The Lost Child

Trusting Blindly

STORE WORKERS POV
-(DANIEL, 23YRS OLD)

I looked into her scared eyes she hesitantly nodded yes and I replied "Ok, if anything hurts bad, or you are uncomfortable at any point, you need to tell me ok?" She nodded her head in agreeance so I continued

"alright Y/N, just relax while I get the supplies ready." I leave to go get another pair of gloves, and return to the couch and smile at the frightened girl to reassure her even though I was trying to hold it together.

I get the injection ready, I thread the needle again, and I am about to administer the numbing agent when I hear a soft and very quiet noise, I turn to look at her and she s laying there all tensed up with tears in her eyes. Crying

My heart sank, I just felt so bad, I was surprised she had stayed still for most of what I had done but I didn't take into account that she might be afraid of needles.

"Hey, it's ok" I try to comfort her "It won't hurt that bad I promise, it will just be a small pinch and then it will numb your ankle, you don't even have to watch me do it." She still was tensed up, laying there, looking frightened and helpless against the needle in my hand.

I set it down so I wouldn't scare her, and I looked around the room. I saw the TV; that will do I thought. "Hey," I said trying to distract her "Do you want to watch TV?" I asked, "I could turn on a show, what do you like." She still stayed frozen so I tried to think of what to put on. I always remembered watching power rangers when I would sneak into the attendants' office at the orphanage so I decided to put that show on. I didn't move or do anything for a couple of minutes, I let her relax a little and get into the show, she seemed to be enjoying it.

So, I decided to pick up the shot again. She squirmed and tensed up again. "Hey, it's ok, I have to do this, but I promise I will make it as painless as possible ok, you just have to trust me." She paused for a second, then quietly whispered "o. ok.." So, I proceeded, I thought of ways to calm her down, but I couldn't think of one thing.

"Ok," I said "Look at me" She turned her head and slowly met my gaze. "Ok, good, now I need you to take some deep breaths with me alright" She nodded so I continued "Ok, breathe in" We both breathed in together "Ok, and out" I could slowly see her relaxing the more we did it. "Alright, now don't worry about what I'm doing, just watch the show or something else and I'll help you through this ok?" "Ok" so responded hesitantly. I picked up the needle softly, told her to relax, and injected the serum into her ankle. She winced in pain and I tried to reassure her and calm her down "Shhh, shhh, it's alright, your almost done" I say.

I can see her start to fully relax and trust me once the numbing agent kicked in. I still couldn't fathom seeing her lay there just accepting her fate with no choice but to trust me. Trying not to shake, I threaded the needle and tried to sew, she whined and squirmed a bit the whole time and I kept having to stop and check on her, but we got through it. After I was done, I dabbed the area with another alcohol wipe and cleaned everything up, took the plastic cover off the couch, and brought some blankets. She still lay there the whole time, staring. I finished and didn't know what to do next.

I knelt beside her, took the pulse reader off of her frail finger, and we just stared in silence until I said Are you ok?" she didn't reply "It's okay if you don't want to talk to me, I get it, you don't have to say or do anything if you don't want to."

I stayed there, kneeling next to her, I could see her frightened gaze soften until she just started crying. again, I had never dealt with anything like this before, she must have been through a lot, but I didn't want to ask. Even though I was almost certain I knew the answer. I moved my hand and my arms as to sit her up, but she just flinched away. This went on for a while, both of us didn't say a word but we just looked at each other as I kept moving forward and she kept moving backward until she let me carefully sit up.

I slowly opened my arms as to gesture a hug and she leaned forward, we embraced each other for a brief moment and I could feel her shaking and her racing heart trying to beat out of her chest, but I hoped that comforting her by hugging would help her trust me more.

We just stayed there like that, me hugging her and her crying and shaking until she just stopped. Still hugging me, she whispered, "Thank you." I smiled and we released each other from the embrace.

Saying nothing, I went to the kitchen, grabbed the water I bought and some Ibuprofin, and handed it to her saying "Don't mention it, here's some water." she drank some. Then I handed her the pill, She looked at me with a little confusion and fear on her face. "Oh, hey, it's ok," I say "It's just something to help with the pain ok?" "ok," she said holding out her hand. She took the pill and I sat beside her n the couch while we watched the program on the t.v. She soon fell asleep on my shoulder

So precious, I thought, so little, young, and fragile, I just had to help her. Today was a hard day I had never handled a situation as demanding as that, but I can now live with the conscience that I saved someones life, Tomorrow, I plan to stay home and figure out Y/N's story. I decided ifshe was rom the orphanage like I thought, I would offere to house her here until the policee stop looking for her, and we could figure it out together. Plus, it would be fun to have someone to talk to I thought. I didn't have much friends that came over, and I never knew my birth family so I've been alone most my life and even though shes a kid, maybe we could have fun together.....

I feel my mind start to slip away from reality. I let my eyes close and I fall asleep on the couch right next to her.