Great Heads

23: Childhood

Months After That..

Kaleb

Back there at Rocain, we never celebrated.

That was except the death of the war heroes who had served in Rocainian army as warriors.

While we trained to be those warriors the other Rocainians had aspired us to be, to follow their lead, we would hear father say to us that that honourable salute was what all Rocainians looked forward to someday, and it was the respect one craved.

But right now, when I actually gave it a thought, that was not what I wanted at all.

Me and the old man stayed right outside the cottage here in Forestille, sawing a couple of woods to make a bed and the extra room he had promised me.

“You seem real strong for an old man,” I said to Pa. “Were you some kind of warrior?”

Pa gave a look at me with that grin of his that never vanished, then let out a hysterical laughter afterwards.

“Well, you're too strong for a lad.” he said, carrying up heavy logs. “Those small hands of yours sure do know how to work.”

I continued sawing the wood.