Benji.
-
His peers always knew there was something wrong with him, but his father didn't. He was too proud. "Oh, you're arms will catch up with the rest of you some day." He'd always say.
He put up with their teasing as well as he could. "Swing that axe harder you stubby armed twit! We've got to get this wood back home before it gets dark." He swung harder but it didn't do him any good. They'd watch him and laugh for a while until finally shoving him out of the way and doing it themselves.
Back home at the workshop he was the envy of every student. His small nimble hands could cut with surprising precision and carve intricate details. The furniture he made, small as it was, always seemed to sell to the traveling merchants first. Although the big clumsy humans could barely fit into the chairs, they loved the craftsmanship.
Him and the other boys were dragging an impressive load of oak back to town when they crossed paths with a couple of merchants they hadn't seen before. They peered down from their wagon at the boys.
"Where you boys headed?" one of them said.
"Back to <gnomish>Wood Saw</gnomish>." one of the boys said.
Benji spoke up, "The wood is for some gnomish furniture. You two planning on stopping by <g>Wood Saw</g> to make a few purchases?"The two small men looked at each other, back at Benji, then whispered in language he had never heard. One of them hopped off the wagon with a confused look.
"Gnomish lad? You're not Gnomish."
Benji looked back confused. "What? Of course I am."
"Look at me y'stupid git. You're a hin! A halfling like me!"Benji gave him a dumb look the turned to the other boys. They were already making the connection. He looked back at the merchant then down at himself.
The other boys were huddled close talking amongst themselves. Benji tried to get close and listen but they just shoved him away. "Makes sense to me," one of them whispered.
The merchant just shook his head and got back up on the wagon to leave. Benji tugged on one of the boy's shirts but he just shoved him away. "Get your dirty rat hands off me. You're not one of us."
Benji blinked and walked away. Memories started pouring through his brain and he started walking faster. Flashes of feeling alone, out of place, and unwelcome. His eyes teared up as he ran.
By the time he got back to the village he was in full sprint with tears streaming down his face. He looked across the road to his house and saw his father leaving. Their eyes met.
Those proud eyes of his fathers. Benji didn't know what to do. He blinked as he heard the other boys hustling into town behind him. He looked at them then back at his father. Then he ran.
He heard his father calling after him as he did, but he couldn't face him. He ran as fast as he could as long as he could until he was exhausted and collapsed.
He woke up on a dirty bed in a strange building.
"Where you from son?"
"I don't know."
He heard the man spit in a pot next to him and grumble.
"Fine. But you owe us for dragging your tiny arse out of the swamp. What's your name son?"
"Benji."
"Well Benji, that bed you're sleeping in isn't free. Get to work!"The man threw him a broom and stomped off. Benji adjusted his glasses with a sigh of relief. The man didn't care if he was a hin or a gnome.
-
Reviewed, XP pending
