The Wolf's Daughter

4 - Hide and Seek

Creak.

My rocking chair squeaked as I gently bounced my foot on the wooden porch floor. Fingers threaded together, they rested neatly on my lap whilst my left ankle balanced atop my right leg at an angle. My bearded chin was tilted towards the tree line, eyes closed and enjoying the quiet ambience of the forest. Athena had gone to trade and Wren was practicing her shooting a few yards away so I was stealing some quiet moments of solace.

'Daddy?'

Peace shattered. Opening a single eye, I glanced down at my daughter who was staring up at me expectantly.

'Yeah?'

'I'm bored.' She uttered, bow still clasped in her hand.

'Go play one of ya games then.' I said, closing my eye and leaning back into my chair. There was a pause before I felt a light tap on my knee. 'What Wren?'

'Will you play with me?' She asked. My eyelids snapped open again and I looked down her. She was pleading with me, putting on her best puppy-dog face.

'Fine.' Heaving myself up, my back audibly clicked. Getting old wasn't fun. 'What are we playin'?'

'Uhm... how about hide and seek?' She smiled and I nodded.

'Alright.'

'You have to hide though.' She grinned, taking my seat in the chair. 'Off you go then!' She shooed me and I rolled my eyes, trudging off into the woodland. Her distant counting down from thirty filled my ears as I stopped behind a wide tree trunk and leant against it. As I stared at ahead into the depth of the forest, the maze of trees started to cave in closer together and I felt sweat form on my brow. Dark. Cramped. Dirt. Bullets. Screams. Bodies. Bodies. Bodies.

'Private Seed!' My corporal yelled in my face over the din of gunfire.

'Y-yes sir!' I saluted shakily, face drained of colour under my helmet. My back pressed against the tree and I desperately wanted the wood to swallow me up whole.

'What the fuck are you doin' lolling about back here? Get your ass out there and kill some of those bastards before I do their job for 'em!' His saliva clung to my muddied face and I nodded apologetically.

'Of course sir!'

'Don't let me catch you quakin' in your boots again Private! This is war!'

'Daddy?' I flinched back into reality as Wren touched my wrist. 'I found you!' She smiled and I blinked a few times.

'Yeah. You, uh, you sure did.' I pushed myself away from the tree warily, trying to shake off the flashback.

'It's your turn to count.' She instructed, peering at me closely.

'Go hide then.' I mumbled, still a little disorientated. Placing a palm over my eyes, I started to count down as her little booted feet thundered away against the leaf-litter. My heart was still raging in my chest, the rapid pump juddering against my ribs. With each number that passed my lips, it slowed a little and calmed. 'Ready or not, here I come.' Peeling my hand away, a light breeze dusted the leaves over my boots and Wren was nowhere in sight. I saw a slight disturbance amongst the pine needles on the ground and sauntered towards a nearby tree. 'Oh I wonder where she could be?' I stuck my head behind the trunk expecting to see her there but she wasn't. 'Huh.' Swallowing, I caught sight of a hollow log and crouched down beside it to peer inside. Empty. My mouth grew dry. 'Okay I give up, come out.' Nothing happened. Rising to my feet nervously, I span around frantically. 'Wren? Wren?!' Oh God I'd lost her. 'Wren?! This isn't funny! Come out now!' Cupping my hands around my mouth, I called and called for her but it came to no avail. What if wild dogs had got her? Or a bear? Sprinting through the woodland in a frenzy I checked every tree, bush and log for my daughter. This couldn't be happening, not to me. My pulse thudded heavily in my throat as I ran, mind racing with the thoughts of Wren being torn limb from limb by a predator. And it'd all be my fault.

'Daddy?' My head whipped around as she approached me, a bright red apple in her hand. Relief flooded through my entire body at the sight of her. Rushing over, I pulled her into an aggressive hug.

'Don't do that to me!' I panted, clutching onto her.

'Sorry daddy, I was just talking to the nice man.' She said into my coat and I pulled away, eyeing her carefully.

'What nice man?' My gaze drifted up and landed on a dishevelled frame stood between two trees ahead of us. Bare footed and characteristically shirtless, an old and withered Joseph stared back at me. Rage bubbled in the pit of my stomach as I took the apple out of Wren's hand and released her. 'Get back to the house Wren.'

'But-'

'Now.' At the rise of my tone, she scarpered home as quickly as she could. Turning my attention to my younger sibling, I fixed a scowl to my face. 'What are you doin' here?'

'It's good to see you too brother.'

'No, no! Do not give me that shit.' I pointed a finger as I approached him, shaking my head angrily.

'I see that even after the Collapse you're still plagued with anger.' Joseph took my shaking hand into his own still one and softly pushed it down. I clenched my teeth together, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of a reply. 'As you can see, I was right.' He gestured to the world around us and then looked me dead in the eye. 'About everything.'

'Hmph.' I folded my arms. 'Yeah, guess you were. But unlike you, I know when to put my family first.'

'Do you?' He stated openly, clearly still bitter that I'd betrayed him. 'John I could've seen joining the Resistance but you, you were my soldier. My rock.' Joseph placed a wrinkled hand to my cheek. 'And you left me for what? The sinner and your spawn of-'

'Enough with this.' I ripped his touch away, stepping back. Joseph's twisted expression shifted back into a calm state.

'I understand brother. The love for your own child is strong. Are you aware you are an uncle now? My son Ethan, he reminds me so much of you. So aggressive, so unyielding-'

'Did you come here to mock me or is there an actual reason for your little visit?' I interrupted again, turning the bright red apple in my hand.

'I don't want to argue with you Jacob. I came here to offer an olive branch. Something dark is coming. Something dangerous. Come to New Eden with me and help protect our people.' Rolling my eyes, I motioned to leave when Joseph stilled me with a touch to my elbow. 'You can bring your daughter and the sinner. You can all repent and atone for what you have done.' My blood boiled at his words and I leant right into his face, seething.

'Stay the fuck away from my family.' Shrugging Joseph off, I thrust the apple he'd given Wren into his bare chest and turned on my heel, stalking home.

***

Wren was sat on the porch waiting for me. Her eyes lit up as I approached but shadowed as she took in the expression on my face.

'In. Now.' I ordered and she obeyed, slinking through the front door. Bracing my hand against the woodwork, I slammed it shut behind us with so much force it shuddered on its hinges. 'What have I told you about talking to strangers?'

'He said he was your friend so-'

'No! No Wren!' I yelled angrily, face turning a beetroot red. 'You stay away from that man, ya hear me? And when I call you, you answer me!'

'But-'

'No buts!' Pointing aggressively to her bedroom door, I gave her an enraged stare. 'Go to your room now!' My deep yell echoed through the house. It was the first time I'd ever had to raise my voice at her. Wren's blue eyes glassed over and her bottom lip wobbled threateningly before she turned and did as I said. Her loud sobbing bled through the door as soon as she closed it behind her. Slumping down, head in hands at the kitchen table, I still couldn't process what had just happened. Joseph was alive and he knew where I was. What if he tried to take Wren? Or Athena? Or both of them? He knew they were my weaknesses. Letting out a shaky breath I stuffed my palms into my eyes and let the black consume me, Wren's loud weeping like nails against a chalkboard.