Ottery St. Catchpole

[G. Novella]

"I said get out! I never want to see your face again! Go back to that curr Arthur!"

She threw the remaining pictures at the boy, "Take those bloody things with you, and tell that bastard not to show his face up around here again! Or do you want to stay? Do you think I'd keep you, after all the trouble that's entered thanks to you! Go be someone else's servant!"

[kumainpink]

Trembling, Tommy grabbed the pictures and walked out of the house. Shell-shocked and afraid, he walked to the gate and started wandering around the town. "Where do I go from here?" he mumbled to himself. "Merlin, what do I do?" The faces were harder and meaner than he remembered, and from what he could tell, it was going to rain soon. Lost, alone and unsure, he started to head back to his hole. If Arthur didn't want him to stay with him, that was fine. He wouldn't impose.

And a hole in a hill was better than nothing, right?

Sighing, he made his way back, fighting the urge to cry. Today had been a total failure.

[G. Novella]

Arthur looked out the window as he chopped some vegetables. The clouds were rolling in, and it looked like a thunderstorm was approaching. He was glad to know Timmy wouldn't be sitting in that hole again. He hoped the Barnes family treated the kid well. He turned to see his grandmother, nervously shredding some paper. He sighed, and continued with his chores. At least Timmy was happy, if he couldn't be.

[kumainpink]

Eventually, Timmy made it back to his hole. It was made on the side of the hill, sort of like a makeshift cave. Roughly blasted out, dirty and muddy, it still made a great place to hide away from the elements. Just as long as he didn't mind sharing it with the bugs.

Sighing, he crawled in, shivering from the rain. He huddled in a little ball, hugging his knees. I'm all alone. Always.

[G. Novella]

As the rain poured down, and the thunder began to clap, Arthur struggled to calm his grandmother down. He felt convinced that Timmy was better off there then here. As his grandmother screamed and cried, Arthur struggled to convince her she was okay, even getting slapped in the process. Finally he managed to calm her enough that he could give her a sleeping potion.

He settled into a chair, and watched the rain pour down. Lightning struck the hill, near where Timmy used to stay, and Arthur felt even more glad that the kid got out when he did.

[kumainpink]

And so, Timmy fell into an uneasy sleep, as the storm outside continued. He dreamed of his mother and father, who were probably much better off without their filthy half-breed son.

[G. Novella]

As the rain stopped pouring, Arthur felt restless. He couldn't help but feel the need to move. He grabbed a coat, and headed out for a walk. His grandma wouldn't be up until tomorrow. He locked the doors nevertheless, and began moving. His eyes were near the hole, and he couldn't help but feel curious. How had Timmy been living? Without a second thought, he moved towards the hole. A nervous feeling took over.

[kumainpink]

Timmy awoke sometime later, feeling very cold. His cloak had been soaked by the rain, as had his only pair of clothes. Feeling lonely, he did a faint lumos and grabbed the picture of his parents. They both looked so happy in their wedding photo. They had no idea they were going to have a monster for a child. No inkling of the smear on their family name.

[G. Novella]

As Arthur approached the hole, he winced at the burnt tree nearby. He continued to move, until he saw something nearby. It looked like a bend in the hill. Curious, he moved closer to the hole. He suddenly was horrified when he saw a figure sitting in there. A small figure seated inside the hole, soaked to the bone.

"Timmy?" he called out.

[kumainpink]

Timmy nearly dropped his wand, as he set down the picture. "Oh, hey." he murmured, looking down at his knees. He sneezed twice.

[G. Novella]

"Timmy, what are you doing here?!" asked Arthur, almost yelling in shock. The hole was a disgusting excuse for a home. It was muddy, and bugs crawled around. Timmy was nearly soaked to the bone, and his face was red. Arthur was horrified that he had left the boy here, during a storm!

[kumainpink]

"Ian left. Priscilla didn't want me. Nobody does." he murmured, hugging his knees again. "But I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

[G. Novella]

"Timmy, I told you to come to me if things didn't work out," said Arthur, bending down to meet Timmy's eyes. "And I've been worrying about you all day, kid."

[kumainpink]

"Didn't want to be a bother." Timmy murmured, feeling sleepy again. "Been alone a long time. I'm used to it."

[G. Novella]

Arthur sighed, recognizing the symptoms. He moved closer to Timmy, who's eyes had begun to droop. He removed his coat, and wrapped it around the small and all-too-thin boy.

"The reason I helped you today was so you'd never be alone," he explained tiredly, "Let's go."

[kumainpink]

Clutching the photo of his parents, Timmy sluggishly got out of his hole. All he wanted to do was sleep. He didn't want to think or feel right now. "Okay." he mumbled, staggering.

[G. Novella]

"Come on," said Arthur, lowering down, and patting his shoulder, "Climb on. It's a long walk."

[kumainpink]

Timmy obliged, too tired to argue. He'd stay with Arthur tonight, and leave tomorrow. Maybe find somewhere new. Arthur shouldn't have to worry about him like this. "Thanks." he whispered.

[G. Novella]

Arthur sighed as he carried the kid. He'd fallen asleep leaning against his shoulder while he piggy-backed him home. He knew his grandmother would be upset with the new arrival, but he'd handled her at worse levels, and seeing that hole and made his resolve stronger. This kid didn't deserve that kind of life, and he'd be damned if the kid stopped smiling because Arthur hadn't intervened. As they reached the house, he felt Timmy shift.

[kumainpink]

Timmy dreamed again. This time, he was in one of his holes. It kept closing in on him. Tighter, and tighter and tighter. Alone. Alone. I'll always be alone. He didn't realize that he moved in his sleep, as he sought some way out in time.

[G. Novella]

Once they reached the steps, Arthur shifted the boy.

"Wake up Timmy! We're here." He said this gently, as he noticed the boy's flushed face. He was warm. Arthur sighed as he recognized the tell-tale signs of a cold.

[kumainpink]

Timmy awoke suddenly, to find that he wasn't in the hole anymore. He was somewhere warm and bright...and there were no bugs. "Huh?" he murmured, before going into a coughing fit. "Oh...hey Arthur. Sorry 'bout that."

[G. Novella]

"It's fine, Timmy," said Arthur kindly, unlocking the door.

He carried the boy inside, once again frowning at how light he was. He looked no older than eleven, and felt no heavier than that. The house looked the same as he left it, suggesting his grandma hadn't awoken yet.

"Let's get you showered and clean," said Arthur, still carrying the boy up the stairs to the bathroom. "You feel feverish, how are you?"

[kumainpink]

"I'm fine, thanks." he murmured. "Nothin' a good nap won't fix." He smiled a bit. A bath sounded really nice right now.

[G. Novella]

"A nap, soup and a bath," said Arthur firmly, opening the bathroom door. "Can you clean yourself up, or do you need some help?"

He set the boy on the ground, again staring uneasily. What if he fell asleep in the tub and drowned? The kid seemed so fragile and breakable.

[kumainpink]

"I can do it, thanks!" Timmy insisted, instantly woken up by the embarrassing thought of having someone clean him.

[G. Novella]

"Alright, just leave your clothes off to the side, I'll get you some pajamas and a towel and leave them outside the door," said Arthur with a nod, "Soap's under the sink, and you can use my shampoo."

[kumainpink]

"Thanks." Timmy said, feeling rather humbled at the moment. "I won't take too long." And with that, he hurried into the bathroom, excited at the prospect of being clean. He discarded his clothes to the side in a neat little pile, and ran himself a nice, warm bath.

Before using the shower, he took a moment to examine the bathroom. It was a decent size, and a little shabby looking. The walls were a light green, and the floors had white tile. The tub was big, old and deep, and a removable shower head hung above it. Grinning like a kid in a candy store, Timmy grabbed a bar of soap from under the sink, entered the tub and shut the shower curtain.

"Aaaah!" he let out a half-sigh, half-moan, once he got the shower working. The warmth of the water cascaded down his scarred backside, rinsing away years of dirt and grime that had accumulated. Right now, nothing was more blissful or enjoyable to him. After fifteen minutes of furious scrubbing his body and scalp, Timmy got out.

He felt warm, relaxed and giddy at the same time. Who knew that being clean could feel this good? He laughed a little as he dried off, before putting on the pajamas that Arthur had left for him. They were blue and white, and felt really good on his skin. He then picked up his dirty clothes, in order to ask where he should wash them, and walked out, feeling like a million bucks!

[G. Novella]

Arthur was seated downstairs. He'd climbed up to the attic and got out his old pajamas. He left the clothes outside the door with his best, white fluffy towel for the kid. He could hear the kid splashing the shower head around, and was relieved that he hadn't fallen asleep. After leaving the kid to relax and clean up, he moved downstairs to the kitchen and began making him some hot soup.

Arthur brewed himself a cup of coffee, and made Timmy a steaming cup of hot cocoa. He sighed, and ruffled his hair. He'd really messed up today with Timmy. Now what was he going to do for the kid?

[kumainpink]

Timmy walked down the stairs with a lively spring in his step, humming a merry little tune. He then looked around for Arthur. When he saw the older man in the kitchen, Timmy walked in, holding his dirty clothes in his hands and away from his clean pajamas. "Hey, Arthur, where do I go to wash these?" he asked, sniffling.