G H O S T R U N N E R

< T H R E E >

© Amber Kalkes 2014

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< T H R E E >

“Who the hell is this?”

Sam watches as Arden jumps out of her chair at the kitchen table and feels a bit smug when she hides behind him. He likes that she feels safe and knows he’ll protect her as best he can. He hasn’t felt useful for awhile in that way so the satisfaction he feels is a bit dusty but no less powerful. He has an idea he could run a mile no matter the bum knee with this sensation in his body.

Turning his attention to the source of the voice he rolls his eyes. May is home and it appears so is his seventeen year old sister, Kayla. His sister is a fairly tall girl with light brown hair and bright blue eyes; in fact she looks identical to their mother and May’s sister. Kayla, in her short shorts and pink tank top is all attitude as she glares at Arden’s half hidden form behind him.

“Well?” She prompt making him roll his eyes again. She’s such a brat.

“This is Arden.”

“Good for her. What is she doing in my house?” Kayla snaps, “Are you screwing girls in our house now, Sam? That’s disgusting!”

Arden flinches and Sam narrows his eyes at his sister.

“Your names Arden?” May asks while smiling softly at the frightened girl.

The girl in question pokes her head from behind him at the mention of her name before hiding behind him again. Her hands are on the back of his shirt but still he can feel those odd tingles break out across the skin there. What the hell is that?

“Have you eaten?”

Sam scoffs, “I fed her, May. No need to worry about that.”

“And you didn’t burn the house down?” Kayla snorts.

“Enough.” May snaps making both siblings shut their mouths. “Well, do you need a ride back home?”

Arden shrinks farther behind him. May raises an eyebrow but says nothing as Kayla frowns at something. Before May can speak Kayla pulls her arm and the both of them begin talking in hushed tones. Sam rolls his eyes and looks over his shoulder to look at Arden has her eyes shut.

 “You okay back there, sweetheart?” he asks softly.

Arden nods and hesitantly opens her eyes. “T-Thank you.”

Sam stills at the sound of her voice. Sure, it’s choked, scratchy and barely audible but to him it’s the perfect sound. He notices how she swallows thickly after speaking and knows it probably hurt a lot to say those two words. Giving her his best reassuring smile he turns back towards his aunt and sister.

“Well what are you two hens clucking on about?” he prompts with a sigh.

May shoots him a dirty look, “Arden, do you have any family you need to call?”

Arden shakes her head.

“None at all?”

Another shake of the head.

May sighs and tucks a chunk of her red hair behind her ear. “Well, I guess I’d be rude of me to kick you into the street with no place to go. How would you like to stay here for a bit? Until your on your feet.”

Golden eyes meet his for a second and he smiles at her in encouragement. Slowly she nods and he feels slightly relieved. He doesn’t get why he feels this way toward her but he really wants to be around her more. With her staying at May’s it gives him a good excuse to come over and visit.