Everyone needs a little Hero

Hero's Little Conversation

Hero spent the next few hours contemplating his interaction with the little girl, Maggie. It hadn't occurred to him that humans were just and dangerous toward each other as they were for someone like him. He found himself asking so many questions about what their lives were like, Borrowers only being able to see snippets of what went on in their daily lives.

Despite living among them all his life, Hero soon concluded that what Borrowers truly knew about humans was only a fraction of what really went on. They got their food from someplace which Hero thought he heard being called the "Market;" but what did that look like? This building was big, but was it the biggest? What happened when they were really sick? Where did they go?

Hero stopped in his tracks on his way when he remembered his promise. Sam. The train of thought going from sick people ended with thinking about Sam. Was he okay? Did the coughing stop?

At the moment, Hero was at the floor joists between where he would turn to go back home or make his way to the human boy's room in the other apartments. His parents weren't expecting him home anytime soon. And... I did promise. But was he ready? Sure, Sam promised he wouldn't say anything as long as Hero came back, but there was that instinctual fear that Sam might've simply needed time to get things together to keep him.

Hero shuddered at the possibility. He nervously glanced about to make sure no one was watching before looking back through his bags and supplies. No food rations and just a little water, but there are things I can use to escape if need be in here. Hero paused at that thought. Would he even have what it takes to escape if one of the humans he was trying to help did capture him?

No. He couldn't think about that, and the humans he was helping would never try to capture him. At least, that's what he thought optimistically as he turned down the hallways to Sam's room.

~~~~~^*^*^~~~~~

Hero slid down the line he secured from the ceiling to his original perch on top of the bookshelf once he made it to Sam's room. The human boy was currently sitting on his bed with something covering his ears and a device in his hands. The Borrower couldn't help but smile at the sight. Sam seemed to have color in his cheeks once again and him being distracted let Hero belay to the top of the shelf without being detected.

With a quick whip of the thread, the hook came free and landed on top of the shelf for Hero to use once again to reach the bottom shelf of the bookcase. The bold Borrower had determined that he wouldn't get too close just in case while also upholding his promise. He never promised he would get close enough for Sam to touch anyway. Also, being on the bookshelf let Hero be close to eye level with Sam – another chip in his favor (and Hero loved chips).

The bookshelf was set up so there were shelves in the top half of the furniture piece and a cabinet below. Where the top and bottom met created the perfect lip for him to stand, which is exactly what he did. The bed was just beside the bookshelf and the bedside table next to it, creating an interesting "L" shape.

Hero slid down the braided line until he finally reached the lip. The line stayed where it was near the back of the bookshelf near the wall for easy access while Hero tiptoed to the middle of the bookshelf lip and stood as he looked past the enormous blankets and comforter at Sam. The device in the human boy's hands was black with one side red and one side blue and, seemingly, possessed all of his attention.

All of his attention, that is, until he sighed heavily, shoulders slumping, and set down the device in his lap to stare at the ceiling. Sam went to raise the device again when his eyes caught sight of the small boy he saw just yesterday afternoon. Immediately, his hands flew up to his head, dropping the electronic box in his lap, to push his headphones from his ears onto his neck – all while not breaking eye-contact with Hero.