Thumbs

Father

Katie wrinkled her nose at the Michael's words. Before she could say anything in response, Michael raised his hands and shook his head.

"No. You do not have to say anything," He said before holding up his pointer finger, "I say that silence is better than complete rejection. After all. Uhm," He coughed as if to avoid awkward silence, "Would you like something to eat? Bread, beans, broccoli, or perhaps, pickles, pumpkin, parsnips. . ." He listed nearly all the food items that started with the letter "p" before Maya interjected.

"I'm sure they will be fine with anything. I'll go get something made up. Jason, can you handle things here?" She asked while giving Jason a tenacious look.

Jason crossed his arms and sat on the corner of a metal barrel that was beside the entrance. Maya sighed and left them through the door that Michael had first appeared in. The four of them sat together in silence, Katie watching Michael from behind Maurice's leg, Michael carefully observing Maurice as if he was searching for something etched into Maurice's forehead, and Jason watching over the entire group with tired but inquisitive eyes. Finally, Michael broke the silence.

"Ah. Now I remember." He muttered with a pained smile.Maurice's back straightened, which made Katie perplexed and worried.

What about Michael made Maurice so uneasy? Michael started to pace around Maurice and proceeded to look him over. Katie had to scramble around Maurice to keep his legs between her and the strange man, an impenetrable wall of bone and muscle to keep danger away. Michael stopped again once he was face to face in front of Maurice and tilted his head.

"Interesting bandana." Maurice glared at Michael for a moment before looking away from him, as if he was unable to look at his face. Katie tugged on Maurice's jeans to get his attention, but that gave Michael an opening to engage her again.

"Will you show your face? It has been far too long since I have seen those beautiful eyes of yours. Green eyes. Your mothers eyes. . ." He said before he lost his words within a memory.

He suddenly turned to Jason, who had been watching absently from the back of the room."Jason! I must thank you for finding my daughter and my lost subject! You are in fact the most dearest friend, most definitely!" Michael said gleefully while walking up to him with his arms extended.

Jason accepted the embrace with a grimace, however, Michael seemed to pay no mind. He slapped Jason on the shoulder with a wide smile a crossed his charred face. Maurice gave Jason a sore expression, betrayed by their brief alliance that had been forged a few days go in the woods. Jason was unable to look Maurice in the eye.

"Jason. You have always had my back. Always my number one! You pulled me out of that inferno when all was but lost, and you brought me to this place of harmony and freedom! I owe you my life dear sir! Oh yes. Yes I do. And now I am reunited with the rest of my hearts companions! It is a great day indeed!' Michael beamed from behind the scars and dark glasses. Katie felt a knot forming in her stomach. She did not like Michael.

There was something sour about him, something rotten hiding underneath his kind voice. But she was unsure as to what it was.

~*~

"Ah, Maurice was it? Maurice, Maurice." Michael said as if tasting the name before he spat it out. "Yes, it suits you. Although, Maurice, while the rest of you seems to be unchanged, your leg needs attention. Medical assistance. Herbal healing, Perhaps stitches? Allow me to do the honors of examining it?" Michael rambled before extending his arm to Maurice's leg.

Maurice took a step back and responded with a glare. He wanted nothing to do with Michael. Not after what he had done to him five years ago. But then why? Why couldn't he bring himself to stand against the man that had played with his life like a foreign species to be dissected. He yearned to make him feel the same pain he had felt, however, the burns proved that the scientist had gone through enough pain already. But whenever Michael spoke, it made Maurice's body rigid with the anticipation of excruciating pain. He felt the dull metallic throb in his absent tongue whenever that mans low vocals assaulted his ears. Maurice reached for his bandana absent mindedly, but his hand stopped halfway to his face when he felt Katie grip his leg.