Shinu's History

The sun was friendlier than usual on this mild spring day on the Kilikan docks. The hut was spotless as a one year old Shinu wobbled around, showing his first signs of walking. His pattern of taking two steps and falling was beginning to show signs of turning into three before he fell back on to his booty that was covered in wraps of cloth. He wobbled for four straight steps in front of his mother, and began to laugh as he fell back on his bottom. He seemed please with his accomplishment and began to giggle to himself. Looking up at his beautiful mother, Shinu gave a great big innocent smile before once again rising to his feet.

Shinu had enough of this falling, and decided that he could walk. The baby stood up and reassured his balance. With his mother looking on, he began to slowly walk, just a tad more upright than usual. He was learning and his mother couldn't help but just stare, it was as if he made the choice to walk. It may have been slow, but he had just turned one three days ago. His steps became smoother, his balance firmer, and sure enough, he taught himself to walk.

The front curtain of the hut flew open as his father stormed in, throwing down his sword, proclaiming he was tired from his training. A young chubby boy followed in behind him and laughed as Shinu fell back on his bottom.

Look at Shinu! He is never going to be able to walk.

Shinu started to cry as the chubby boy, his brother, was making a mockery of him. He looked up only to see that his father had joined in the laughing, and he started to cry more. The only thing he could do was look to his mother, she was the only person not laughing.

Shinu’s mother gasped, placing a trembling hand over her thin lips. Her son was actually walking. She smiled widely tears blurring the form of her walking—goodness, she would never get over that—son. But she didn’t need to see; she heard his cheery, bubbly laughter. Words couldn’t describe how proud she felt, and oh, was she proud. He was growing so fast; soon he’d be running, then skipping, then—she nearly sobbed.

Gathering herself, she wiped at her eyes, smiling at her son warmly. He smiled back up at her with such pure eyes, and it was all she could do to not pick up and hug her son. She didn’t want him to stop yet; he was doing so well, and all by himself. So she continued to watch him, lithe fingers still wiping at the tears in her eyes. And, he had to contain herself, the number of times he fell was decreasing rapidly, and Oh my god, he taught himself how to walk…

Her head snapped to the intrusion and she glared, obviously angered at the interruption of her son’s progress. She expected no kind words the second her husband and older son of them stepped foot into the home, but maybe this time they could say something nice, or just nothing at all? But sure enough…

Look at Shinu! He is never going to be able to walk.

Gritting her teeth, she noted in her head how he was doing a hell of a lot better than the eldest son himself did when he first learned how to walk. She kneeled down to her crying son, scooped him up, and rocked him gently in her arms. “You won’t tease Shinu that way, when he’s doing much better than you did when you first learned how to walk.” She nearly hissed the words, her glare intensifying. She turned to her husband—no, she didn’t even want to think of the man as anything that close. “And neither will you. Get out.” She allowed herself the joy of hissing; she wouldn’t allow herself to release anger any other way, not with her son around and watching with those big innocent eyes.

I was walking though Kilika and a I passed a very familiar hut. I heard shouting and I tried not to pay any attention to it but I couldn't help thinking " wow this is not the time for a fight like that" and I just kept walking shaking my head slightly. There was really nothing I could do, and at this point, we were all used to it.