"Again" The man called out as he paced back and forth slowly, a critical eye resting on the young boy as he pulled himself back to his feet and wiped the dirt from his face.
"We've been at it all morning!" The boy finally snapped, brushing back the mop of brown hair from his eyes.
"And still you are falling. Get back up there and do it again." The man replied firmly nodding up towards the roof of the crimson wagon.
"My arm hurts." The boy complained.
"I don't care. Do it again." He replied.
"Uncle I can't do th-..." The boy was not allowed to finish the thought as the man stepped forward "There is no can't here, boy! We are nearing the town and you are not ready. Get up there!"
The boy cradled his arm and stared up at his uncle, jaw clenched and struggling to hold back the tears that glistened his eyes. He inhaled deeply and raised his head high to match his uncle's height, if only in spirit. "And what if my arm is broken?" The boy spoke up, sucking in an extra gulp of air to puff the thin chest out.
The man leant over staring down at the boy "Then you will do it with the one good arm." He replied, the thick, calloused hand of the man sweeping at the boy's head to smack it over "Now get up there and do it right this time."
"Why can't Baldvin do it?!" The boy growled back snapping his head back and rubbing the sore spot at the side of his head, a cold glare sat on his towering uncle.
"He has better things to do, muscles to build. How else is he going to be able to carry you on his shoulders?" The man stepped closer and roughly grabbed the boy by the shoulder and shoved him towards the wagon.
"Why can't I just carry him instead?" The boy argued stumbling forward at the shove, hesitating as he stared at the ladder fastened to the wagon's wall.
"Because you are the runt. Now get up there before I toss you." The man grunted irritably, his patience with the boy growing thin.
The boy knew better than to test his uncle's patience, letting go of his aching arm and reaching forward to grab the rung and heave himself up from the ground. He felt his body tense and drops of sweat started to dot his forehead as the boy climbed higher.
He touched the edge of the roof and a cold chill ran down his spine, in that moment making the mistake of looking down to the ground below. The boy's grip tightened and he pulled his eyes away, frozen in place and knuckles turning white from the strong grip.
"Get up!" A voice bellowed from below and suddenly a sharp pain the back of the boy's head as a shoe struck him. "I'm going!" The boy yelled back, fighting through the tears and pushing onwards to climb to the roof.
Slowly the boy inched himself to the ridge that had been raised up for the purpose of training, he had watched many in his family dance on this ridge with ease and without fear.
He pulled his sore arm closer and his eyes shut tight, a few words of encouragement whispered to himself. The boy could hear the impatient pacing of his uncle below and unless he wanted to be kissed by the second shoe he couldn't delay any longer.
The boy leant forward and grasped the raised ridge and with a kick of his feet raised his lower body upwards and carefully straightened it to stand erect with his toes greeting the open sky.
His arms trembled and eyes grew wide when he saw how far the ground was away from him and in that second the strength in his arms failed and his body came tumbling down. The boy yelled in fright, rolling down the roof and over, briefly catching the edge but unable to hold himself for more than a brief moment.
A loud curse was heard from the grown man and then a thud as the boy's body struck the ground below, a muffled cry following as the boy grasped his arm and rolled onto his side, facing his back to his uncle so he wouldn't witness the tears that fell.
"Dammit, boy!" The uncle snapped and stepped forwards, he grabbed the boy by his arm and dragged him back to his feet. "What is the matter with you?! Again!" The boy was put on his feet and shoved to the ladder again.
"B-but..." The boy whimpered and stumbled in his step.
"Again, Loakee. Again!"
