King's Wrath: Chapter 12

   When Isaac was young he concluded that his mom really loved her job, because as time went on she started coming home later and later. One time, she didn’t even come home until after sunrise because Isaac and his brother heard her stumble in. She was walking all crooked, her eyes half open and her voice slurred.
   The brothers pressed their heads onto their pillows, wanting to listen without being noticed. Even then they knew that her appearance wasn’t right.
   “Where were you?” Their father had sat there all night waiting for her, but now he was standing up, his hands on his hips.
   “I uh.. I was at tuh..” she stumbled into his arms, “Hey tere, baby, let’s go an-”
   “Shut up!” he whispered, “The kids might be awake! You were out.. drinking,” he snarled, breathing smoke out of his nose in anger.
   She coughed it away, “Itwasjus for one nigh!”
   His eyes narrowed, “And so you left your kids home without dinner. I had to go out last minute and hunt down some squirrel after sunset because they were starving! I could have been seen!”
   “I won’do it again,” she stumbled to the ground, trying to sit up, “I prommmise.”
   Sparks flew from Father’s nose with the mention of a promise, “You’d better,” he snarled as he shoved his wife away. She slammed into the cave wall as Father’s eyes widened, aware of what he had done, “I- I’m so sorry-”
   “YOUUu!” she screamed her arm flopping as she attempted to stand up and point at her husband, “AREEee A MONSTERR! IMEANJUS LUK AT OU. YOU’VE GAUH WINGS AN.. AN CLAWS!” She fell back down.
   “I.. I..” Their father turned to look at their beds. By now it was obvious that Isaac and his brother were awake because they were hiding under the covers, shuddering.
   “I won’t do it again,” he told her while still looking at his small shaking boys like a deer in the headlights.
   “THADS RIGH,” she threw the father a silver coin from her pocket. It landed at his feet, making a noise that caused Isaac and his brother to shoot up from their beds. Luckily, Father had already seized it out of sight and shuddered at himself.
   “I’m so sorry.”
   Isaac was nine.