Unbidden

6 - Then There Were Six

Peering in the hollow tree, my heart drops at what my eyes behold.   Dark chocolate eyes of a small child peer back out at us.  Her small frame pressed up against the cold damp surface of the crumbling tree as far back as she can.  Mud caked onto her frail body.

"Oh honey," Lucy is on all fours, her hand extends toward the child, "come on sweetie, we aren't going to hurt you."

The child remains mute, her frightened eyes widen as she presses her body against the back of the log.

"Mom, you're scaring her!" Jace pipes up.

Lucy stands before whispering, "We can't just leave her here!  She'll never make it alone."

Landon sits on the cold damp ground, looking at the child he begins speaking to her slowly and softly, I can only make out bits of what he says.  "My name is Landon...scared? Me too, but my sister...protect you..." 

The girl responds with quick hand movements.

"I think she may be deaf," I pick up on a small portion of words she makes with her fingers.

"My dad?" she asks, although in her eyes she already knows the answer.

Landon shakes his head sadly, she lets out a soft moan.  Landon extends his hand toward the child, she looks up at him before grabbing onto his fingers.

Her head hunkers as she stands, still gripping tightly onto Landon.  She has to be no older than five.  Landon kneels beside her, "This is my sister Paxleigh, and these are our friends, Jace, Dace, and Lucy."  He points to each of us as he speaks, making sure the child can see his mouth.  She watches it intently.  "They are very nice, and we're here to help you...okay?"

She nods silently as if she understands, but still tense and unsure.

"What's your name?"

Silence.

I swing my bag off my shoulders, pulling out the last honey bun.  The little girl eyes it hungrily as I unwrap it.  Kneeling down, I extend it toward her, "are you hungry?"  She nods in response, eyes never leaving the sticky bun.  I smile, "here, take it."  

She reaches out her grimy left hand, grabbing it gently, her right still held on tightly to Landon's fingers.  She looks at it with eyes wide before taking a large bite.  

"Well, let's get going.  The further we get the better."  Dace speaks for the first time.

Landon holds tightly to the little girl's hand, walking at a steady pace as she continues to shove mouthfuls of the bun into her cheeks, looking almost like a chipmunk gathering food for the winter.  

With a solemn silence, we continue our way through the wooded area, the only sound is the birds chattering overhead, the fallen leaves underfoot, and the soft quiet whimpers of the small child.

*           *           *

We trudge on for hours, aimlessly about on the overgrown road.  Each lost in their own thoughts.  My own jumbled mind thinks back to the thing that tormented me almost every night.  My parents.  Since that night I always felt like I let them down, that they are disappointed with me.  It was all because of me.  I've spent many sleepless nights torturing myself for their death.  I push the thought out of my head, allowing it to travel back into the deep dark depths of my mind like I had so many times before.  No, not now.

I glance up at Landon, who is now carrying the sleeping child.  He too seems like his mind is tormenting him.  His facial features twisted in deep thought.  I quicken my stride, falling next to him.  "Need me to carry her for a bit?"

Landon snaps out of his thoughts, shaking his head no.  "I'm good."

"What's on your mind?"

"I was just thinking."  He draws in a deep breath.  "Paxleigh, we were so much older when they took our parents.  But she's lost them so soon in her life.  It's been hard for me... and for you too, I can tell."  He glances up at me briefly.  

"It hasn't been easy,"  I place my hand on his shoulder lightly, "but we have each other, and now she has us.  Together we'll be strong.  We'll make it through."  

Landon nods in understanding.  "I'm glad I have you... Paxie."  He laughed lightly.

I glare at him, elbowing him gently before letting out a small chuckle.  "Punk!"  I glance toward Dace in front of us, his hair glistening in the occasional sunlight shining through the canopy of trees lining the narrow asphalt road.  

Dace stops, silently squinting up into the sky.  "I see a building up ahead.  It still seems we have another hour of daylight, but beings we haven't seen much on this trip, I don't want to chance to continue the walk and end up without shelter."  

"That will probably be the best," Lucy comes up behind us.  

*        *        *

The building, a small shack, that looked like it was abandoned long before the invasion.  The door and windows were still intact though, which offered an extra protective barrier between the outside and ourselves.  The door was unlocked, squeaking loudly as it was pushed open, with somewhat of force due to rusted hinges, a thick musty smell greets us harshly, my breath catches in my chest.  Cobwebs hung thickly from the ceilings and walls.  Dace scoops down, plucking a large stick from the ground, twirling it amongst the webs, forming a cotton candy stick of thick dusty webbing.  A small mouse skitters across the wooden plank floor.  

"Well honey, we're home."  Dace allows his bag to drop to the floor, we follow his lead.  

Landon lays the girl upon his bag before standing and stretching his back.  

"Want to join me for dinner?  Outside?" I ask Landon, exaggerating the 'outside' part.  There was no way that I could eat in this shelter and hold it in.  I dig out a couple of cans of ravioli, tossing one toward Landon.  Together we head out sitting beneath a large oak tree standing tall on the corner of the house.  

Moments later, Dace and Jace exit the door, carrying their own dinner.  Jace sits next to Landon striking up a conversation about baseball.  Dace, however, sits on my other side, popping open his can of green beans.  I eye him carefully, as he sits quietly.

"What?  No man time?"  I break the silence.

He laughs, "Nah, not tonight."

"Where's Lucy?"

"She wanted to stay with the girl.  She wanted to check her out, as best as she can.  Make sure she's okay, and she figures this may be the only time she can."

We sit under the tree until the pink and oranges of the sunset light the sky on fire.  Reluctantly standing, making our way indoors.  Landon curls up next to the still sleeping child, who Lucy had temporarily named Belle.  I slide down the wall next to Landon, pulling my legs to my chest.  A few feet away, the Anderson's huddle together.  Silence falls upon the old shack, the only sounds are the occasional breeze whistling through the cracks and the sounds of small scurrying paws.

A/N - If you are following my story "Unbidden" please let me know what you think of it.  If you are enjoying it or if you have any suggestions on bettering it.  I would appreciate it!  Thank you for reading!