Atreyu
Atreyu twisted his ring around and around, thoughts racing. He was so absorbed in their current situtation that at first, he didn't notice the little boy in front of him.
"Help me," The boy said, staring with wide eyes at Atreyu.
He jumped. "What's the matter?"
Don threw a curious yet annoyed look at him. "Who you talkin' to
"The little kid," Atreyu andswered. He frowned at his friends' confused expressions. "He's standing right here."
"Uh, Atreyu," Serenity's voice had a worried tone in it. "No one else is here,"
"Help me," The boy repearted. then turned and ran. Atreyu watched him go. He blinked, and the boy was gone.
"Atreyu?" Serenity ased/
He turned back to his friends. "It's nothing. Sorry. Right. Back to the problem."
Don caught his eye and gave him a look that clearly said, Later. Atreyu nodded.
"Whatever happens, we won't really know for sure until we find out more." Atreyu glanced at his watch,
"Damn guys, I gotta get back,"
"We'll walk you home!" Serenity smiled.
"I think I need some time." Atreyu said this with such finality that neither Don nor Serenity argued.
"Rught, just don't forget to keep us posted." Don nodded.
"Yeah, I'll see you around." Atreyu was already tirnong away from his friends, headed in the direction of his house.
He found himself rubbing his ring as he walked, his mind a sea of discourse. "What am I going to do..." His thoughts were interupted bu an intense gust of wind, sending shivers through him yet again.
"Why do you look so sad?"
Atreyu stumbled.
"You look sad, why are you sad?" He heard the voice again. Slowly he turned to face a small pale figure. She looked to be about nine years old, her eyes peering up at Atreyu intently.
"Are you lost?" was all he could manage.
"Well, I'm not sure where to go," She said, twisting her fingers. "But you didn't answer my question. Why do you look sad?"
Atreyu crouched next to the girl, unsure of what to say.
"Well... Sometimes, it's just hard to be happy," The girl looked at him questioningly.
"But being sad is no good," She said.
"Sometimes the things aren't good for us, are the hardest things to let go of," Atreyu said. "Look, do you want helping finding where ou need to go?"
"I think I'd like that," The litte girl smiled, showing her teeth.
"Atreyu coudn't help but chuckle at the little girl.
"Well..." Atreyu started. "How about we start with why you're here."
The little girl looked at Atreyu, her small figure saying from side to side. "I was looking for my mommy,"
"What happened to her?"
She furrowed her brow. "I don't know." She paused. "Oh!" Suddenly she was bouncing up and down. "I remember she was there," She ointed across the street, to a house with two stories and the bronze number 0502 on the side.
Atreyu's heart sank into his stomach.
"She was there... And..." She paused again. "I remember running to her." She said. She looked unsure.
"Then what?" Atreyu coaxed.
"Then I remember mommy screaming, and my head hurt for a second. But now I'm back here," The small child's brow was furrowed, as if she were simply trying to understand why she chose the color blue for the dress she wore.
Atreyu's body felt like putty. "How about I walk you across this time?" He held out his hand.
"Okay. I'd like that." She took his hand.
To Atreyu, her hands felt like small, frozen mittens. He walked her across the silent, overcast street in silence.
Upon reaching th other side, all the little hirl said was, "I remember where to go now." She dropped Atreyu's hand and walked up the steps of house 0502, The same house he had lived in since the day his father stopped caring.
It was in this moment that Atreyu fully understood who she was. She was the sister he should of had.
