On the last night I spent with my parents, my Da drank a lot of whiskey. I didn't know what it was back then, of course, but I do now. It was snowing and my house was cold. I was wrapped in a threadbare quilt but the fire was out and I cried because I was cold. Da yelled at me to stop but I could only cry harder. He started yelling louder and cursing at me. My Mama stood in the corner and looked out the window. He grabbed a leather strap from a hook and swung it at me. It hit my cheek hard and cut deep. Blood ran down my face. When it healed, I had a vivid scar for many years. He hit me again and again on my back, on my legs, and on my arms. When he was breathing hard, he threw the strap aside and stomped out, slamming the door behind him. I lay in the floor and cried. Mama stood and looked out the window.
Da didn't come back that night. I don't know whether he ever returned, because early the next morning, Mama shook me awake roughly and led me out the door toward the edge of town. She talked to a man with a wagon and handed him a few copper coins. She lifted me up to the back of the wagon and told me to sit. She climbed up and sat across from me. We rode in silence for many hours. It was snowing hard. The wind was blowing and I was shivering. I closed my eyes against the burning air and stayed that way until the wagon stopped. I opened my eyes just enough to look around. Next to the wagon was a massive, stone tower. There was warm, yellow light shining from several of the windows and a heavy wooden door up some steps near the base of the tower. Mama stood and climbed down. She told me to get down, but it looked like such a long jump and I was scared. She reached up, grabbed my hand and jerked me down. I fell into the snow, face first. My clothes were wet when I stood and they started freezing instantly. I had never been so cold in my life.
Mama pulled me along behind her as I stumbled in the snow that came nearly up to my knees. She lifted a large brass knocker and slammed it against the door. It echoed with a loud booming noise. It felt like forever that we waited but it probably wasn't actually more than 5 minutes. A boy in simple clothes pulled the door open slowly. "We are here for the Wizard," Mama told the boy. He nodded and closed the door behind him.
A few minutes later, a very tall, old man with a long gray beard opened the door. He looked us over but said nothing. Mama didn't say anything for a long moment, then bowed on one knee and stuttered out a greeting. "M-m-master Wiz-z-ard. Honor t-to your hou-house." He continued staring at us. "I bring you my child," she said with a steadier voice.
He looked me up and down. "She is young," he said simply.
"Yes, Lord Wizard," Mama said quickly, "But she can work hard. She can learn. I am sure she could prove useful. I saw your advertisement in the city."
"Yes, I suppose she could prove useful," the wizard said. "Very well." He reached in the pouch at his belt and handed Mama several silver coins.
She clutched them tightly. She pushed me toward him and backed away, still bowing. She turned and hurried to the wagon.
I felt the wizard's heavy arm take my shoulder and looked up at him. "Don't look back," he said. "There's no going back. Then he led me into the tower, closing and latching the heavy door behind me.