2 A Pinky Promise

Dark clouds covered the sky, swallowing the vast majority of sunlight. The first drops of rain ushered the villagers back to their homes. Amongst the crowd, a young boy with short black hair rushed down a cobblestone road, clutching a green book close to his chest. His vibrant blue eyes darted around, capturing the view of his many neighbours keeping laundry from their front yards.

"Why didn't I bring my umbrella?" the boy thought. "My shirt is all soaked!"

The boy's pace sped up as the rain got heavier. He held the green book tighter, as if he was afraid of losing it. When he reached a small house, he quickly opened the door and entered before slamming it shut from the chilling rain. Inside the house, a man with blonde, straight hair was sitting on a couch reading newspapers beneath the dim light of candles around the room.

"Where have you been, Alex?" Lance asked as he lowered his newspaper to look at Alex.

Alex breathed heavily as he tried to catch his breath. "Somewhere."

"You know what?" Lance said as he raised his newspaper back up,"Whatever you're up to, I don't really care. I know you're just practising your so-called, 'Magics' somewhere."

"How..?" Alex gasped, shocked that his father was aware of his practice. "How did you know?"

"Alex, I'm not the Rosia Military Force's commander for nothing, when I was patrolling outside the walls, I could hear you, chanting those 'Magic' spells from your stupid fairy tale," Lance said as he pointed at the small green book that Alex was holding. "Stop pretending that you're a Psycian, you're not, and you shouldn't pretend to be one."

"Why shouldn't I be one? Psycians are cool and they could as magic!" Alex flipped through the book as he desperately attempted to convince his father. "In this fairy tale, it says anyone could be a Psycian if they just tried! I want to be a Psycian!"

Suddenly, someone banged on the door from the outside. Lance stood up from his chair and answered the door. On the other side of the door stood a strong-looking bald man with a monobrow, holding an umbrella. The expressions that he wore on his face were anger and annoyance. Alex flinched when he got a glimpse of the man.

"Lance, is your kid shouting again?"

"Sorry, Andrew. He was rambling about his Psycian fairy tale again," Lance whispered to Andrew. "Honestly, I don't know what to do with him. He's more naive and brain dead than I thought."

"Don't say stuff like that, you should tell your kid about the history of Rosia and Psycia's, and why he shouldn't just say stuff like that," Andrew said. "I know the school hasn't taught him history yet, but you still should tell him, since you know about it."

"It's not his time yet—."

"He's already 6 years old!" Andrew yelled. "As a Rosian, he should know his country's history with our enemy. And tell him that pretending to be a Psycian isn't something that he should do!"

Alex jolted back as he was frightened by Andrew's yelling. He looked at him with a confused expression.

"It's none of your business, but fine, I'll take your advice to heart," Lance said as he tried to end the conversation. "I'll tell him later, goodnight, it's late already."

"Sure, goodnight. See you at work tomorrow."

Andrew left and slammed the door shut. Lance went back to his couch and continued to read his newspaper.

"Dad, what was that about?"

"Go shower now," Lance said. "It's none of your business. Don't make me tell you twice."

"But—"

"No buts," Lance said. "Now, or I will confiscate your stupid fairy tale."

"Fineeeee." Alex whined while walking across the creaky wooden floor. Lance didn't seem to care that Alex was making the floor wet as he walked towards the bathroom.

Whatever, it will just dry out later. Lance thought. This boy already wastes enough of my time, patience, and money. What am I doing with my life?

Lance lowered his newspaper and began to think. He thought about the times before he met her. He remembered how peaceful and carefree it was before being married. He looked at the old set of armour that he hung on the ceiling, the old stained red blood on his armour, reminiscent of the peoples he fought in wars. Even though the armour was old, it still felt prideful to Lance.

Even though my life had been nothing but a rollercoaster, at least I still have you. Lance thought as he looked at the old set of armour. You're more loyal than she ever was. She never kept her promise, that liar.

After a while, Alex walked out of the shower while drying off his hair with a towel. He put on his blue, starry pyjamas and continued reading his fairy tale. Alex hummed happily while reading the book, occasionally stopping his humming to mimic the spell chants in the book.

"We Psycians~, search for a darker magic~." Alex chanted as he read off the text from the book. "Blacker than black~, darker than dark~, art of flames! Pyro Blast!"

Lance could barely listen to Alex humming without cringing. While Alex was reading his book, he suddenly remembered something, he jumped up and walked towards his father with excitement.

"Dad! Do you know what day it is this Sunday? Try to guess!"

"Alex, this is the fourth time you asked me this week," Lance responded with a sigh,"It's your seventh birthday."

"Now that you mentioned it, dad," Alex said, eyes widening in excitement, . "You said that people get their curse on their seventh birthday, right?"

"Yes," Lance said. "And why are you so excited?"

"Because curses are cool! You mentioned that curses give people discomfort and give them certain disabilities, right?"

"Alex. A curse isn't something to joke about."

"I'm serious, after I get my curse, I can brag about how cool I am!"

"Alex, Stop—"

"And I will be the best mental magic-user with the strongest curse in the world just like what my mom told me before—"

"SHUT UP!"

Lance stood up from the couch and slapped Alex across the face, knocking him to the ground. Alex rubbed his face in shock and pain. When he looked back up to see his dad, the expression he wore was one of disgrace and disbelief. He looked like he was about to cry as his eyes began to water, terrified of his father's temper

"Alex, do you know why you shouldn't joke around with curses and magic?"

Alex shook his head. Lance breathed a sigh as he slowly calmed down.

"Alex, people died because of curses, they struggle with their lives carrying the burden of these curses! And whoever uses magic are terrible people, Do you understand?"

Alex still didn't understand. He couldn't relate to others' pain unless he had experienced it himself. But he was still scared of his dad, so he pretended that he understood, to avoid more yelling..

"I'm sorry." Alex apologized, trembling.

"You know what?" Lance said as he went and pulled out a book with a yellow hardcover from a bookshelf and gave it to Alex. "I want you to read this book tomorrow. It will teach you about the dangers of curses and the history of curses. You will experience it sooner or later. Now go to sleep. It's very late."

"Why don't you read it with me? Or teach me?" Alex asked. "The other kid's dads always help them with their studies."

"I'm busy."

"Dad, why do Rosian and Psycian not get along?" Alex asked. "Since you hated it when I pretend to be a Psycian for fun."

"What did you just say?" Lance asked.

"I don't understand, what's the big deal of pretending to be a Psycian, did they do something?"

Lance paused and thought for a while, since he didn't know how to answer.

"Look Alex, you're still too young to know these things, the relationship with Psycian and Rosian isn't your business," Lance answered. "Psycians are terrible people, that's all you need to know. Just stop pretending to be one. You're not a Psycian"

"But isn't mom a Psycian? Why did she leave us? Did she do something bad?"

"She's not," Lance said while sighing impatiently as he lied to Alex. "I said it already, she didn't leave, she's just busy with her grandparents."

"You promise she'll come back? It's been 5 years since she left."

"Yes."

"I don't believe you!" Alex whined. "You promise?"

"I promise," Lance said. "Now go to sleep-."

"Give me a pinky promise!" Alex said as he put out his pinky finger, waiting for Lance's response. "I'm waiting!"

"Fine!" Lance said as he gave Alex a pinky promise. "Go to sleep, now."

Alex walked into his bedroom while Lance put out the candle in the living room and locked the front door.

"Good night! Dad."

Lance ignored him as he walked into his room and shut the door. Alex let out a sigh and a sulky pout before he went back to his bed.

He always does this. Alex thought. He always ignores me and never returns my 'goodnight'.

Alex laid in his bed and stared at the ceiling, random thoughts began to pop out in his mind.

Dad always likes to pretend that he doesn't love me. I know he does. It's only natural for a parent to love their children. But what if he actually leaves me?

Terrified of the thought, Alex stopped thinking and tried his hardest to fall asleep. As the storm drowned out the silence of the night, Alex began to listen to the raindrops. The longer he listened to it, the more relaxed he felt. And he slowly fell asleep to the melody of the rain.