Children of Hell

Chapter Thirty Two : Harmless

Maia awoke to the sound of wood crackling in flames. When she opened her eyes she saw a small campfire and an apple before her face on a plot of neatly cut grass. She was lying down and there was straw under her head. She took a few seconds to place herself then sat up panting. She was completely soaked and freezing cold.

"Easy," someone said.

Maia looked past the campfire and there sat a teenager eating an apple.

"Who are you?" Maia asked, "What am I doing here?"

He got up and began to walk slowly over to Maia.

"Stay back!" she screamed and scrambled up.

Her right wrist began to burn and Maia held onto it with her left hand.

"Miss I mean you no harm," he said and knelt down to one knee, "My name is Kelvin Flynn, of the Casbreth Flynns. My family owns the land around the stream where my brother and I found you."

"The stream?" Maia asked.

"Yes, you were bleeding pretty badly from the head," he said. "I'm sorry, my stitching is not the best."

Maia ran her fingers through her hair and she could feel the sutured wound stretching from the back of her neck to her left ear.

Maia's breathing quickened and her cheeks grew hot and red.

"What happened to me?"

"Don't you remember?"

Maia shook her head from left to right and breathed out a soft sob.

"No, I was...trying to get away, walking around then suddenly there was this bright light. It was cold I couldn't move anymore and then I woke up and I'm here talking to you..."

Kelvin smiled and reached out and rubbed the side of her cheek, "It's alright."

His hands were soft and warm like the honey brown in his eyes and Maia let her face melt into them.

Peeking out from the cuff of his blue cotton shirt Maia noticed the metal around Kelvin's arms. She could not see them fully but she could feel the machinery encased in steel.

"Please take me back to the Pham estate," she pleaded and wiped away the tears that began to swell in her eyes.

"I'd love to but I have to wait on my brother," he told her, "He ran home to fetch you some dry clothes."

"I need to get back," Maia told him in a weakened, tired tone.

"You won't get very far before the wolves start following that sweet scent of blood," he said standing up, "Eat. Grey will be back in a few minutes."

Maia sat down on the grass and grabbed the apple. She dusted it off and sank her teeth into it. The food was well needed, she thought as she remembered that she hadn't eaten anything since her arrival in Casbreth two days prior.

"Can I have another?" she asked leaving behind nothing but a few seeds.

Kelvin chuckled, got up and said, "by all means."

Maia watched him as he rolled up his sleeves and began to climb a nearby tree. She smiled a bit and her eyes widened as she saw the metallic armlets in full view. They were about five inches tall, thick and engraved with strange symbols. Maia could tell that there was something very peculiar about this boy.

"My name is Maia," she told him.

"Kelvin."

His skin was a tanned peachy color, and he had bright blond curly hair that was cut to his chin. He was thin, slender with a boyish frame and his small curved nose was dotted with freckles that stretched out along his cheeks. He wore a well pressed blue shirt stained with Maia's blood, black trousers and suspenders.