Blue Hour

17.

Chris's POV

That night we broke into the house to find a little girl been beaten up by a woman. The girl wasn't screaming. She just cried. The woman looked like she was possessed. We knocked her out with a serum but we just stood there not able to approach the little girl. She was hurt and looked so tired, like she hadn't slept just so the lady wouldn't kill her in her sleep.

She hid behind the couch bringing her knees to her chest.

"Lizzy?" It was Kat who stepped up first.

"Hey Lizzy!" Kayden went closer. "Remember this morning? I asked you to stay inside. You were a good girl." He added a smile to the end.

"Your probably scared." Kat knelt down close by. "I promise we won't hurt you."

"Are you Haley?"

The silence took over. She only knew Haley through the phone. But her question hurt me in an unexpected way. If Haley was here she would have been the one to talk to her not us. Now that her life is so unstable Kat's been protective over everything Haley ever cared for. She'd do anything to give Haley her life back.

"No sweety." Kat answered softly she answered with pain in her voice. "I'm her sister."

"And who are they?"

"This is my brother." She pointed at me. I stood there not saying a word. "This is Kayden. He was the on who spoke to you this morning."

Lizzy took a good look at Kayden locking her eyes with his.

"Hi." He spoke softly.

"We came to help you out." Kat reached out her hand.

"Where's Haley?" She asked in the shaky voice.

"She is... Um... sick." How else could we explain that to a kid. True she's already seen enough darkness in this world but what she's about to learn in even darker.

"Look sweety, she sent us to help you."

"You won't hurt me will you?" She peak out.

"No. No definitely not." Kayden reached out his hand a bit. Lizzy stepped out. At first she hesitated. But a second later she stubbled over to Kayden throwing her hands around his neck. "Okay sweety. I got you."

Kayden stood up with her in his arms. He held her protectively yet in such a delicate way in his arms. Maybe back then, this was what he wanted. Someone to pick him up off the ground when his legs hurt, but no one ever did. He was forced to go on no matter how hurt he was. But years later he found that comfort in Haley's arms, only to be soo close to loosing it. He's just afraid himself.

Kayden took her to the car the strapped her in on the back seat. Kat got in after. He came back in with me. The house wasn't cleaned in quite some time. It smelled disgustingly like a mix of alcohol and vomit. The drapes weren't drapes, just randomly cut cloths to block the sunlight. We both looked at the woman on the couch.

"I don't think she'll care to come looking." I said looking at her skinny face covered in layers of makeup. And I could see the thin strap of her top through her almost see through robe. On her neck were dark marks I didn't wanna look at. Her shoes were on meaning she just came home or she was expecting someone. I didn't wanna think about where she's been.