"Up! Get ready!" Skin taker pushed at Milo.
Milo groaned in response and sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Fuck-"
"Come on. You have to go get Janice. It's a simple task really. They won't even know you left!~"
"I'm sure they will, but whatever."
"Go on now, we don't have all day."
"Technically we do-" Milo fixed his hair.
"Stop procrastinating."
"I'm only procrastinating because I don't know what you're gonna even make me do...?" He sighed, rubbing his head.
"You're such a lost cause, Milo. You're gonna trick her Into coming back here."
"What for? I'm not letting your nasty touch anywhere near the child."
"If you love her so much, go get her." The skin taker rolled his eyes and turned.
"I will." He huffed. Milo didn't want to get killed - for real this time.
Milo was pushed out the cave and he stumbled into the snow. It wasn't the soft just from the sky kind of snow, it was the hard, icy, crunchy kind. He walked and left footprints in the snow as he did, getting back aboard on the ship.
He looked around once he was on, everyone was asleep. The ship was dead silent aside from Milos breathing. He walked into Janice's room, looking at her snuggling her little doll. She had been sleeping so soundly, he didn't want to wake her up. He had no choice. He knew what the skin taker had in plan, and he wasn't gonna fall for it. He walked up to the child and shook her shoulder. The sun was just rising, not the usual time for her to wake up. The sleepy girl groaned, rubbing her eyes.
"Milo...? What do you want? What time is it?"
"Shh," he quickly but gently pulled her to sit her up. "We have to go."
"Go? Go where? Milo, I don't wanna play..."
"My dear Janice, we have to. This isn't a game, it's not." He lifted her up for her to just lean into him, trying to fall back asleep.
Milo was on his way out, standing in front of poppy's room. This next decision he would make would end up with a worried big brother either way. He could tell him, and have him think he's absolutely crazy and not let him take Janice; or he wouldn't tell poppy and he would surely go insane. He shifted his head. Percy's room.
Milo pushed the door open with his foot and sat down on the edge of Percy's bed. "Hey, man, wake up. I gotta tell ya something."
Percy jumped and gasped for air. "Lord, Milo-" his voice cracked, and he just hid in his blanket embarrassed. He was confused, why was Milo carrying Janice?
Milo didn't seem to mind Percy's anxiety or shyness. He just needed to let him know. "Can I ask you something? You gotta promise not to tell anybody. Not until when poppy asks you."
"O-okay...?"
"I'm taking Janice. We have to go. The skin taker has been after me, I can only imagine what the dipshit would do to her."
"What do you mean?" Percy seemed to be getting more frightened by the minute.
"He wants me to bring her to him. If I didn't, he'd kill me. And I know how it left you guys when I died, and I don't want you to see a life without Janice. So I'm gonna take her. I'm gonna find a place, and you'll find us. Somehow. And he'll have no clue."
"Milo—"
Milo pulled Percy under his free arm, holding him close and holding him tight. "I'll see you soon."
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Thought I might finish the chapter while I'm on! I absolutely love these babies!! Hello everyone. Update me on your life in the comments. I love all of you. 3k. That's how many of you read this. I'm ❤️❤️❤️
-Sam (he/him)
