Run Little One

The First Night

Alfie' POV

It's been about and hour since Poppy and Sean showed up. Zoe had been in and out of consciousness and I am starting to worry about her. I caught her on her way down when she dropped, but she hit her head pretty hard.

Turns out, Poppy and Sean had been on their way to our house when they thought we might be at Mark's. When they heard us shouting, they assumed the worst.

Sean and I removed Mark's body. Gave him a burial outside and Poppy and May decorated his small dirt patch with flowers and pretty stones. I didn't know if Zoe would remember what exactly happened, but I hope I wouldn't have to tell her that her best friend was shot by my sister.

By this time, Nala and Garrett had been brought inside. Nala sitting with Poppy, Garrett with May. She treated him with so much love and affection, it's hard to believe they aren't siblings.

"Maymay, I'm tired" Garrett whined, rubbing his small eyes.

"You can go to sleep. You'll be okay." May assured him. At this point, we were all ready for a good nights sleep, even if we had to stay at Mark's.

"I want mummy to sing to me" Garrett whispers. "I miss mummy"

"We miss our mummies too" Sean says, sitting down next to Poppy. "But you know what? I bet you can be the bravest of all of us. Can you do that?" Sean looks at Garrett.

Garrett smiles up at him. "I'm Superman. I'm the bravest because I can fly" Garrett holds his arms up as if to fly.

"And you know what?" May asks him.

"How about we sing to you? Will that help?" Garrett smiles brightly. "Yeah yeah yeah!" He claps his hands together.

"Ok I know a good one" May says as Garrett lies down on her lap.

May clears her throat for a second then starts the song.

"Heart beats fast, colors and promises, how to be brave, how can I love when I'm afraid to fall..."

Zoe, who was sleeping on my shoulder begins to stir. I gently kiss her on the forehead as May continues to sing, her soft voice echoing around the apartment. She had a beautiful voice.

"One step closer...I have died everyday waiting for you, darling don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more..."

"Alfie..." Zoe whispers next to me.

"Hi little one. How you feeling?" I ask, gently smoothing her hair.

"Okay..." she trails off.

"Time stands still, beauty in all she is, I will be brave, I will not let anything take away..."

"Mark turned...didn't he?" Zoe looks up at me. My heart breaks at the sight of her pain.

"Yeah little one. He's in a better place. We gave him a funeral and the girls decorated it. He's not in pain anymore." I assure her.

"What's standing in front of me, every breath, every hour has come to this..."

"Okay..." Zoe looks down at the ground. I can tell this is hard, it's hard for all of us. But she and Mark were closer than all of us.