safe

chapter 6

I grabbed Max's hand as we walked through our cell doors and turned to the right.

"Where are you we going?" I hear Max pipe up from beside me. I turned to face him, about to tell him we were going to eat, when suddenly I felt my chest being forced backwards and my feet slipping off the ground.

Max's hand seperated from mine and I hit the ground hard, another person on top of me. I looked up to see Glenn's face inches from my own. His eyes stared depply into my own, and to be very frank it was freaking me the fuck out.

My stomach suddenly transformed itself into an aviary, tropical birds flapping about inside. I felt rather insane, like this was good. Like this was what mattered, he just watched me, I watched him, and we just watched each other.
"Ah-hum?" Some one cleared their throat behind us. I tilted my head back to view a pretty woman with chin-length hair the same colour as my own. "What happened here?" She giggled curiously.
"I wasn't watching where I was going and Glenn ran into me." I replied calmly, despite my incredibly strained internal state.
"Uh... ugh y-yeah!" Glenn confirmed as he rolled onto his side to let me out from under him. The girl offered me her hand and I took it.
"Thanks." I said as she helped me up. I turned to look at Max, who had taken a lego figurine out of his pocket to play with.
"Oh look at this lil' cutie!" The girl cooed whilst leaning down to Max's hieght.
"Hey little buddy! What's your name?"
"Im Max Scalice. What's your name." He answered, suprising her with his level of intellect.
"Well im Maggie Green little man!" She said in her smooth, western drawl.
"You are really clever, your mom must be so proud!" She continued, gesturing to me.
"Oh no, Ruby is not my mother, she is my cousin." Max responded swiftly. I mentally cursed, why does everyone think im a mum?!
"Haha," I interjected quickly. "Both of our parents are dead, along with our siblings and other family." I explained.

For a moment both Maggie and Glenn stood there slack jawed, but suddenly Glenns hand shot out.
"I am so sorry Ruby..." he said something else, it was probably heartfelt and comforting but I couldn't hear it. All I could do was feel his hand on mine, I felt the warmth, I felt butterflies in my stomach, I felt the heat rise up into my cheeks, as he continued to speak I stared into his eyes. I rolled my hand over, so my palm was touching his wrist and I felt his pulse, which was hammering at a million miles an hour.
Jesus, either he was really sick or really nervous, or maybe...

"Ruby? Are you okay?" I hear suddenly.
"Uh yeah i am fine! Just a little left over emotion I guess!" I reply cheerily. I drop my hand from his and pick up Max.
"We are gonna go get something to eat," I told the two of them. "Little Max is probably getting hungry, see you guys layer though!" You say turning around.

Well... I think to myself this is proving to be quite interesting...