To Hunt A Magick

Chapter Eight: Rainie's Wish

The sun shines brightly overhead, Dawn is playing in the creek splashing water at Jack, who is determinedly whittling something in his lap. She splashes him two, three times more, finally, he puts down his knife and the little piece of wood and charges into the creek. Dawn squeals in delight and runs up the creek with Jack on her heels, suddenly she falls, scraping her hands against a large rock, and tears stream down her face. Rainie is there in an instant sweeping Dawn into her arms, holding her as her tears flow. But her sobs do not stop.

Rainie awoke with a start, and that was when she heard it, crying. Looking around the dark room, she spots a small child, she has her knees pulled to her chest and is quietly sobbing. She does not have the muzzle thing on, but she is chained with the collar thing and her ankles, just like Rainie.

As quietly as possible, Rainie, leaves her spot and crawls over to the child, she looked up at Rainie, and whispered, "I am sorry. I did not mean to be so loud."

Rainie shook her head and whispered back, "It is okay, you were not loud. I find it hard to sleep here. Are you okay?"

The little girl shook her head, "No, I miss my Momma. I want to go home. And they hit me, hard. My back hurts, and I am so thirsty. Sorry, you are probably not okay too."

Scooting closer to the little girl, Rainie maneuvered her hands to where even though she is chained, she is hugging the girl. The little girl laid her head on Rainie's chest, and Rainie whispered, "Yes, I am not okay too, but that does not make your pain any less. This place is cruel and scary. I wish we could all go home. My name is Rainie, what is yours?"

Sniffling the girl said, "My name is Lily."

"Well, Lily, it is nice to meet you. Did you have a bad dream? Or have you not been able to sleep at all?"
"I cannot sleep. I hurt too much, and I miss my Momma."

"Did they bring your Momma here too? Or did they just get you?"

Sniffling Lily whispered, "They caught me playing in the water, Momma, was talking with the herbs person, trying to get something for daddy, he has not been well. I was just playing in the water, they said because it is so cold only a Magick could play in the water. But I do not have magick. The water was cold, but we had walked so far, and Momma had bundled me so well, I was hot. I do not have magick, but they said I did. They drug me away, they told Momma that if she tried anything they would, they would-"

Lily stopped, but Rainie did not need her to finish, she knew, they would have killed her, had her mother tried to save her. Her heart aching for the child, Rainie soothed, "It is going to be okay Lily. I know you miss home, but we have to think on the positive side, okay?"

Lily shook her head, "There is no positive side, we are either going to die or be someone's pet and be treated how they wish. How could there be a positive side?"

"One day, this will all end. One day the pain will fade. One day they will see that we are just like them. We still live, we still love, and we still hope for a brighter tomorrow. That is the positive side because even though they treat us cruelly, we still choose to be good and kind. Let us hope that whoever gets us, will treat us kindly."

Lily trembled, "I do not think that will happen. Rainie, I have no hope left."

Refusing to cry, Rainie hugged Lily a little tighter, "I will hope for the both of us, and I will wish for a day for us to be free. In the meantime, just do whatever they say. Do not fight them in any way, it hurts a little less that way."

Lily nodded, "I will try. But it is hard to stay still when they, they-"

She stopped again fresh tears rolling down her cheeks. Rainie nodded, "I know. Here, let us put this behind us. Lay your head in my lap, I will be your pillow." Lily nodded, wiping her tears away, and scooted around to where her head, rested in Rainie's lap.

Rainie gently stroked her head, and softly she began to sing an old lullaby she used to sing for Dawn. "Crickets chirping, owls hooting, a soft rustle on the wind, night has fallen, its creatures calling friend to friend. The moon rises bright overhead, the stars dancing as we lay our heads, down in our soft beds.

"Crickets chirping, owls hooting, the time has come to say goodnight. Stars glisten as we listen to the sounds of the night. Dreams take our minds away; joy and laughter make our hearts light. Crickets chirping, owls hooting the night fades away, tomorrow's light will shine so bright, bringing another happy day."

Over and over Rainie sang the little tune, until at last Lily drifted off to sleep. Rainie sat staring down at the little girl, how could someone be so cruel, she was a child, and they were beating her, stealing her hope, and sadly she was right.

Their only paths were death or eternal pain. They would find no kindness from anyone, ever again. Closing her eyes, Rainie tried to let sleep take her again, wishing she could go back in time, when her family was whole, and enjoy the warm sunshine, one more time. She had just fallen asleep when the door to their tiny room was flung open, and in the doorway stood two men, one was Wilbur, and the other she did not recognize.

When they saw Rainie and Lily sitting together they shared a look, and Wilbur mocked, "Look at the Mutts, comforting each other. I think we need to do something about that, what do you think, Sledge?"

Sledge nodded, "I believe you are right. Looks like we got some work to do."

When he finished speaking, he stomped into the room, grabbed Lily by her hair, and dragged her away, Lily looked at Rainie, sobbing she stayed lifeless and did not fight.

Rainie looked at her helplessly, why, why do such a thing. Wilbur grinned at her, "Do not worry, Mutt. You will see her again after I have had some fun with you."

Rainie stared up at him, as he stomped into the room, he forced the muzzle back on her face, clipped a leash to her collar, and made her crawl in his wake. He led her back to the stable stall, chained her on her knees facing the wall, grabbed the flogger, and started chanting his all too familiar phrase, "A good dog does what it is told, a good dog lives to grow old, a good dog does what it is told."