Mortal HistoryComing soon!
The years of innocents Age 0-5Born Callan Crain 15th of October 1889 to the parents of Keelin Crain and Ryan Crain Dublin, Ireland. A child of great importance to his mother, as he was her first and last Callan grew up with the love and respect of his family. He was baptised to the Catholic faith ten days after his birth. As his mother was unable to work due to a back injury she received as a child Callan saw very little of his father. This however did not faze him as he knew his father was working to keep food on their table. His family was not wealthy but they where also not poor. And as Callan was their only child his parents where free to spend all their money of him. He was not spoilt because of this, but he never wanted for anything. At the age of two was one of Callan’s first memories, it was Christmas and his father had just thrown a fresh log onto the fire.
A young Callan played on the rug his mother had made as his mother cooked in the kitchen. He could remember the smell of herbs and spices and the look on his mothers face. Two weeks before Callan has suffered from a devastating virus which almost took his life, but two days before Christmas he awoke feeling no fever. His mother, being a suppositious woman, saw this as a sign from heaven. Callan, in her eyes, was marked then for greatness and the memory that remained strong in the young boys mind was the smile his mother gave him, a smile filled with love and devotion that only he could understand.
As he grew his father worked longer hours, still too young to have any regret Callan could not understand why his parents fought late into the night. The mind of a child is easily warped to believe things which are not true, and though he did not know why he started to feel he was the cause of his parent’s pain. This single thought, though brief, was shape his life in the coming years. At the age of three his father went away for longer than Callan had every remembered. His mother told him it was because of work, but this did not stop him wishing for his father. He had his mothers love, but as a son there was only so much she could give him. Without a father figure to look up to Callan started to act out, and at the age of three he became a handful. He would refuse to sleep when asked, or he would not eat because his father had not said grace.
His mother not knowing how to handle him called on his aunt, who Callan had a hidden hatred for. His aunt had never liked him, this he knew. And when she was called to deal with his behaviour she resorted to the only method she knew, when ever Callan acted out of line she was hit his hands with a small wooden cain. To this Day Callan still has small scares on his hands from where his aunt got carried away. Two years past and his father only returned home twice. Each time he had changed and treated Callan as nothing more than a voice he could ignore.
At the age of five tragedy struck his family. His mother was sitting in the small living room as Callan played at her feet. A sudden tapping at the door drew his attention. His mother answered the door, and only moments after the strangely dressed man spoke she collapsed in tears. Not knowing what to do the young boy tried to comfort his mother but he was pushed aside as his mother rushed out following the strangely dressed man. Knowing he was not allowed to leave Callan could only watch as his mother disappeared down the street. Not knowing what to do Callan went back to his mothers chair and curled up falling asleep. He was not awoken for many hours later. As he heard his name being called he opened his eyes to see a face he did not know. He was picked up and carried from the home he knew, he was not given a reason but on that night he lost his father and never saw his mother again.
----------
Learning how to stand alone Age 6-10A year is a long time, but in the eyes on one so young it went by so quickly. Without parents most children would have been turned out onto the streets, or worse put into an orphanage. But lady luck favoured this child and Callan was taken in by a family friend. His new family was very different from his last. He was now the youngest of five others, three boys and two girls, though only months separated them. At first he was treated well by the other children, after all their parents had told them too. But after the sudden shock of what had happened wore thin the children started to do what every other child did. They started to pick on Callan, as he had refused to speak they made fun of him, calling him many names and even going as far as to push him down. Though when ever things got too much his new parents would stop the games Callan could not help but feel a little alone. However, one night when he was trying to will sleep to take him he felt a hand on his arm. The youngest of the girls, Ellyn had come to his bed side and offered him her doll. She was the first smiling face Callan had seen since his parent’s disappearance and it warmed the ice which had formed around his heart.
After Ellyn had accepted him as a brother all the other children started to share their toys with him, and his new brothers only ever pushed him around in play now. When he turned six Callan joined the others in school, an experience he wished he could avoid. He had learnt to speak and knew many words, but he did not like to talk to others. Apart from Ellyn Callan hardly spoke to anyone. His first day of school was spent in the corner of the classroom because he refused to stand up and introduce himself. He was labelled a troublemaker almost as soon as he entered the classroom, a label which followed him for the rest of his life. Though the other children did try and help Callan his reclusive nature soon made him an outcast, no one wanted to play with him as they had started to fear him. Though throughout all this Ellyn remained a steady friend. Lessons where split between gender but during playtime Callan and Ellyn often sat in the shade talking about where they wanted to go and who they wished to be. Ellyn’s friendship in effected saved Callan from becoming nothing more than a empty shell.
When he was seven Callan had found his place in school, he was not popular, or very good at sports. But he could learn from any book he picked up, his teachers encouraged him to push his limits and he was soon working faster than all the children in his class. At this point he started to receive special tutor lessons, as his teachers where convinced he would become a great man when he grew. However this new found love of knowledge came at a price, he was singled out as teachers pet, and he soon found that even Ellyn felt out of place. Callan’s mind was growing while his friends remained innocent and carefree. And though he tried to pull away the teachers around him pushed him forward, telling him he was special and would do great things if only he would keep up with his work.
At the age of eight Callan had already missed two years of school, he had been moved into a class more fitting of his mind. This move, though wonderful for the schools reputation caused the young boy to retreat further in on himself. Ellyn no longer played with him at school as she had found new friends, and those in his class did not wish to because he was still viewed as a younger child than them. Instead of lashing out, as he had done before, Callan became almost obsessed with reading. Everything he could his hands on he read, and by the age of nine he had read every book in his school at least once. Because of his fast tracking Callan left his first years of school behind. However he did not return to higher education. Being the youngest of a family which was not even his blood came at a price. Though they cared for Callan he was not their own and his new parents refused to pay for him to go to a new school. Instead they brought him a few books every month to keep him from complaining.
At the age of ten Callan was full of questions, he wanted to know more of the world but he was being held back. He had been forced to start work with his new father at a mill; his job was to clean up the machines, to reach in to areas the adults could not access. Apart from being dangerous Callan found he would not even be paid. This, for some reason, angered him. He wanted more from life and two week before his eleventh birthday Callan decided that enough was enough, if he wanted something he knew he would have to get it for himself. He was young, but his mind was sharper than most twice his age. On a normal night, after his new family had all gone to sleep Callan slipped from bed and packed up a few things which where important to him. He then left; he did not leave a note or reason. In his mind he doubted he would be missed. So two weeks short of his next birthday Callan ran away from home.
----------
Troubled youth Age 11-13Callan’s thoughts were right; no one seemed to care about his disappearance. He did not even see his face on the back of the milk, but he did not expect anyone to look. He had no money so he spent two weeks wandering aimlessly towards the horizon, he stole when he could but most of the time he went hungry. But someone was watching over him as he always found something to eat or drink when he felt there was no hope. He was confused but felt as if he was being guided towards something, he followed an unseen presence and soon ended up in one of the large cities he had only heard about. Being just eleven years old no one paid him much attention when he wandered the streets. He found shelter in guttered out buildings and soon learnt which places where best avoided. It was no life for any child, but he did not give up. In his mind he knew he had forced this life upon himself, so he was going to live with it just to prove a point.
On one of this wanders within the city Callan saw a small group of children on the side walk. He had only seen other children with their parents, but these where all alone, just as he was. Curiosity got the better of him and he decided to follow these children for the rest of the day. He soon learned that they where all without parents, or at least they appeared so. Most begged, but the older boys went one further. They stole for people, running off with the goods and because they where small and fast no one caught them. This gave Callan an idea, he was young and small, and why couldn’t he steal as well. So far his morals had prevented him from doing so, but he now saw things in a slightly different light. The next day Callan spent hours watching a small butcher shop, he counted the amount of people who went in and out, and the amount of times the butcher went behind the counter and out of view. He judged that every half an hour the butcher went to get fresh cuts from the back of the store; this gave him a little over two minutes to go to the front and snatch a string of sausage meat.
When the butcher turned Callan made his move, however he had misjudged his time and his eyes met those of the butchers. The large man lunged forward and was able to grab Callen by a scruff of hair. Callan cried out, but no one seemed to even notice. The butcher dragged Callan into the shop and closed the door, putting up the gone for lunch sign. This was it Callan thought he was going to be cut up and sold for parts. But the man did not say a word; he shoved an apron into Callan’s hands and pointed to the back of the shop. Bewildered Callan followed the man into the back of the shop. The butcher explained he had watched Callan for most of the day, and knew what he had planned. His voice was rough but he was a kind man. He offered Callan a chance to work for his food, and Callan quickly accepted. After all, the young boy was tired of not eating for days on end.
So it was settled Callan would work and live with the butcher and his payment would be two meals a day. It was not a loving home, and at first Callan got under foot, but he soon learnt and soon found he enjoyed his new life. So he remained where he was, happy to be known as the butchers son. In a way this man had offered Callan the one thing he always wanted, a father figure to look up to.
----------
Starting down a bad road Age 14-19----------
The adult has yet to grow up Age 20-25----------
When things go from bad to worse Age 26-28