"Scared," Ludo said, looking around at the trees.
"Imagine, a big thing like you being scared." She took his hand.
He closed his eyes, "Yeah."
He'd always been big, even before he was Ludo. He was large and clumsy compared to the other children. His round, open face was covered in freckles, his red-brown hair was only starting to loose it's baby fineness. His wide, brown eyes would glisten in excitement over the simplest things, like something pretty. Like the pebbles in the creek. He thought they were very pretty. He'd shove them in his pockets, leaving dark wet patches on his overalls. He loved rocks. He had them in his drawers, under his bed, even in his shoes lined up in his closet. He liked to look at them, play with them, collect them.
His mommy didn't like this at all. She got angry saying the rocks were dirty, that he was making a mess. She made him throw them away, yelled if she found any more. Then the Bad Thing happened. He forgot to take them out of his pockets. They broke the washing machine. His mommy screamed, he got scared. He tried to apologize, but she only got more scary.
"Damnit, Steven!"
"Mommy...I s-saw-ree," he said, tears rising.
"Shut up!"
He tried to be quiet, but couldn't stop crying. She was crying too, but not sad or scared crying like he was. A different kind. She grabbed his cubby little wrist. It hurt real bad, and he tried to pull away. He thought she was going to hit him.
"Mommy pwease stop!"
She let go of him, and stared at the red mark on his wrist. He held it to his chest, sitting against the wall and looking up at her. He couldn't be quiet now. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he wailed.
She said cruelly, slowly, "I wish the goblins could take you away."
"M-Mommy?"
"I wish they would take you away right now."
Ludo couldn't remember if she left or if she stayed after that. All he remembered was seeing them. The goblins. He tried to call to his mommy, to help him. Again and again saying that he was sorry. He then remembered strong arms picking him up. A man with yellow hair. He was scary, but not as scary as his mommy had been. Still he wanted his mommy.
A gloved finger curled and wiped up under his eyes. A deep voice came from the man. "Such a face. How could someone not love you with a face like yours?"