Salvation

XVII

            I followed behind Miles and the little girl as we trekked through the snow. Miles was carrying the small girl as I was dragging the deer that Miles had managed to catch before he was racing towards the screams as well. The rabbits around my neck proved that Miles had a much better hunt that I did.

The thought unnerved me, if I couldn't hunt then I wouldn't ever be able to survive on my own. A thought that was constantly replaying in my mind as I treaded behind Miles with the deer dragging behind me.

I was sweating by the time we made it back to the house in the sky. Sweating and flinching every time the child's dark eyes meeting my own from over Miles shoulder from time to time.

I was frustrated by the time I dropped the deer to the ground, the snow encasing the carcass as we would need to drain the body of its blood and gut it before beginning the process of making the jerky. But as of right now, the body was fine as it was encased in the cold snow.

Dropping the rabbits beside the deer, I watched as Miles went with the child to the ladder before turning over his shoulder to look at me. "I need to talk to you." The words were forced from my throat as he nodded, setting the little girl down, her legs wobbling as she didn't have any shoes on her feet. Miles instead setting her down on his jacket he shucked off before coming to where I was standing at the tree line.

"What's the matter?" He frowned as he looked at my furrowed brows. Even though we didn't talk much to one another, we were quick to pick up on each other's actions. And I could tell how much he wanted to save that little girl. But at the same time, it's like he's never been able to be around someone as small as her like he's never been around a child.

"We can't take her in." My voice was hushed, not wanting her to overhear that I didn't want her with us.

He balked back, his mouth dropping open as his darkened skin pulled taut between his brows. "What are you talking about," His words were hissed as his eyes were lit ablaze.

I shook my head as my lips shook under the face mask. "You don't understand what it's like to raise a child in this world. It's not easy, it's not something that should just be done on a whim." His hard eyes stared into my own.

"She needs someone, she won't survive on her own." His hissed voice broke as he fought to keep his own emotions at bay.

"She needs her parents, Miles." Something snapped in his eyes, they grew dark as he scowled.

"It's my home if I say she stays then she stays. If you don't like it, you're more than welcome to leave." It was my turn to scowl as I fought for any reason that the child couldn't stay.

"What if it's a trap." My voice was soft, softer than it was before as I thought of all the things that could go wrong in this situation. I have seen what they do to the children in that hell hole, I can imagine any number of them could be brainwashed and coerced into doing a number of things to unsuspecting people living on their own.