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Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time.

The Merchant of Venice -Act I, Scene I

CHAPTER 1

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He drew in a deep breath and steeled himself for what he thought would

come; his hands were trembling at his side, so he dug them into the ground.

Stopping himself from raising them. Not wanting to protect his face. Thisusually made his father angrier.

But the blow didnt come. He squinted through his half closed eyes and

wandered why he had not yet struck him, he had disobeyed him again, his father

always made sure to punish Phileas whenever he had the chance.

Why not now then? Feeling a little braver he gingerly opened his eyes and

stared at his father. Hed turned away and was facing down the steep slope that,

if followed for long enough, led to Willow Creek. Phileas could see the TrinityRiver glinting in the distance; he was wishing to be there, anywhere but here

right now.

His fathers lack of violence was disconcerting, never had he known him to

miss out on the opportunity of thrashing him.

Magnor? Phileas uttered, the sound barely escaping his lips. He had called

his father by his first name since he could remember.

The large dark hulk that was Magnor Peddis turned and looked at Phileas; his

eyes were a beautiful light green, washed out, speckled, slightly dirty and faded

like a long-dead leaf. A stark contrast to the violent creature Phileas knew him

to be.

Magnor turned back around and looked almost longingly at the bustle of life

below, further down the slope. His kind, misleading eyes hidden again, Phileas

could see him for the horrible beast he was. The horrible beast both of his

parents were.

He questioned why they chose to raise him here, deep in the forest, instead of

with the others he occasionally saw from a distance. He could never make out

any faces, or any distinguishing features when he climbed up high in the

mountains and trees to watch them. Just their outlines, he saw them playing

outside huge structures, running and walking around. He watched great

machines glide along the wide black ground that ran throughout Willow Creek,

and wished he knew what they were.

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Whenever Phileas had the chance, hed sneak away from Magnor and Amplor

(his mother), and watch the others. Wishing he could be down there with them,

hoping that one day his parents would tell him why they had to live in secret.

He hated hiding whenever something unknown ventured into their forest,

whenever Magnor caught sight of bright lights in the night, or whenever voicescarried on the wind reached Amplors sensitive ears.

It was due to his obsession with the others that Phileas often received a firm

beating from Magnor. Hed catch him, up a tree perhaps, or clambering up the

mountainside to his favourite perch and grab him by his ankles. Drag him down

from his spying spots and attack him until he stopped struggling and screamed

enough to satisfy Magnor. A cruel punishment, but one that ensured itd be a

long time till he tried to glimpse them again.

More than once Phileas had nearly lost his life at the hands of his father. At

least seven times, by his last count, he had broken bones. Hed endured more

pain than any normal 18 year old should have. But that was just it. Phileas

wasnt a normal- 18 year old. Hed known this for a long time.

*

So said Magnor, his voice filled with seething rage. I guess you want to

know why youre not a mangled heap on the floor yet?