MICAH

Four

I grabbed my duffle bag from off the floor and put it on my bed. Opening a night stand I grabbed a change of clothes and shoved them in. I rummaged through another drawer grabbing a pure iron knife and a pure silver dagger putting the dagger in my shoe and the knife in the bag. I kneeled looking underneath my bed and unhitched the rifle I stored underneath it also putting it in the duffel. I bit the inside of my cheek trying to think if I needed anything else. Lifting my pillow I grabbed the glock forty-five and stuffed it in my belt loop hiding it with my shirt in back. I smiled zipping my duffle bag up humming along to a lost song swinging the duffle over my shoulder.

I began to walk out of the room and stopped by the door looking at the desk sitting there. My heart skipped as I caught the image of Omega smiling as I pushed her on a swing. Her long light blue hair was flying wildly and she was laughing so hard I could still hear her. I picked the picture up gently and put it in my shirt pocket patting it carefully.

I closed the door behind me seeing Lazarus leaning against the wall waiting for me with his bow across his chest and a back pack leaning against his leg.

"Ready Hawk-Eye?" I asked walking down the hallway.

"This is stupid." He mumbled under his breath.

I quickly turned around throwing him up against the wall, "Then don't come. This is your mess up that I gotta clean now and if you don't like it then figure out some other way to get the job done." I said through clenched teeth.

Lazarus brought his hands up defensively, "Okay boss. Let's just get it done."

I let go of his shirt and stormed down the hall. I could here him trying to keep up with me as I stepped through the portal into the labyrinth. I squinted my eyes trying to adjust to the sun light as I made my way out.

"Could you wait up!" Lazarus yelled at me.

I halted panting trying to catch my breath. I hadn't realized I had been walking so fast, my adrenaline was coursing through my body. "Sorry." I panted, wiping the sweat off my forehead.

We walked at a leisurely pace out of the maze. Half a mile down the path I saw a small girl sitting down Indian style. She was playing in the red dirt making drawings. She had long blonde hair that sprawled out around her on the ground. Her skin was dark but her eyes were sky blue. She looked up and saw us walking towards her. She scrambled to her feet and turned to run.

"Wait!" Lazarus called out, "We aren't going to hurt you! We want to help!" He jogged towards her and I followed him closely behind.

"What's your story?" I asked her, my knife held firmly in my hand. 

"Put that away!" Lazarus yelled at me, "I'm sorry about my friend miss. He means well. I think..." Lazarus shot me a look.

"I ain't got no story. My parents were rebels. They got killed. Now I'm gonna kill the fools who done it." She said plainly.

"That sounds like a story right there. I like her." I nodded to Lazarus, "Maybe even more than you."

"How old are ya kid?" Lazarus said ignoring me completely.

"I'm nine." She said puffing out her chest.

"What a great age!" I clapped my hands.

"What's your name kid?" Lazarus got on one knee looking directly at her.

"Murphy."

"I say we keep her." I clapped Lazarus on the back and he turned around to glare at me.

"Murphy we have a safe haven not too far from here. We can take you there and give you food and shelter." Lazarus said.

"No way, I gonna get my revenge. You can help me or you can step out of my way, but if you don't, then you can die." She looked Lazarus dead in the eyes, "And that's the only warning you get."

"The misses has spoken." I smiled.

Lazarus sprung to his feet pushing me, "Are you that thick headed you're going to take a nine year old child to her death?"

"Hey, she's already given her demands! She's going with or without us, at least with us she's got a chance at survival!" I pushed him back.

"I don't need either of you!" I heard Murphy yell, "I'm good on my own! I didn't ask for your help!"

"No way kid." Lazarus looked at her and then back at me. Sighing he shook his head, "Fine. But you stay with us otherwise I'll tie you up and drag you to the safe haven. Lock you in the room with Pepper."

I made a grimacing face, "Definitely don't want to get in a room with Pepper. Sings like a banshee." I thought for a second, "Smells like one too."

Murphy giggled. I began walking up the path again past the both of them waving my arm for them to follow. Murphy skipped along side me in her white dress. I looked down to notice she was barefoot.

"Your parents were rebels?" I asked.

"Yeah. Good ones too."

"When did you lose them?"

"72 days ago. And I didn't lose them. They aren't a doll that I can't find." She scoffed.

"I lost my sister."

"Where is she?"

"Dead but I gotta find her. Bring her back." I said casually looking straight ahead.

Murphy's eyes widened, "You have a spell to bring her back?"

"An illegal one." Lazarus said under his breath.

"But you got one." Murphy continued.

"Yeah. And I'm bringing her back."

Murphy grew quiet, "Can you bring my parents back too?" She said after a while.

"I don't see why not." I looked at her out of the corner of my eye and smiled. She smiled back and went on skipping her hair bouncing in the wind.

Lazarus stopped and put his hands on Murphy's shoulders, "Listen kid. This isn't a game. It's dangerous. The spell especially. It comes at a price."

"I'm not afraid. And I'm not a kid. I stopped bein' a kid 72 days ago. When they decapitated their heads in front of me and laughed. When my parents blood splattered on my face oozing down my cheeks. I ain't no kid. I'm just bitter."

"Can I talk to you." Lazarus said looking directly at me, "Privately." He glance at Murphy.

"Whatever." I mumbled walking a few feet away with him.

"We can't take her with us." Lazarus said matter-of-factly.

"Why not? She's fine. I like her." I smirked.

"This isn't some joke! She's a kid! She's going to get herself killed!" He said pointing to her harshly.

I looked over at Murphy who stood there watching us fully knowing we were talking about her. In that moment I saw Omega in all her lost innocence. Murphy didn't know anything anymore except the unquenching thirst for revenge. I understood that need to bring justice for your family. That hunger to do whatever it takes to get your family back.

"She stays." I said.

"She will die and her blood will be on your hands." He jabbed his finger into my chest.

"I'll watch out for her. Nothing's gonna happen to her. I promise." I said putting my hand on his shoulder and giving it a shake.

"Your promise means nothing. There are some thing's you just can't guarantee." He shook his head at me and removed my hand.

I looked at Murphy, "She stays."

Authors note:
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