UNKNOWN GUEST

#4 Hawkeye Junior

Who are these people? Why are they chasing me? What do they want? They want to kill me or what? I ran and ran, giving my every bit of breath. I could hear growls from behind, getting closer and closer. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my face. No, leave me alone!

I opened my eyes, breathing heavily, only to realize I was in some unfamiliar surroundings. I was lying down, turned to my left to find a little girl, with a blonde ponytail, looking at me with wide eyes. It was Lila. Oh, I was having a nightmare. I sighed in relief and sat up on the couch, smiling at Lila. She must have been startled by the way I reacted after coming out of the nightmare.

I brought my face to her level and smiled, "Hi, Lila."

Her tiny eyes widened more, "You know my name?"

Oh, sh*t. I nodded, "Who doesn't? You're the famous Hawkeye junior."

Her eyes lit up, "You know I am good at archery? Just like my father?"

I nodded, smiling at her innocence, "I know. You'll be as good as your dad in the future."

She beamed with pride, "Daddy says I have a good aim!"

I chuckled softly, "He's right. I've heard you're quite the sharpshooter."

Lila's curiosity was piqued, "How do you know so much about me?"

I hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Let's just say I've heard a lot of stories about your amazing skills."

She seemed satisfied with that answer and climbed onto the couch next to me, her wide eyes never leaving my face. "Are you staying with us?"

"Just for a little while," I said, ruffling her hair gently. "Your dad was kind enough to let me crash here for the night."

Lila nodded, still studying me intently. "You had a bad dream?"

"Yeah," I admitted, trying to keep my tone light. "But seeing your friendly face made it all better."

She giggled, the sound like a sweet melody. "Daddy says nightmares can't hurt you. They're just in your head."

"He's a wise man," I said, smiling at her. "And he's right."

She reached up to my head and touched my hair gently, "Your hair is pretty."

I chuckled, "So is yours."

Then she grinned, "No, yours is better. It's red and smooth, just like Aunty Nat."

What?! Aunty Nat? My mom? Oh dear lord, I never thought this little girl would somehow connect any dots, but she is doing it. I have to divert the topic, can't let the super spy couple, Clint and Laura, have any thoughts about my 'red' hair and 'blue' eyes.

Thankfully, Lila let it go. "You wanna see my bow?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

I nodded with enthusiasm, "I'd love to."

She grinned, grabbed my hand, and dragged me out of the house toward the garage next to the fences. The early morning light filtered through the trees, casting a soft glow on the path. The garage door creaked open as Lila pushed it, revealing a neatly organized space filled with tools, gardening equipment, and a few cardboard boxes.

"Come on," she urged, tugging me inside. She led me to a corner where a small, child-sized bow was propped up against the wall. It was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, clearly made with care and attention to detail.

"This is my bow," Lila announced proudly, picking it up and holding it out for me to see.

"Wow," I said, genuinely impressed. "That's a great bow. You must be really good with it."