FALLEN

Chapter 2

"Why are we going to the butchers, Fallen?" He looks down, Elbina's big eyes meet his.

"It's for dinner tonight." He said, throwing on his jacket. He was trying to calm his irritation from the confrontation with his father from before.

He knew what he meant when they said they had a video call to make.

He knew what they'd been up to, ever since they left London he knew things changed.

What he didn't know was why.

Because they weren't always like this, they were respected for a long time.

So why did they change?

Elbina tugs at his jacket, bringing his eyes back down to her again. "Can we get something for pudding?"

"No." He shakes his head, throwing his hands into his pockets as he walked.

She lets out a loud grumble, "But Fallen-"

"I said no Elbina. Dad sent us out for one thing, okay?" She becomes quiet, following beside him for a few moments.

"Is he in a bad mood today?" For a second, Fallen's heart aches. She's so innocent, so young and fragile.

He could see it as clear as day on her face, that even if she loved them... even she knew they weren't quite like other parents.

Fallen has to swallow down that lump in his throat, trying to forget her look and what that meant. It's not like it would help anything, he thought.

"When is he not?" He grumbled to himself, watching in the corner of his eye as his little sister trailed a little further behind. She was distracted again by the sheep in the fields, or more the grown lambs playing together.

"Keep up!" Fallen shouted to her, a brief smile spreading over his lips as she quickly raced forwards. Her raincoat too big for her as she ran so the ends of the sleeves where her hands should have been flapped in the wind and the rain.

He grabbed at her hood having partly slipped down in her little sprint. It flopped down over her face and he snickered to himself at her grumbling a series of unimpressed words as she fumbled with the hood.

She eventually peaked her head into view, a frown on her face.

"You're so annoying."

"What can I say? I try." He couldn't help smiling again, her eyes rolling before walking on ahead.

He hated to admit it, but he would do anything for Elbina.

Even if it meant sticking around here to keep an eye on her and keep her innocence.

She's too young.

Too naive.

And he'd like to keep it that way for as long as possible.

It takes another ten minutes until they reach the butchers, it's on a dead-end and quiet road by itself and it's a little bit of a trek from the centre of the village but it's the only one around.

Elbina's hand trails along the stone wall beside the path, it drops away as it reaches their driveway with Dan and Halley's usual rusty blue car parked up. Not that it ever gets used, it's practically an ornament at this point.

They never leave Bale, and he doubted they ever would.

"Elbina! Can you just stay-" He rolls his eyes, the door of the shop shutting closed behind Elbina as she rushed through.

Perfect, he thought.

"Sorry about that Dan, you know what she can be like." He said, shutting the door behind himself.