In His Name

Chapter 44 - No longer welcome

For a moment no one moves. Mr. Rosewood has his arms protectively wrapped around his wife with Rowen standing guard at her back, all of their faces a mask of surprise and disbelief.

"Rosco?" Mr. Rosewood says his name like he genuinely doesn't recognize the boy only a few feet away from him.

Rosco tries to stand, still feeling quite a bit queasy. Hayden is quick to help him to his feet. "Sorry Mr. Rosewood." Steadying himself, "I didn't mean to cause a scene in your yard, we'll go somewhere else." Taking a deep breath to calm his stomach.

"You knew about this?" Rowen's tone is hard. "About them?" gesture at Hayden and Dora

Rosco blinks, brow furrowing, looking back at his god and the Mountain spirit behind him, "Um well, yeah?" Turning back to his employers, "What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Taking an uneasy step towards them.

"Stay away from us!" Mr. Rosewood shouts, moving like he needs to shield his wife from the boy.

Faltering, Rosco's lungs tighten making his breaths shallow and fast, "Mr. Rosewood?" he ventures softly, hoping this isn't what he thinks this is, that it's not what it looks like. His eyes run anxiously over the tight line they had created. A barrier he's not welcomed to cross.

"You knowingly brought Death into our city!" Rowen yells, his voice a mix of anger and betrayal, making the boy flinch.

"Into our house?!" Mr. Rosewood shouts, his face contorted with anger. Rosco didn't know the sweet man could look so frightening.

The boy's hands are trembling at his sides. Nice people can be capable of terrible things, Rosco has always known that, but he'd thought the Rosewoods were differ- No. He can't accept this. Just this morning these people smiled and told him he was wanted in their home. They just don't understand, they'd heard rumors and are scared, that's understandable, strange things are happening and that makes people nervous. Everything will be fine if they just let him explain. This isn't like the other times, and it doesn't have to be. He can still fix it. "N-no," Rosco shakes his head, pulling out of Hayden's hands to approach them again, "Look it's not like that, Hayden's not-"

"I said, stay back!" Mr. Rosewood bites out. Rosco recoils at the clear threat on his tone.

"Oh gods" Mrs. Rosewood breathes, pressing a hand over her mouth, "I let that demon child in our house!" Turning to grip her husbands' clothes, "We were going to let him stay here!?"

"You need to leave." Mr. Rosewood demands. "You aren't welcome here any longer."

The last light of hope flickers out leaving Rosco cold and empty; the tips of his fingers tingling with the pinpricks of numbness. "Right." He whispers as he shrinks in on himself, already internally berating himself for believing he could be wanted. Twice in two days has he been crushed for dreaming of receiving more than he deserves. It was stupid, you'd think he'd learn. "I'll go." He turns to the stable to get his belongings, but Rowen blocks his path.

"Mr. Rosewood told you to leave." Venom dripping from the old man's words. Rosco glances up in shock. His eyes meet with a look of hate and fear, his head swivels, glancing back to the Rosewoods, the loving older couple now watching him like he's some kind of monster.

"Get off my property!" Mr. Rosewood shouts. All the tenderness he'd once shown the boy gone behind a mask of disdain, "The lot of you!"

Dora materializes in front of him, gently pulling the boy into her arms, hiding his face in the crook of her shoulder.

"Get him away from here," Hayden's whispers softly from beside him, "I will take care of this." Dora nods,

"Wait-" Rosco sputters, his stomach already knotting at the thought of another trip and then the horrible rolling of the world shifting. He squeezes his eyes shut, hoping that not seeing the shift will abate some of the sickness building in his stomach. It doesn't.