Broken

Have you ever had one of those days? One where it seems that the Fates are conspiring against you? I have then all the time. Every time I think something is going my way it all falls apart. Like that thing with Bliss and the arrows, I really thought that Gabby loved me.

That's just a more recent example. Even as a child I was being told next time will be better. Everything will be better if I just tried harder, did more, made less noise, went away.

I guess some things did get better. Some got worse, and a whole list of other worries cropped up. I suppose it all evens out in the end.

But today, today was worst of all.

I must have caused one to many mishaps. Gabby totally flipped on me. She screamed at me and called me names. Things I hadn't heard since leaving home, least not all at once. Not from someone who should have cared.

It's not really the name-calling or the beating she gave me, I'm used to that. She told me that they had never liked me that I was just a burden to them; a worthless excuse for a human that she never wanted to see again.

I think she would have gone on but Xena showed up. She looked at Gabby standing there all mad clutching her staff and me huddled on the ground. Then she pulled Gabby along and told me it would be best if I were gone before they got back.

So I packed up what little I have, grabbed my sword from where it had fallen, and set off. Picked a direction and went. Just like the last time I left home. For so long that's what I had thought of them as. Home, my family, peace and safety.

All illusions, that's what hurt the most. That I was too blind to see how they really felt. More then that I was burden to them. I didn't mean to be, I just wanted to be loved. Even just in friendship. I wanted a home.

Sadly my bad luck didn't end there. I ran into thieves and lost my last few dinars and gained a broken rib. Then when I was trying to wash some of the blood and dirt off I fell into the river. I got washed down stream and lost my armor, helmet and all. Some how I kept hold of my bedroll and satchel. Unfortunately everything was sopping wet.

After I crawled out of the river and got started again I stumbled on a road and soon made it to a village. I was hoping that to find an inn or someplace that would let me work in trade for food a place to sleep.

There was one tavern. The owner was in a surly mood and threw me out, right into the street. Where I ended up falling against some mercenary. He didn't take kindly to that. Which is how I ended up in this alley seeing double and with a whole new set of bruises to go with the trio of stab wounds in my side.

Unnnnn I'll move as soon as I can see strait. If I can just get up. If I can stop the bleeding it will be better. Tomorrow has to be better. It will be better. It will, it will, it will...

-END-

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