His Father sat up in his chair then spoke, "Your punishment, due to your actions, I do believe should be a big one. So, your punishment is going to be that I cannot have you do jobs or volunteering, not even community services. I cannot ground you either, so your punishment will hurt, but the pain will make you listen." He stopped talking and then called for one of the servants, "Richard bring me the rod from my room"
Now twelve year old a was very unhappy he knew he should never have touch his father's rifle. Oh how bad he had been plus he did not even know the rifle.was loaded and he accidentally shot his younger brother, lucky for him the doctor said the boy would be fine.
Richard then returned father quickly took the did from the servant, and gestured for him to leave the room. A looked at his mother sitting in her chair calmly walking the baby in the cradle with her foot.
A feeling of dread washed over A as he watched his father grip the rod tightly in his hand. He had witnessed his older siblings receive their fair share of punishments from his strict father, but he had never experienced anything like this before. The anticipation of what was about to happen made his heart pound in his chest.
His mother, seemingly unfazed by the impending punishment, continued her soothing motion with the cradle. She avoided making eye contact with A, her gaze fixed on the baby as if to shield it from the impending storm. A felt a pang of guilt and shame for the harm he had caused to his younger brother and the worry he had brought upon his family.
His father, a stern and serious man, slowly approached A with measured steps. The rod in his hand seemed to grow more menacing with each passing second. A's mind raced, desperately trying to come up with a way to escape his fate. But deep down, he knew his father's word was final, and any resistance would only make things worse.
Without a word, his father raised the rod and brought it down forcefully on the table, causing a loud crack that echoed through the room. A flinched, bracing himself for the pain that was sure to follow. But to his surprise, his father redirected the rod towards the chair next to him, as if warning A of what was to come.
"From now on," his father said in a firm voice, "you will spend every evening beside me, learning and observing. You will be a witness to the responsibilities and consequences of your actions. No jobs, no volunteering, no community services, but a constant reminder of the pain you have caused."
A's eyes widened in confusion and relief mixed with fear. The punishment was not physical, but the emotional weight it carried was undeniable. He would have to face his guilt head-on, without the distraction of other activities. Every day, he would sit next to his father, absorbing both the wisdom and the pain that awaited him.
As the days turned into weeks, A began to see the value in his unique punishment. The countless stories his father shared, the lessons learned from mistakes made in the past, and the unconditional love he felt from his family - all of it combined to shape him into a more mindful and responsible individual.
A vowed to never forget the lesson he learned that day. He would carry the weight of his actions as a constant reminder to think twice before succumbing to recklessness. And while the emotional pain remained, it served as a catalyst for growth and understanding within A's young heart.