The Untouchables

Chapter Seventeen: Luke

Everything seemed a lot more funeral-esque once the sun rose. Or what rays actually came through the dense, gray clouds in the overcast sky. Dewdrops covered the leaves on the trees, and the ground was moist from the heavy rain from the night prior.

Even the group of kids, who are typically very noisy at this time of the morning, were stone silent and staring, and messing with the ground as they sat on their damp blankets. Completely silent, except for when a kid would lean over to another, and occasionally whispering to each other.

Lynn and I had been watching the kids all morning.

Well, I was. Lynn had her face in her hands, with her elbows resting on her knees the majority of the time.

I hadn't told any of the kids about what happened with the baby, mostly because I didn't know the specifics, but I had a feeling that the fact since that Lynn hasn't really spoken a word to anybody since last night, she wouldn't let go of a little, red-stained cloth, and she didn't actually have the baby, they probably would've figured it out by themselves.

Lynn was constantly mumbling to herself last night, once it stopped raining and we went to bed. She was babbling about wolves mostly, but a few other words snuck in too, like, 'careless', 'mistake', and 'fatal'.

Again, I wasn't told the details about what happened, but I could put something together.

Also, during the night, I'd hear her startle herself awake with a little yelp. Thankfully, she'd calm herself down and fall back to whatever sleep she was getting, but it took a brief amount of time. It hurt me emotionally to know how hard she was beating herself about this.

Because it was equally as much my fault as it was hers.

It wasn't like I slept either though. Between the events yesterday of hunting, meeting Wylda, arriving back while coming into chaos, Lynn darting off into the night in hopes of finding the baby, all of the kids screaming and crying, the thunderstorm and all of the fear associated with that, Lynn turning up empty-handed and traumatized, then having to settle all of the kids down for the night to give them any sleep they could get?

Yeah no, I wasn't sleeping.

No.

But I've honestly never felt this exhausted. Even after assignments that went late into the night, I'd still get some sleep. I didn't think after one night of zero sleep, how soulless my body would feel.

Everyone seemed to be in their own heads, alone with their own thoughts, when Evie slowly got up from her spot, and walked over to Lynn.

"Sparrow?" She pulled Lynn's sleeve as gently as possible.

Lynn lifted her head from her hands, and looked at Evie. She looked as exhausted as I was, complete with dark rings under her eyes. But still, she did her best to seem alright for the frightened children.

Yes, Evie?" She smiled weakly, putting on a mask for the rest of the kids to see.

That's one of the qualities I admire about her. She could put on a brave face, or even a smile when it seemed like the weight of the world was on her shoulders. Not only did you have to be physically strong, you would also have to be incredibly compassionate to have the will not to worry others.

"You know," Evie started. "When I feel sad, I just squeeze Lola until I feel better." Evie held up her little, pink giraffe she was holding for Lynn to take.

"I'm alright, Evie." She said, 'I'm ok."

"Are you sure?" She asked again.

The only response she gave was a small nod, and Evie went to sit back down with her friends.