𝐏𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘𝐀. tlou (discounted)

𝐗𝐈𝐈.

━━━━𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 days appeared dull and gray to Mason Miller; it felt as if the world had been lying on her shoulders. The girl awakened to the same familiar rain pouring on the pavement outside and sliding down the window beside her bed, blue eyes gazing off into the dark void of the sky.

Maisie's heart was heavy, great sadness weighing over the little one. Subconsciously, her finger traveled under her hoodie's sleeve, tracing the red scabs that decorated her arm.

The Miller girl had become numb, and when she found the pair of scissors that sat in the sink drawer, her hand moved before her brain could register. Mason had thought she would regret it, feel guilty in a way, but she hadn't.

A few hours after, Joel could sense a change in his daughter, a change that caused a feeling of dread to settle heavy in his stomach.

Something was wrong, and the father felt helpless. Joel had been able to care for Mason's prior depressive episodes, but this one was different. This one was worse than the others, and he knew it; he could feel it.

The father knocked gently on his daughter's door, cracking it open slightly. Maisie rested on her stomach, arms folded under her pillow as she gazed out of her window, her short hair tangled and dirty.

"Hey, baby girl." Joel greeted softly, moving to sit at the corner of the mattress. The little girl lazily glanced at her father, giving him a false smile in greeting.

"Gotta head over to Tommy and Maria's for dinner, come get yer shoes on." The man stated while he moved towards her bedroom door, expecting his daughter to follow him. When she didn't, Joel glanced back, Mason still resting on her bed. Huffing, the man ran a hand over his beard, holding the other out to the girl.

"C'mon, please. Don' have ta eat anythin'; all you have to do is visit."

The Miller girl reluctantly slid off her bed, grasping her father's hand while he gently pulled her down the stairs.

━━━━━━

"Hey there, sweetheart." Tommy placed his beer on the oak coffee table, seating himself beside his niece as she scribbled in one of the many coloring books she was gifted. The man poked Maisie's side, the little girl flinching away, trying to hide the ghost of a smile that quickly fleeted.

"Missed you, squirt. Barely seen you this week." Her uncle complained, draping an arm over her shoulder as the girl lent into his side.

"You goin' quiet on us again?" Tommy teased, resting his chin on his nieces head.

Mason slumped against her uncle, zoning out as she stares at the carpet.

"You know," The man started, glancing back at the kitchen where his wife and brother had been. "Dinner ain't gonna be done for another hour. What do you say we take Iris out to the field? Stopped pouring a bit ago, and I know she's missed you."

The Miller girl contemplates it, before nodding her head, sliding from the sofa.

After slipping on her shoes, Maisie goes for her jacket, finding Joel holding it open for her. The girl slips her arms through the sleeves, her father pulling it over her shoulders.

"Stay close to yer uncle at all times, you hear me?" Joel says stern, gently laying his hands on her shoulders. His daughter nods, tightly wrapping her arms around his middle, the man bending down to press a kiss to her head.

"Love you, daddy." The little one says into his green pullover.

"Love you too, baby girl."

━━━━━━

Iris gallops through a stream, water splashing on Mason's pant leg. Tommy took the lead, the girl staying close behind at all times. The familiar field of green soon came to view, a soft grin coming to the little girl's lips. Pulling gently on her horse's reins, the Miller girl brings the mare to a stop, sliding down from the saddle.

"I got er'." Tommy takes the straps, tying both Iris and his horse to a broken piece of fence.

Mason slipped her hand into his, the pair moving to the center of the field of grass.

"Uncle Tommy?" The girl asks softly. "Is Billie gone for good?" She winces at the dull burn in her throat, but softly smiles proudly to herself.

"I hope so, kiddo." Tommy sighs, looking down at his niece, who tucks herself into his side.

"I'm still scared," Maisie whispers.

Before the man could attempt to console her, a gunshot echoes through the woods. The uncle pushes his niece behind him; eyes strained ahead of him.

"C'mon," Tommy mutters, pushing his brother's daughter ahead of him as they hurry back to the horses. Yet Mason comes to a halt when something drops behind her, blue eyes widening as she turns around.

"Uncle Tommy!"

Tommy lay unconscious in the mud, the little one beginning to rush to him, only for a pair of arms to lift her into the air. She thrashed, kicking her legs as the stranger hauled the little girl away from the limp man.

"No, let go! Uncle Tommy, help me! " Maisie sobs, hot tears are flowing swiftly down her reddened cheeks, the sight she had on her uncle fading.

"Uncle Tommy!"