Game Boy

18 - Restore

Kenneth drove until the game eventually decided they'd been on the road long enough to cut the journey. Things faded briefly as he heard the tires continue to crunch over gravel. The sound changed to that of tires on grass and his vision returned as they were pulling slowly down the side of a grassy road. A camp stretched ahead of them and he glanced over. 

David sat up in Byrd's lap, his eyes widening twice their size as he leaned over the dashboard of the car and put his hands to the window. "That's my home!" he exclaimed, looking back. A ruddy tinge had come into his cheeks as he grinned and bounced on his knees. "That's my home!"

The camp was huge. Kenneth eased off the gas and began to put on the brakes as they rolled into the entrance of it. People milled around with visible and invisible grafted body parts, eyes, arms, legs, hair. They looked like they could be robots, but there was almost more humanity to their eyes. They watched the truck come to a stop and Kenneth parked it, making sure to turn the key before he opened the door and stepped down. His feet touched the ground and he hesitated. Wait. What are these people going to think if I walk out? I'm a full-blooded a human...and we're driving a--his eyes trailed back up to the truck which was rather obviously armored and not a civilian vehicle.

The wide-eyed stares made a lot more sense now. Kenneth swallowed guiltily and closed the door slowly, putting his palms up. He heard another door close, though, and a squeal of joy that had to be David. Seconds later he saw the boy dart away from the truck towards a young woman in the crowd, throwing himself into her arms with a grin.

"Sissy, I'm home!" 

The stunned young girls eyes were glued on Kenneth now, but she grabbed David up and held him close before shifting back a step. Kenneth's shoulders hunched a little as he retreated a step. He bumped into Byrd and turned, seeing her standing there beside him. He rubbed his shoulder.

"Sorry," he murmured. What were these people thinking? Did they know...they were all NPC's. Did they have a programmed response to them at all? He gazed back up at the crowd continuing to grow around the truck.

"You know they won't hurt us," Byrd said and stepped forward. She gestured him forward as well and began walking up to the crowd. Kenneth slowly followed after her, but lingered back a few steps. His chest was sore. He put a hand to rest over where his heart was and took a deep breath. Byrd wouldn't lead him somewhere he'd get hurt. They were NPC's anyway.

The young girl emerged from the crowd, a happy David clinging to her and peering back up at them with wide hazel eyes. He smiled to see Byrd and leaned his head on his sister's shoulder.

"You brought him home..." the NPC girl's voice cracked and she looked down. Kenneth watched the virtual tears slip from her eyes and he felt a pang in his chest. His fingers tightened into his shirt. Home. He wanted a home. Swallowing, he looked down at the grass. 

"He told us how to get here. We're sorry about..."

"It's okay," the girl was curt. "You brought him home. Thank you." Her voice quavered but stayed strong this time. She shifted forward some. "Please, who are you?"

Looking up, Kenneth moved closer to Byrd's side. He couldn't look the girl in the eyes yet, but he straightened up and glanced across the open field.

"I'm Byrd, and this is Kenneth," she gestured to him at her side. "We were taken in with your mother and brother." 

The girl nodded. "Thank you, again," she murmured. "Please, stay here for tonight. You have to be exhausted."

Kenneth hesitated and looked back at her. They were total strangers and she was offering to let them stay? Was this normal? He shifted from one foot to the other and glanced at Byrd. She smiled and nodded.