Keep The Boy Well Fed

• Zoe Urquhart, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2012

In the busy cheerful market place the old hunchback seemed out of place as he hobbled through the bustling stalls, buying simple food. Soon he left the market and familiarly took a long worn path leading deep into the woods to a ramshackle hut.
Within was a small boy, at first glance he may have seemed to be only eleven or twelve, but as you peered closer at him, you saw he was at least fifteen in age. He was sitting on the floor as the hunchback entered, reading a thick book, but he started as the old man entered. The hunchback hobbled in and heaved his sack of food on the floor.
“Good morning lad!” he said.
“Good morning Jonas.” replied the boy gravely.
“And what have you been doing with yourself today?”
“I have been reading Jonas.”
“It is well with the boy.” murmured Jonas to himself, as if trying to convince some inner person. Then to the boy,
“I have brought you dinner.”
“Thank you Jonas.”
Then the two began to prepare the food in silence, as a well established routine.
Jonas broke the silence, “what were you reading boy?”
“It was a story about a boy who lived in a place with many people, more than we two. He lived with a person called mother and then he left her because he wished for an adventure.”
Louis’s simple explanation of the book seemed to trouble the old man.
“Do you believe this could be Louis?” his voice shook, perhaps from fear or maybe woe.
“You said the books were not true Jonas, I do not believe.”
“Yes boy, it is as I told you.” As he spoke a quiver passed over his face, and his eyes dwelt with a sad fondness on the boy. Then the unwonted emotion left as quickly as it had come and the old man fingered a piece of gold, unlooked for riches for an old hunchback.
The next day in the market place Jonas went through the same routine, buying food for the boy, but this time he was accosted by a tall, well dressed man.
“It is not your day.” murmured Jonas unwillingly.
“I will not be here tomorrow.” insisted the man “how is the boy?”
“Come see for yourself!” said the hunchback eagerly.
“The boy has no need to know me and I have no responsibility to see him. Look! Here is your gold piece, here are two! Keep the boy well fed, I will see you next week.” and the man walked away.
The hunchback stared after him as he quickly vanished, the same expression on his face as he had looked on the boy the day before. Then he hobbled down the well worn path which knew only his faltering steps, and not the confident walk of Louis’s father. An unwarranted confident walk which hid the weak and despicable man, who had walked away so coolly from his only link with his son, just a minute before in the market.