The Bounty Hunter's Trilogy: Chosen By Fate

Chapter 17. The Trip Back is Always Faster

I took the first watch that night and stayed awake when we stopped. A small travel lantern in the middle of the floor gave just enough light for me to see inside of the truck, but not wake up the other people in here with me. The little boy, however, had woken up from his nap because of a bump while we were traveling back south and now he couldn't fall back to sleep. Everybody else needed to sleep though, so I was watching him, listening to the different animals in the night as he entertained himself looking at all of our canteens, boots, and helmets. Beverly was cuddling Lacy and Henry was right beside Stan. Travis was by Lucas in case his son would need anything. Chad had taken a corner for himself, laying on the wooden chest with only his arm as a pillow. But all of them were asleep at the moment, leaving me to watch the new little boy and make sure he didn't jump out of the truck while we were stopped.

He had come around to me pretty quickly, and told me his name was Marcus. He was sitting on my lap, after taking a particular liking to my helmet, and he stuck it on his head. It slipped down to rest on his shoulders and he giggled.

"Now I'm big like you." I smiled, noticing how it could almost fit past his shoulders.

"Almost. When we get back to where we came from we can make sure we find you a helmet that fits you just right." He pushed off the helmet and I took it, setting it beside me. I ruffled his black hair and he looked up at me with curious, hazel eyes. I smiled and he shivered a little.

"Are you cold?" He nodded and I took my jacket off, pulled off my sweater, and gave it to him. Lacy's jacket had been given back a few hours ago while the truck was still moving. My jacket covered all but his head and feet but he smiled appreciatively. I laid the blanket over his legs and tucked it under, making his shivering subside. Thankfully I still had my protective gear on, so I was insulated enough to at least be comfortable.

Marcus snuggled up to me under my arm, and lay still. A few more minutes went by in total silence, I was sure he was asleep. I reached down to turn down the lantern, not wanting him to be woken up by the light. Suddenly, Marcus sat up again and looked up at me with a furrowed brow, and messy hair. "Are you friends with Bevy?"

"You mean Beverly?" He nodded. "Yeah, we're friends, I guess. Why do you ask?" He yawned and laid his head on my shoulder. Apparently sleep was winning this battle.

"Because she told me about how she had a friend who was new and that he has special powers but she couldn't say cause of the monsters." I looked over at the sleeping girl, wondering why she would tell a little boy about me for comfort. Did she think I would be able to save them? Was she telling him because it was what she really believed or just as a way to keep him calm? Part of me really hoped it was because she believed that herself.

"Did she now? What else did she say?"

Marcus yawned again, his eyes hanging half shut as he desperately tried to stay awake to talk. "Not much. She got real quiet after one of the boys started hanging out with us a lot. That was after she got there, though." So he had been with them longer than her?

"Did she not like the boy?"

He wrinkled his nose. "I don't think so, but he was nice. I don't know why she didn't like him. She wouldn't say much to him either." Beverly shifted in her sleep.

"Did she tell you why?"

Marcus nodded. "She said he couldn't know about you or else he would do bad things."

"Just me?"

Marcus shook his head no. "Bevy said all of her friends."

I was going to say something else but he yawned and cuddled closer to me. "Let's just sleep, yeah?" He nodded and I chose that time to lay down, feeling just how exhausted I was, and I held him as he slowly fell asleep.