ABANDON

Chapter 39 -- Evan

    Jane threw herself awake; John's room was the same as ever.  She struggled to sit up in her familiar bed, still feeling the weight of the dream, unable to shake the terror she felt.  Worries had plagued her since their return.  There was very little food, even less supplies, and they had found no mites when John and eventually Jane had gone through decontamination.  The last worry had played out in her mind as she slept, slowly changing into her nightmare.  Jane thought over the events in her dream, reminding herself that it was the door she was searching for, she must open the door.

    That's when she noticed the two bare feet in front of her.  Seeing those feet cast away the surmounting worries in her mind. At first she thought they belonged to Kiito, but Kiito always kept her feet wrapped.  Jane looked up.

    Standing directly in front of her was a child she had never seen before, the room was empty except for him and her.  He looked to be about seven or eight years old.  His appearance was wild, his clothes were torn.  His hair was short and cut in a very unusual way as though someone had taken scissors and cut chunks out of his hair and left other sections entirely alone. But his face was very different from the rest of his appearance.  He had soft skin with not a scar on it, and his lips were full and red, but the best part about him was his big, brown eyes.  Beautiful, dark eyes with a depth that drew you in, the kind of eyes that would melt any heart.  Jane had never seen such an alluring child and was instantly charmed.  She couldn't stop the big smile that grew on her face even if she wanted too.

    "Oki."  she said.

    The boy stared at the ground, unmoving and expressionless.

    Jane leaned forward to put herself in the path of his stare.  Very briefly they made eye contact.  "Hello."  Jane smiled.

    The boy looked another way, but still at the ground, trying very hard to suppress a small smile that alighted to his soft lips.  That smile bought Jane's heart--she was his.  The boy took a little hopping step closer.

    "My name is Jane. Are you looking for someone, or can I get something for you?"

    The boy didn't answer.  He shuffled a little closer, bending his head down farther so that it was almost touching his chest.

    Out of curiosity, and because she noticed a difference in saying 'oki' verses saying 'hello', Jane spoke in English.  "My name is Jane."  Instantly the boy was stifling the same smile, creating little dimples in his cheeks.  Then in one swift move, he went from his standing position, to a position on Jane's lap, facing her, with his arms wrapped tightly around her.  He pressed his face into her neck and hugged her close.

    Jane couldn't help smiling again.  This was totally unexpected.  Wrapping her arms around him she hugged him back.  The warmth felt good, and Jane felt the boy relax.

    She tried to move him back enough to look into those beautiful, brown eyes as she talked, but the boy wouldn't budge and clung even tighter.  "What is your name?"  she asked in English.  "You must belong to someone here?  Who is your mother?  I can get her for you.  You don't talk much, do you?" 

    The boy didn't make a sound, only hugged, his relief such that his eyes were tearing as he buried his face into Jane's shoulder and she could feel the warm wetness.

    Feeling uneasy, Jane stood and walked into the main cave and then she was definitely uneasy.  She had never seen the main cave empty.  Jane took a few steps out, wandering in the direction of the jars first, then the training area, and then back towards her room.  When she realized she was walking in circles, Jane took a deep breath and went to the area with the jars.