Fargile Heart Chapter 7 – I Didn’t Steal It, I Swear!!

Chapter 7 – I Didn’t Steal It, I Swear!!

He drank his water before he started again.
“It was a beautiful day when finally Nicky had a chance to take me out from the house.”

Flash back
“Let me take Cian to the dock,” Nicky asked his father for permission before he went out to work. “Mr. Doyle might have a job for him,” he had to find a fine excuse for his pap.
‘He’ looked Cian sinicely . Then ‘he’ nodded, “Get him out from here. I had sick of him!”
Both Nicky and Cian grinned as got the chance to get out from house. It meant no beating for Cian today.
They went to the dock where Nicky worked as a labour in shipping factory. The work was so hard. A lot of lifting. But for 12 years old boys, Nicky was strong enough to lift the box to be move to shipping ship, but for Cian, it’s impossible to do. Cian was small for 10 years old boy. He was more look like 8 than 10! And with his body full of wounds, it was more impossible to him to do this hard job. So Cian was sit on a box waiting for Nicky. Luckily Cian was a nice kid. He would sit nicely not doing anything, just watched his brother work.
Till Nicky’s boss found him. And he interested to hire him as a massager boy, delivering his letters to his client.
“One penny for each letter you delivered,” Mr. Doyle offered.
At first Cian was not sure at the offering, and he was scared at this big man (well he was scared to everyone except to Nicky) but Nicky let him to take the job, as he knew Mr. Doyle was a good man.
“He wouldn’t talk, would he?” to Nicky. “He could keep my secret too.”
“He never talk, Sir.”
“Good. So Cian,” turned to Cian, “do you take it…?”
Then shyly Cian nodded accepting the job.
Both Nicky and Mr. Doyle were smile gladly.
“Excelent. You can start it now, there a lot of letter you have to deliver.”
Cian nodded, and followed the big man, taking Cian’s first job.

Cian loved his job, and he doing it well. Mr. Doyle was satisfied with Cian. He liked Cian, and Cian liked the job. Maybe with this he could forget the pain on his body. Cian got 5 penny for 5 letters he delivered. For the first time Nicky could see smiling face on his brother’s face. He knew Cian was happy, and Nicky wanted so much make Cian happy. He loved Cian so much.
With the money he got, Cian could buy something he liked. And he loved to have a book. A story book. Yes, he could read, but he couldn’t write. His fingers couldn’t pinch the pen for writing as his father crushed his palms with belt and the door. And he loved reading so much, sometimes Nicky would read it for him.
So when they passed a book store, Cian was starred in one book at the etalase even he was not sure his money would enough to buy that book.
“C’mon, let see if we can buy that book, Ci.”
An ‘Oliver Twisted’ by Charles Dickens was interested Cian. And Mrs. Tuck, the owner’ was amazed with Cian. She knew Cian as Pat’s little son, who wouldn’t talk since he was five, and Cian was mirror image of his mother, good looking little lad.
“What the cost, Ma’am?” Nicky asked shyly.
“That was a good book, Nicky, but for you, it would be only 5 pennies.”
Well, they can afford it, but of course no money for ‘him’. And Nicky seemed no care. He bought it for Cian.
As he gave his entire penny, Mrs. Tuck gave one penny back.
“Keep it for you, Nicky,” with smiled gently.
“Thank you, Mrs. Tuck,” Nicky smiled gladly, as he knew Cian would be happy with the book and there some penny to keep for his father.
After saying thank you, they went home.
End flashback

“I swear, Daniel, that was my happiest day. No beatings, have my own money, have a new book, got a proper food, met nice people to me, and mostly far from ‘him’. And for the first time I feel so free, no beatings. I love that day,” he smiled at the memories. “But I know it won’t last forever. I shouldn’t dreaming,” his face fell again.

Flashback.
As they arrived at home they found his father slept on the table with empty bottles around him. They giggled with ‘his’ snore.
“Go up, I’ll catch you later.”
Cian just nodded, then go upstairs.
But suddenly, “CIANN!!!”
Cian froze with the called.
‘He’ was stirring and met Cian’s eyes.
“Where have you been!!?”
“Mr. Doyle hired him, pap,” answered Nicky.
“Job? He works?” I smiled sinisely
“Yes, papa.”
“Get your arse here, now!!!”
Cian obeyed and slowly got into him with shaking.
‘He’ grabbed Cian on collar “Did you really work?”
Cian nodded in scared
“Papa, he’s Mr. Doyle’s right hand now,” Nicky was tried to take ‘his’ heart, and let Cian go.
‘He’ didn’t believed, “how much he paid you?”
“5 pennies a week,” Nicky answered for Cian.
‘He’ inspected Cian without releasing ‘his’ hand, then he threw his son just like that, make Cian fell hard to the floor as well as his book where he hide it behind his dirty jacket.
“What’s that?” ‘he’ took it from the floor, and scanned it. “Where did you get this?”
“Mrs. Tuck gave him.”
“Shut up!!” hitting Nicky. “I didn’t ask you!”
‘He’ back to Cian, who had paled and terrified.
“Where did you get this!?” ‘he’ grabbed Cian on hair. Cian winched in pain.
“You stole it, didn’t you!?”
Cian shook his head in fear and panic.
This made ‘him’ madder. Systematically he began to hit Cian across the face. “I didn’t raise a thief!!” ‘he’ unfastened his belt and grabbed Cian’s hair back with the other. Cian felt bile rise in his throat.
“No, papa, he didn’t steal it! Mrs. Tuck really gave it for him!” Nicky was tried to insisted his father.
“Shut up!! You think I would believe? No one would ever give a great book for free, especially for him!”
“But, pap_”
Plash!! ‘His’ belt was crossed on Nicky’s face
“Go up stair, or you will get one too!”
“No!!”
This made ‘him’ even madder.
‘He’ released Cian and turned to Nicky. ‘He’ grabbed Nicky on hand and threw him to the closet under the stair and locked him there.
Then ‘he’ back to Cian and looked at the boy as Cian pressed himself to the wall totally scared
“Which hand, Cian?” ‘he’ ready with the belt.
Cian tried to refuse.
"Don’t make me angrier, Cian! Or do you want ‘the door pinched’?”
This made Cian even paler. He still remembered the pain, and his hands were crushed by the door
"So, which one do you like, Cian?” ‘he’ menacingly.
Cian would prefer belted hand than get his hands pinched on the door, even the pain was equal.
Head down Cian pulled out his hands and receiving the belt on his palms.
It went while till ‘he’ pulled the belt off. Cian’s hands were covered by red welts and some oozing blood.
“Now drop your pants!”
With an effort unable to move his hands, Cian pulled his pants down, and without an order he bent over giving his butt. As he heard the sound of the leather cut through the air he tried to brace himself. But he had to yelp as the buckle end made contact with his bruised butt. He could hear ’his’ drunken ramblings and lost count of the blows. Cian tried to break free anywhere they could land. Cian bit his lip, to stop screaming or to stop passing out. He heaved and fell over the floor unable to move.
As Cian fell, ‘he’ was calming down a little and looked at the boy. Blood ran down his back, which was beginning to bruise as were the top of his legs. His backside was a mixture of bruises and open wheals. But he didn’t care and let the boy laid on the floor.
End flashback
“I passed out, Daniel. For many times I passed out, laid unconscious on the floor.”
I sighed heavily. I felt my own tears, while he didn’t let the tears out. I think I had learnt how to hold the tears.

TBC