Through the Eyes of Blue

IX

In which our protagonist plays with children

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*Two Months Later*

A shrill whistle broke through the morning air, drawing the attention of the pack of slow children I had the misfortune of being tasked to guide back to me. The children snapped their attention from the deer that was passing by back to me.

'How 'bout a race?' I asked. The children eagerly agreed. 'The last one to the creek is a rotten apple!'

I tore off towards the south, brushing through the underbrush, my booted soles gliding on the forest floor, the children keeping pace behind me perfectly. I was a bit faster than them, but then again, I was always on the fast end of the spectrum. The children managing to someone keep pace with me spoke to their ability as runners.

Looking back forward, I yelped and threw my body to the side, narrowly avoiding giving a tree a rather forceful kiss. I really should not be looking backwards as I run. That would be baaad. Yes, baaaaad.

Shaking my head at myself, I focused on my run. It wasn't that bad if the idiot children caught up, but it would certainly be unpleasant. We would undoubtedly end up in a scrap, and I don't fancy having blood on my clothing.

Dodging and weaving through the trees, I smirked at the frustrated growl behind me as another of the idiot children smacked into one tree or the other. Let's see how many manage to reach the creek in a timely manner...

Bursting through the break in the trees, I ran into a clearing on the shores of the creek. This creek was rather large and wide, with the fastest currents amongst the many, many creeks in this region. Jumping over the creek, my legs bent slightly to absorb the impact on landing. The idiots running after me though? Their brains were simply not wired correctly, and they tried to run through the creek. Their surprised growls were the last I had heard of them before their bodies disappeared downstream.

Tee hee, I win, idiots.

A few more of the idiot children came running out of the forest, one of them, the one with the horridly fluorescent green windbreaker, had a large bruise on her forehead, the black and purple contrasting with the white locks framing her face.

'Hey! Over here, children!' I waved at them. 'You're all rotten apples!'

Unable to suffer this insult, or perhaps the inability to stand my presence – or perhaps either – this group of five children charged at me, the white haired one leading the charge – while completely disregarding the creek between us – their one-track minds focusing on one thing and one thing only – remove this infuriating, offensive foreigner in their sights, teaching her a lesson in respecting the local hierarchy.

Too bad this female was on the other side of a deep creek.

With a surprised growl, the white-haired woman stepped into the fast currents, promptly losing her balance and creating a big splash in the creek. She was seen no more.

The rest of the idiots didn't learn from White Hair's mistake, insisting to go down the wrong road, further and further until they reached around the same point White Hair fall. They also playfully created big splashes in the creek and were seen nevermore.

Grinning, I waved at the river. 'Ta-da children, see you never!'

Jumping back over the river, I started retracing my footsteps, there are still idiot children stuck in the woods awaiting my extraction.

The sun was hanging at its highest point, and my shift was done. Heading back to the gates, knocked on the smooth wood. One of my fellows peaked over the wall and yelled down at me, 'Having fun?'

'Yep. The stupid children are fun to play with once you know how.'

'I have nothing to say to that. Come on in.' His head disappeared, moments later the gate has opened a sliver, allowing me to pass through. Turning off my radio, I place it back at the basket next to the gate for the next shift. I rolled my head before leaving for lunch.

The mass was packed, as usual. Since I had hunted earlier this morning, I decided to get something light to nibble on. Grabbing a cheese roll, I wandered up to the table Gathering Team Echo was sitting at. Looks like they don't have to range afar today.

'Heya, what's up?' I plopped down next to Emelia.

'The skyyyyy~' Olyvia sang, 'and currently the ceiling~'

'What got her in this mood today? Too much sugar?' I asked Ellie.

'I have absolutely no idea, I really doubt I would ever understand that girl, honestly.' Came the reply. 'At least she was not bouncing off the walls.'

'Hey! I resent that remark! I could bounce off walls! Just you see!' She started to stand up until Ellie reached across the table and forcefully dragged her back onto the bench.

'Sit down and eat your noodles Firecracker, this place is packed enough as it is, we don't need you clearing one side of the room.' She sounded like she was completely done with the redhead, just I'm-tired-of-your-shit-don't-ever-do-that-again-in-my-presence type of done with Olyvia.

I sniggered and took a bite out of my roll.

Miss Firecracker pouted at Ellie, trying for an impression of five years old adorable child, only to utterly fail and landed on redheaded devil child instead. 'Finne, killjoy' She whined.

Ellie huffed before going back to her meal.

'So, what's the plan for you guys today?' I asked Dan. I had on many occasions joined them if they had the morning off, their chores a welcome deviation from my normal tasks of leading infected around.

'Fishing. We will be going to that big creek to the south, hopefully, there will also be clams along the shallows.'

'Mmm, you might want to go a bit more upstream than you usually do. I had just flushed a bunch of infected downstream a while north of your usual fishing place. There might still be some stuck along the shore.'

'Got it, thanks.'

'Hey Bran, Amira is over there, go talk to her.' Willis gave Bran a poke in the side. 'Stop making cow eyes at her, it's pathetic.'

'But, what should I say to her? What can I say to her?' Bran whined, withdrawing into himself, if he could, I'm sure he would have curled into a ball.

'Just go and talk whatever. Go!'

Bran picked up his tray, walked over and awkwardly tapped Amira's shoulders. 'Um... can I join you?' He asked.

'Sure.' The mechanic clad in grey briefly looked at him, noting his half-eaten food, raised an eyebrow and turned her head to glance at our table, meeting all our eyes at once. I can see the cogs in her braining turning and forming into one coherent picture. Smirking at us, she mouthed... something at us - I have absolutely no idea what she was saying, but I had always been bad at reading lips, so it's just me – before she turned back to her food and dining companion.