Richard Calibaster woke up in his king-size bed. Being rich bought you lots of things, including comfort. 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNT9in53GfT
What it didn’t buy was love. Not in his father’s house. Richard wondered if his dad would even worry if he came home late tonight, or not at all. Robert Calibaster was a cold man, and he hardly noticed Richard at all these days.
Richard sniffed himself. Ugh, he needed a bath. But his father’s servants probably hadn’t come to this house yet. Richard told himself that when he came home that night he'd order his servants to make him a bath right away. Filthy colored servants who can’t afford things.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sx9BWwcRn
Richard hated the poor. They were dirty and disgusting and too lazy to go get a job themselves.
He was disappointed he had to wake up so early. Usually he woke up closer to noon, and the servants dressed him. But he had to get to the cricket game early so his colleagues wouldn't suspect him.
So Richard dressed himself. He hated it and thought it was unsuited for himself, but he had to anyway. It would be frowned upon if he came to the game in his night clothes.381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEImPcu3tuN
Richard went downstairs into the glorious kitchen. It was quiet that morning, and his father was still asleep. He didn't even know about this game. But Richard and his father both knew Robert Calibaster would not care where his son went or what he did. It was only a matter of time when he could forget Richard even existed at all.
Richard grabbed an apple, not feeling very hungry that morning. Who needed breakfast anyway? When you could have lavish lunches and dinners served to you on silver platters why even bother with a meal like breakfast.
But Richard knew in his heart the real reason he didn't eat much that morning was because he didn't know how to make a real breakfast for himself. So he took something already prepared for him.
Richard sighed as he walked out the back door, avoiding the streets as much as possible. He couldn't stand seeing the street rats and homeless who lived in the streets of Quinton.
He passed the equally glorious garden, filled with daisies, roses, tulips, and every flower you could think of. Each flower was perfectly pruned and watered. Richard hated them, their beauty and care disgusting him. 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpA9M4fTwH
His father would spend hours in the afternoon taking care of the flowers, saying it was a good way to "be involved with nature". 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRR5zHyMwp5
Like hell his father would want to be involved with nature. Richard knew the real reason his father spent so much time out there. He couldn't bear to look at Richard, and wouldn't even glance or talk to him at their dinners. Their dinners were always served in silence except for the servants saying what the next dish would be.
Richard pushed the thoughts out of his mind and began to look for the path into the woods. He had a cricket game to go to, after all.
With Quinton being a small town, the Calibasters were the richest family. And his friends were just below them, equally wealthy in their own right. Richard thought that by being there, his father would be a little proud.
The path was in his sights now, the Calibasters' private entrance to the woods. Once in there, nobody would bother him.
But not before someone stopped him.
"Please," a weak voice asked, "Could you spare me some money? Or food?"
Richard looked down the bridge of his nose at the man begging at his feet. He was dressed in rags in covered in dirt, and he smelled horrible.
Richard took a smug bite out of his apple, making sure it spat a bit of apple juice on the beggar's face. "I do have both, but you're not getting any of it." He smoothed his pristine navy blue outfit, hoping the beggar wouldn't get any of the dirt on it.
"Filthy beggar," Richard muttered as he continued his walk to the path into the woods.
"Young man," the man called.
Richard rolled his eyes as he faced the man. "What?"
“We’re not all filthy you know. And it doesn’t matter what’s on the outside, it’s about what’s on the inside that counts. I may be poor but I could be the kindest person you’ve ever met. And you may be rich, but you may be the meanest person I’ve ever met.” the man sighed, “I’m just trying to teach you a lesson, boy.”381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvH67JlrgSC
"Yeah?" Richard's voice began to rise. His patience had been worn thin by this beggar. "Well maybe I don't need a lesson! I already know who I am and I don't need someone below me telling me how to lead my life!" 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMXvmvZIEc
Richard sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He lowered his voice a little. "I just need to get to my game." Then he looked at the apple in his hand, and tossed it to the man. "Eat it," he told the man, "I've lost my appetite." 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8gsIuJe1B
The beggar lunged for the apple, a grateful smile on his face. But Richard was already walking away from him, going into the woods. 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjW9HpT9PeC
As he walked, Richard thought about what the man had said. It doesn't matter what's on the outside, it matters what's on the inside. 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BhErKAoqO
Huh. That was ironic, wasn't it? All his life, Richard had been given everything he'd ever wanted. Except for one thing. His father's love. 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGXC6KpVOB
But that didn't matter for Richard's own decisions. Richard was good, right? All his life he'd been told that he was on top, the top of the food chain. That everyone who wasn't as rich wasn't good enough. Everyone else was below him. 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJqzPgLn4j
A fluttering sound from overhead made Richard jump. A flock of birds flew above him, then turned and flew his way. Richard gasped and covered his face with his arms, stumbling around as the birds flew at him, their beaks and claws pecking and scratching at him. 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLj5CiqMYFW
He ran away from the birds, still shielding his face until it was quiet. The birds were gone. Richard looked at his arms, and nothing was torn or ripped on his clothes. But he felt his arms screaming in pain. So Richard rolled up his right sleeve and saw the scratched and cuts all over his arms. 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIVbHWoAjN
"Huh," Richard muttered, "Now that's weird." 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqlCQW045e
Richard looked around and noticed there was no path, and that he was lost. 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJdcQeT7mm
"Great," he muttered under his breath, "Just great." 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uma9K6igo
Then a voice spoke in his ear. "Go forward. There you will find your friends." 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9QpoTgGcf
Richard looked around, confused at where the voice had come from. But nobody was there. The forest was empty and quiet. 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcxw5YPP2Q
But Richard knew his cricket game would be starting soon and he needed to get there as fast as he could. Richard assured himself it was just his conscience telling him where to go. 381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7TdwegtWq
So, despite it being completely crazy, Richard followed the voice's directions and headed forward, into the woods...381Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjEAFgF4It
