I'll Help You Hide From Them

Home

When I get home, I hear an unfamiliar sound so I immediately pull out my gun and aim it towards the doorway, noticing the shadow of someone in my kitchen. I try to get a clear view of the intruder but feel deeply embarrassed when I see it's only Kier.

"I didn't know you'd be here." I tell him as I put my weapon away and make myself some tea.

"Sorry, I was standing outside my home for fifteen minutes before I remembered your offer. As much as home is home and I was so mad at him, it's not the same without Ralph." He replies tiredly, looking at some kind of homework assignment he's doing.

"I did invite you." I shrug, breathing in the relaxing scent of the tea. "How did you get in? I'm sure I've locked the door."

"Captain Beveridge had a spare set of keys." He replies, giving me a cautious look.

I don't need him to tell me that he's been told anything from Laurence when I catch him looking at my gloved hand with a sorry expression.

I frown and let out a tired sigh. "Laurence told you." I work out.

"He avoided some details. I'm sorry, I pushed him and got him to give me enough to piece it together." He admits. "It was an invasion of your privacy and I'm sorry."

I'm partly speechless for a moment.

"Does it still hurt?" He asks softly.

I shrug. "Not specifically."

"Can I see it?" He asks carefully. "If you don't mind."

I slump my shoulders forwards in defeat before pulling off the glove. His eyes widen at the sight of the awkward plastic shape.

He slowly steps towards me to gently touch the plastic hand. As much as it's embarrassing to have him see me like this, I let him examine it.

"Can you move it?" He reluctantly asks.

I nod, moving some of the fingers for him. He looks me in the eye with a really sympathetic expression.

"What did they do with your hand and finger?" He asks. "Shouldn't they have stitched them back on?"

I'm about to tell him to stop being rude when I notice his frightened and almost childish expression.

Of course Laurence didn't tell him about the cannibalism. He didn't want to scare the poor guy.

"They were eaten." I honestly reply.

"They fed it to animals?" He innocently tries.

As much as I want to correct him, I only let out a sigh. "That's close enough. It's late, why don't you get some sleep?"

"Do you have a spare mattress or something?" He nervously asks.

"You can take the bed, I'm going to sleep on the sofa." I try to reassure.

"Are you sure? I could-" He starts but I simply interrupt him, forcing a smile.

"-You've got a big day tomorrow. You deserve the sleep." I tell him.

He looks at my hand for a moment before nodding and heading into my room, closing the door behind him.

I use this to go to my desk, resting my head in my hands.

I didn't want him to know about any of that! Dammit Captain! Why couldn't you have just kept your mouth shut?

My eyes drift to Kier's homework assignment for the academy so I read through some of it, trying to fight off the feeling of my eyelids getting heavier. I'm pleasantly surprised at how smart Kier is since he seems to be getting everything right on this. I finish reading it and put it back where I found it.

He's a smart guy. I guess maybe he learnt some things from Ralph or that they just share that quality through their genes.

The thought of Ralph makes me almost smile.

In a desperate attempt to distract myself from the reality that he's dead, I start daydreaming of him. Just to see if I can remember how he'd react or distract me from what's happened.

I don't notice it but I drift off to sleep resting my head on the desk.