enchantments. “Lastly, what's your name boy.”
“Theodore mister, Theodore Cartwright.”
Cartwright? What a coincidence. Hopefully this one wouldn't turn into a money-sucking vampire.
“Good. In a few days time I'm going to give you a ticket to fighting classes..”
His face fell “Mama says fighting is wrong.”
“So you want to get beat up every day?”
Theodore looked at his feet. “No sir.”
“Tell her you've been naughty and have to go to counselling.”
“But... but.”
Oren put his finger on the boy's mouth. “No buts, besides, she thinks you're naughty anyway, so she won't ask questions.”
“Yes sir.” He wasn't very happy about this.
“Tell you what. If you promise not to tell, I'll get you some quieter lessons. Go to the Red Sun on Broad Street. He will teach you how to fight to keep yourself safe, not to hurt people, but he's boring, he'll teach you all this other stuff about not fighting first. Still, if you're interested in that boring stuff, be there every evening at five. Just bring your name and the teacher will do the rest.”
Oren took the snake off. He put his hand under Theodore's chin in that curious gesture of his. “If you ever have second thoughts about this, remember the bruises, because without me, they will come back.”
“Yes sir.”
Oren let him go. It wouldn't take much to get him dealing out demonic level vengeance. He would make a good hard-line businessman if he turned out right, but he would make sure he got at least a few lessons in subtlety just for incase. He listened to his footsteps disappear on the edge of his hearing and smiled. If only Mrs Crank could see him now. He laughed maniacally.
***Can you believe I'm struggling to find the motivation to copy-paste this stuff in here? I wonder where the energy I had to write it went.
Ref 160-
The lower class area was dangerous, but the school and surrounds was kept at least marginally safe. I was here that he stalked a different kind of victim. He'd personally groomed three of the four, and it looked like he would have to groom more. They were doing a respectable job, but there were signs that it wouldn't last forever. It was also clear that they would soon, like him, outgrow their roles. They would hang on out of the sense of duty he'd carefully nurtured within them, but that would only last so long.
There was no crying, but there was the smell of tears. He quietly walked over. The little boy trembled and huddled further into the stale corner. He could hear his thoughts willing the stranger away. Oren crouched down before him.
“Hey,” he said softly, “you look like you've been in a bit of a scrap.” his tone was gentle and reassuring. He had to resist the urge to suddenly show his face and terrify the little critter.
He put his head down and covered his head with his hands. Looking up at Oren, but trying badly to make it look otherwise.
“Oh come now, I'm not going to bite. I've already eaten today.”
A snort broke through the terror for a second. “S...s..sorry sir.”
“Oh, so it does have a voice. Come now, it probably wasn't your fault. Did you at least get in a good shot of your own?”
He looked down and quickly shook his head.
“Well, what did they say you did?”
“They didn't say, they just called me ‘nigger’ and then started beating me up.”
“They did did they?” Oren put an obvious edge on his voice.
The boy looked up and smiled a little. “Can you stop them sir?”
“I don't work like that boy.”
“Oh.” He looked away sadly.
“But tell me, how would you like to beat them up yourself?” the tender little mind hadn't even considered revenge. He hoped the family wasn't religious.
He smiled, “That would be nice.”
“Well then, I will give and teach you things to get even with people who hurt you, but, you have to work for me. Okay? I promise, it will all be fair.”
“Yes sir.” He smiled, stood up and was about to leave.
“One more thing.”
“Yes sir?”
“You tell anyone, even your family about me and I'll leave.”
“Yes sir.” he sounded sad. He obviously had a lot of respect for them.
“One more thing.” The kid perked up again. “drink this, it will get rid of the bruises.”
“It's not bad medicine? People say a lot of people are giving out bad medicine.”
“If you want I'll drink some.” The kid watched him drink half of the potion, then drank the rest. A half potion would be enough for a kid anyway.
“Wow, it tingles. That was good medicine mister.”
“Good. Good. Two more things.” He could see the kid was getting impatient. “Wear this for a minute.” He gave the kid a Halloween snake. The blood would serve for a few protective and locative enchantments. “Lastly, what's your name boy.”
“Theodore mister, Theodore Cartwright.”
Cartwright? What a coincidence. Hopefully this one wouldn't turn into a money-sucking vampire.
“Good. In a few days time I'm going to give you a ticket to fighting classes..”
His face fell “Mama says fighting is wrong.”
“So you want to get beat up every day?”
Theodore looked at his feet. “No sir.”
“Tell her you've been naughty and have to go to counselling.”
“But... but.”
Oren put his finger on the boy's mouth. “No buts, besides, she thinks you're naughty anyway, so she won't ask questions.”
“Yes sir.” He wasn't very happy about this.
“Tell you what. If you promise not to tell, I'll get you some quieter lessons. Go to the Red Sun on Broad Street. He will teach you how to fight to keep yourself safe, not to hurt people, but he's boring, he'll teach you all this other stuff about not fighting first. Still, if you're interested in that boring stuff, be there every evening at five. Just bring your name and the teacher will do the rest.”
Oren took the snake off. He put his hand under Theodore's chin in that curious gesture of his. “If you ever have second thoughts about this, remember the bruises, because without me, they will come back.”
“Yes sir.”
Oren let him go. It wouldn't take much to get him dealing out demonic level vengeance. He would make a good hard-line businessman if he turned out right, but he would make sure he got at least a few lessons in subtlety just for incase. He listened to his footsteps disappear on the edge of his hearing and smiled. If only Mrs Crank could see him now. He laughed maniacally.
***Can you believe I'm struggling to find the motivation to copy-paste this stuff in here? I wonder where the energy I had to write it went.
Ref 160-