Dark Desire

CHAPTER 62. Age and Time

Here's another chapter of Raven's past, since a couple of you wanted another chapter like that.

Raven's pov, (nine years old)

  "I'll be right back, don't fucking move," Cross said harshly and I nodded, grumpy. He was taking me shopping, but I hadn't even gotten to help at all.

I crossed my arms and watched him go into the store, leaving me alone outside, sitting on a bench. I kicked my legs back and forth, it was comforting as Cross left me alone like the meanie he was.

A van parked in the ally beside the store and I looked up as a greasy smelly young man sat beside me. "Hello kid," he said and nodded.

I nodded back and smiled. "Hello mister,"

River said not to talk to strangers, but that's silly, how can a person make friends if they never talk to anyone?

He looked around and stretched out his arm over the bench, by my back. I inched forward a little bit so he didn't touch me, his hands looked nearly black with dirt. "Do you like candy?" The man suddenly asked and I looked up at him.

"Fin says candy will rot my teeth," I said matter of factly. The man paused as a woman passed before talking to me more.

"Do you want some?" He offered and I wrinkled my nose.

"Dune told me not to take food from strangers, and that to be careful, because people can be," I paused and tried to pronounce the word correctly. "Inopopiet,"

The man blanched. "What?"

I frowned at him. "Inoprriate," I said and shook my head. "Don't you know what that means?"

"Inappropriate," the man realized and shook his head. "How about puppies? Do you want to pet a puppy?"

I kicked my legs back and forth faster. "Lion says I can't have a puppy, he thinks everyone would eat it."

I jumped as the man grabbed my arm. "Enough of this playing around, come with me-"

"Cross! He's touching me inapoperty!" I screamed and wrestled to get away from him, kicking and punching.

Cross appeared out of nowhere and lifted me up into his arms, making the man cower. "Want to die?" Cross questioned.

I giggled and hugged myself to Cross, I liked it when he picked me up, he was so big and strong, but he didn't hold me very often.

"I- I wasn't - !"

I tugged on Cross's shirt and he looked at me. I pointed at the man. "He was, he was being inaporaite," I huffed and hid in Cross's neck, milking what I could, I wanted Cross to be worried about me. "He's scary,"

"Excuse me, this man is a pedophile," Cross called to a police man crossing the street. "Raven, tell him what this creep did," Cross told me.

I nodded and looked at the man in the blue suit, holding onto Cross tightly. "He said he had candy, to rot my teeth, and grabbed me, here," I pointed at my wrist and shook my head. "Inaproprate," I said solemnly.

Cross looked at me and shook his head. "You're more trouble than you're worth,"

My lips parted and I looked away from him, feeling my fingers tremble a little.

***

"Fin," I called and knocked on his open door. Fin waved me over from his chair, setting his book down.

"What's wrong, Raven?" I walked over and climbed into his lap, looking up at him with worried eyes.

"Should I kill myself?"