Hypersonic Missiles

Ada

"These lads Ada..." started Josh not looking up from his work as he sat opposite the table from me, his voice the kind of casual I knew better than to trust, he was trying to edge carefully around something, I could tell.

"Uhuh..." I said slowly taking a sip of water from a bottle Eli had chucked at me earlier that day.

Now he sat in his usual place, watching out the window for whatever, or whoever he was warily expecting to stumble upon us one day.

"Did they do anything?" he asked confusing me with his wince and his vague question. He seemed so fearful of my response but all I could think to respond with was a frown.

"What do you mean?" I asked looking from him to Johnny or Sam for an explanation when Josh faltered and struggled to think of a better way to say it.

"Well they hurt your arm didn't they..." he said, looking to Sam and Johnny as if they could help him, as if he wasn't sure how to ask me what he wanted to. But it wasn't either of them who stepped in.

"He means did they hurt you anywhere else?" Eli cut Josh off before he could get another word out, his eyes dark, that familiar seriousness that masked any other feelings he might have had.

"I..." I started, in truth they had, they had hurt me more than I was willing to admit to these lads, I other wounds which were just as sore as my arm. I just didn't want to tell Eli about them because I knew he would insist upon taking a look at them and that would be more than just a little embarrassing. Not just because of where they were, but because they made everything else, the reasons those men had wanted me, quite apparent too.

Then again I couldn't lie to them. I couldn't lie to Eli because he saw right through me. I knew he'd see my trembling lips, the apprehension in my eyes and know exactly what had happened to me anyway. I had a feeling he'd already taken a pretty accurate guess.

I looked back at him then just as quickly at Sam, sending him a pleading look as if I knew what was about to happen.

"Right lads," said Eli addressing all of them at once, "clear off for five minutes would you, give the girl a bit of privacy..." he said nodding them to the door, waiting as most of them stood up without objection, Josh offering me a small sympathetic smile as he headed for the door.

Sam stood too, letting out a small sigh.

Before he could leave though, and before I could stop myself my hand had shot out and snatched at his tshirt, gripping so tight he didn't dare move. He turned his head slowly, a small smirk forming on his lips as he looked down at me.

"Alreet there titch?" he asked knowing he wasn't getting an answer, knowing to just sit back down, to stay with me instead of leaving me alone with Eli.

"You want Sam to stay?" asked Eli looking at me not with concern or frustration but with understanding. "Alright just, close the door yeah mate," he nodded Sam over to the door, the two of them waiting for me to let go of the older lads shirt so that he could do as Eli had said.

It took me a moment, I was still hesitant to let him go though I wasn't sure why. I just felt much safer if he was with me, if he was next to me.
Yesterday when Eli had cauterised my wound and fixed my arm up it had been Sam who had sat with me and held my hand, offering me silent comfort.

In the end he used his own hand to remove my fingers from his shirt, his thumb stroking the back of my hand as he did, the look he gave me one of comfort and reassurance as he nodded for me to go to Eli.

"Not gan anywhere little one go on," he said with a soft smirk, nudging me in Eli's direction as he headed for the door.

Eli waited for it to click shut before he spoke to me again, his eyes troubled and dark. Difficult to read. I shuffled awkwardly where I stood, not sure if I could sit down. Not sure what exactly he wanted from me then. More information about those men? Information I just didn't have? The thought left the sour taste of panic on my tongue, my eyes brimming with tears as my heart began to stutter.