Sofie wakes up in an empty bed. Ichabod purrs softly beside her. She has no idea what time it is. At least she doesn't have to work tonight. She rolls over, groaning, and finds a note on Marko's pillow.
Went to grab a bite to eat. We'll bring you back something.
She smiles and stretches, glancing around the room. It really is beautiful. Maybe this could work. Temporarily, at least. Sofie tries to push any and all thoughts of Kevin out of her mind as she dresses and pads out into the cave. Laddie is sitting on the couch eating a slice of pizza and flipping through the channels on an old, dusty TV. Sofie plunks herself down beside him and ruffles his hair gently. He doesn't flinch. Instead, he looks up at her and smiles.
"What are you watching?" She asks.
"Trying to find cartoons." He reaches beside him and pulls out a pizza box. "You want some? Paul got it for me."
"Sure."
Laddie settles on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and they watch in silence for a while. Sofie finishes her pizza, wipes her hands on her jeans, and turns to Laddie.
"Laddie? Do you like it here?"
He nods.
"They're nice to me."
"What about David?"
"He's grumpy."
Sofie laughs.
"He is, but he can be..."
Sweet? Kind? She purses her lips and hums, trying to find the right word.
"He can be... not a total dick."
Laddie smiles.
"They take better care of me than my foster parents did."
She wants to ask what they did to him that made him run away, but she's afraid of what might be unleashed. He looks fragile, but not entirely broken.
"Do you know what we are?" She asks.
Another nod as he takes another bite.
"And that doesn't scare you?"
He shakes his head.
"Dwayne says I'm gonna be one of you soon."
"Did he explain it to you?"
"Yeah."
Sofie fiddles with the hole in her jeans. His mind will grow and mature, but physically, he'll be a child forever. He'll have all of the wants and needs of a teenager and eventually an adult, but he'll never get the chance to grow up - to fall in love, to go to a real school, to have real friends. She feels sick thinking about the life they would be depriving him of. Maybe they should have just let him go that night.
"Are you okay with that?"
He shrugs.
"Can I still eat pizza and watch cartoons?"
"Yeah, bud. You can."
Sofie wraps an arm around his shoulder and pulls him close, kissing the top of his head. She doesn't understand why she feels so protective of him all of a sudden, but it doesn't matter. They watch the rest of the episode in silence. After an hour or so, Laddie is fast asleep in her arms and she hears the sound of engines dying, followed by hooting, hollering, and boots hitting stone. Dwayne, Marko, and David tumble into the cave, shoving each other and laughing. David gives her a small nod and eases himself down in his makeshift wheelchair throne, draping one leg over the side and lighting a cigarette. Marko stops at the sight of Sofie cradling a sleeping Laddie and smiles.
YOU ARE READING
Sick Child - MarkoxOC
Fanfiction"Santa Carla has always been a weird place - one of those places where you always had to be on the lookout, keep your wits about you. 'Look straight ahead and keep up' is what her mom always said whenever they hit the boardwalk. It's a strange mix o...
