Status: Taking it easy but still going.

Not So Hollo

Breathe

"Who are you?" I blinked eyes that strained against the confines of my skull, then exhaled loudly with the pent up breath I was holding. The boy's face fell over. "What?", I sat up slowly reaching for the paper memory. It was just a picture. It sat in my hand like a delicate petal with worn edges and curling corners. No doubt it was expensive considering that pictures were only taken for the higher or more well known class of people these days. The boy's face smiled at me in innocence as he stood by his parents. The mother sat in a chair holding a small baby boy.

I knew them. It was the family of the legless man. He stood strong and proud with an air of authority and lip curling love. Love was also an expensive thing in this world. I had learned that long ago when the fever and aggression of the voice controlled me. The mother was indeed the lady Patroller that had been in the attack three summers ago, and the baby she held must be Dare. It was the boy that troubled me. His body had not filled in to be a healthy eight year old boy. In fact, he looked sick and scrawny. The bags under the boy's face were faint, the cane he clutched was hidden behind the chair his mother sat in, and the father's hand that steadied his thin body was not conspicuous. He was deathly sick.

My memories had shown the exact face and smile that was in the picture. There had to be a connection. I had to have seen the photo or the boy somewhere before. Again for the thousandth time, I cursed my memories for being cowards and running away. How long had I been asleep and vulnerable? I can't let this happen again in such a dangerous place. I'd rather be torn apart by Aiza than the mischievous, back-stabbing devils that dwell inside city folk.

Something stirred within the room. I carefully hid the picture inside my already thick and chunky receipt book that resided my leather shoulder purse and stood up slowly. Blood rushed to my legs in a tidal wave but I steadied myself quickly. It was Dare that stirred. I walked over to the throw pillow sized window and looked out into the street. The sky was already darkening. The eve had approached without my awareness. "I guess the nap took longer than I had thought."

Picking up the dry rags I wen to the kitchen to grab the supplies to help Dare. After this I would depart for the day. So much for getting something done for today. Dare had pulled himself into a lazy but upright sitting position. "W-what...How...What're you doing here!?", Dare nearly lost his skin when he jumped up and pointed accusingly at me. His legs shook, eyes squinted, chest heaved and head wobbled so badly that I had a brief thought that he could have been standing on the smallest and most devastating earthquake in history. The thought passed quickly.

"You better sit do-", I stopped talking and helped escort him back to the couch as he wavered like a babe learning to walk. "How much do you remember before, you know, blacking out?" I dipped a rag into a water filled bowl and began to dab at the streaks of blood he had smeared on his face. His eyes ran rapidly around the destroyed room. He was a kindred spirit now. Both of lost family and destroyed homelands. Well his story is slightly less dramatic, but in essence we were kindred. Dare's mouth lay open, dry and his face was unresponsive with glazed eyes. He tried to speak once, twice, but nothing escaped his lips but incoherent noises and blubbers. I handed him a chipped ceramic cup of water. He sipped gingerly then downed the whole cup wetting his shirt in the process from the excess water that dripped down his chin.

"He's really gone, isn't he? I didn't just have a nightmare. He's really gone", he finally said. He swiped at his face and just took in the condition of his home. Poor kid. He opened his other hand to find the key attached to a thick metal necklace. I didn't really think much of the key. Maybe it went to a treasure chest. Ha, yeah right.

"Sit up. I need to check for breaks." I needed to get going too. The voice has been active lately and I don't want to risk another attack or whatever it had done to me. Taking care of Dare was like manipulating a doll. He sat up and gave minimal answers of yes, no, mumble. I wrapped his head loosely and finished off by tying a secure knot to keep it in place. By then it was completely dark and all activities had halted. That was unfortunate. "Keep that bandage on for the night and you should be fine. I didn't find any broken bones, so you don't need a doctor. Just try to stay out of trouble, kid." I gathered by purse and scanned the debris ridden room looking for the little scaly lump I brought with me. "Runt -click click click- here boy." Runt lumbered out from underneath the couch and knocked over a small box. "Quit making a mess, you", I picked him up and placed him in my cloak. As I was lifting Runt I saw that the box was tightly locked and even had a keyhole. Was this what the legless-man had been hiding? Was this box worth abandoning his son and dying for? I stood up and adjusted my gear.

"Wait." Dare stood up unsteadily and held onto the back of the couch for support. I turned to face him. "I-I...", Dare swallowed audibly in the silent house, "Is th-that an Aiza? Like a real Aiza? What are you doing with something like that! If you get caught-"

"I'm not going to get caught. Quit acting like a lunatic and calm down. Look you're scaring Runt and if you scare him bad enough he just might nibble on that loud face of yours. And I really don't have time for this." I stroked the bushel tailed Runt to calm him down and to loosen the extended claws he had unleashed upon my already tender neck. "Bye kid, I doubt we'll be seeing each other again."

"Wait, wait. Where are you going? I mean, I owe you and well... maybe I can repay you sometime you know. I don't have much money but-" I cut him off with a sharp gesture.

"Don't worry about it." I really needed to get out of here. The voice was stirring again, although lazily or too tired from the take over. "Look kid, I don't need any money and I won't be here when you decide how to repay me, so don't worry about it."

"My name's Dare, not kid. And I have to repay you somehow! You just saved my life twice...It's humiliating but there has to be a way for me to repay you. I owe you twice now. Isn't there anything?", Dare looked away from my face to stare at the curious Runt that was draped halfway down my chest staring idly at the rubble of Dare's house. This boy was pretty insistent. How could this other runt help me with anything. I looked briefly at the box that lay between my feet. Its contents might be connected to the photograph of the boy. Was that where the picture of the forgotten boy came from? I leaned against one leg and scratched Runt between his four beady blue orbs. I had to find some way the boy could be of some use to me so I could investigate. It was no coincidence that my memories of the forgotten boy had revealed themselves today, the day I decide to intervene and involve myself in the leg-less man's family.

"Aha!", he had almost fallen over when I broke out of deep thought, "Ok ki-, I mean Dare, I have a list of supplies I'll be needing before I leave again. I don't know this town as well as you do, so maybe you can give me a tour or help me find a couple things, 'kay? That should just about cover it." That was a good excuse considering I already know where most of my supplies will be. At least the kid had some sense of honor or morality. He must have been raised well.

Dare's face lit up like a thousand suns, "Yes! I'll do it. Only...I don't know where you'll be. Are you staying at Ben's Hotel? Or with a relative? I haven't heard of any caravans traveling through town in awhile, so you must be from Tower City. Although you don't look like a city dweller. Why are you dressed like that? I thought everyone in the city was all fancy." Was he purposely trying to keep me here any longer? He should be the most devastated boy ever but no, all he wants is a chat with a stranger who can't stay away. Dammit.

"Uh, no. I'm not from anywhere, and I'm definitely not staying inside of town. I'm just passing through Benjamin on my way to the West Coast. And don't you dare try running your mouth that I'm a wanderer or I'll cut it off." I narrowed my eyes menacingly. "I don't need anymore trouble, so zip it. I'll come by later in the morning tomorrow. If you're not here then I'll be about my business as usual. I really don't care one way or another, so I'll be off. I've stayed long enough", I could feel the voice approaching slowly. Its dark consciousness spread over my brain towards the center of my forehead. "I gotta go, kid. Dare. Whatever, gotta go."

Dare was silent as I reached for the broken door that hung slack on its hinges. Then he said, "Don't leave. I could m-"

"Dare, a word of advice from an experienced griever. Get over it as quickly as you can then to live your life the way you want to. You don't need me."

I didn't feel the least bit of regret for leaving him alone. I had no one to comfort me. I had only the voice. But since he has no malevolent blood thirsty consciousness inside of him, he'll be fine.

I made my way through the dark allies of Benjamin with the flickering street lamps giving only small bursts of light. Every vending stall lay empty and abandoned by their owners and shops were dark without the bustle of costumers. It was lights out for the town of Benjamin. Except for the shady dealers and the harlots, of course. I finally was within sight of the gates I had entered. The pair of Patrollers exited their cozy station to approach me. I made sure my cloak hid my feminine face and I tucked Runt deep into my shirt for a muscly sort of definition. "Halt! You wish to exit out of the southern gates for what purpose?"

"I entered these gates this morning. It makes sense to exit out of them when I am finished with my business." My voice had lowered several octaves and I dipped into a gravelly sort of chuckle for good humor. "I'm a traveler that simply refuses to house my goods in town. There was a gang that attacked me some years ago an-"

"Yeah, yeah. You're clear to go." The Patrollers gave the signal to open the gates and I simply strolled out of the last two formidable layers of town. First was the twenty foot wall of the inside layer and then the grey stone three foot thick wall. It stood at least thirty odd feet. Not bad for a town that was generally free of any Aiza attack with the exception of VE's. After losing sight of the walls, I allowed Runt to enjoy the smells of the wilderness again. It felt good to finally take off my hood. It was constantly making my newly cut hair look wild by rubbing the short tufts into odd angles and positions. When I reached camp, Beasty lowed at my return. I set Runt down near my pallet. He was asleep in less that a minute.

"Aye, yes I know you're hungry you great beasty you." I moved Beasty over to the nearby field to feed on greens and he grunted happily. I noticed that his fur was riddled with fox tails and other lumpy burs. I patted his rump and said, "Don't worry boy I'll get you a brush to comb out all these irritating pests". I rekindled the fire with the left over dry wood I saved before it was rained the night before and slept. It is weird to think that only in my dreams can I be alone. 'You'll never be alone. Not yet anyway...' And then I slept.
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I apologize for taking so long on updating, but my academics come before pleasure. You know all that high school blah blah. Anyways this chapter is long and the next will be short, but a movement for this story is in play. Some very exciting action is coming up so be prepared.

Try to comment on what you like, don't like or just anything. I need feedback to write a good story. :) Best wishes from me to you.

-AJ