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*”Give him time, Dee.”* he said. *”Just sit back for a moment and look at what’s happened to him. Ripped away from his biological mother by three wild synthetics, being injured in the process. He’s going through more than he can take right now… Look, I don’t like what we’ve done any more than Sy did when we first told him. It’s wrong. I get that. But as I said before, there’s an unwritten future that we have the power to ink ourselves. The whole livelihood of our species is possibly at stake here. The bigger picture, Dee. Don't lose focus of that. The boy will come round given time. We’ll all help to make that happen, you have my word. But only once we’re safely away from danger. Are you with me?”*
*”I know, Marv. And your right. I’m just not thinking straight.”* she said. *”I lost my focus back there at the gas station and haven’t really been able to get it back since. I feel like you’re the glue holding our little unit together as one. Without you, I…”*
*”Listen, Dee.”* he interjected. *”We haven’t even begun yet. All this. It’s just prep work, nothing more. Once we get somewhere else, the actual plan can commence. Until then, it’ll be a whole lotta running and hiding. But that’s what we all signed up for and we have to make it work.”* He lifted her face up to his and cradled her chin.
*”We will make it. Just trust in me and everything will turn out just fine. Please, Dee. Move forward, without looking back.”*
Dee closed her eyes and acknowledged his logic and compassionate toward her. She felt an invisible connection with him, but one so strong that it could already have been forged over a lifetime. Each time an obstacle or problem arose, he would solve it. The screws may come loose from time to time, but he was always there to tighten them up again. There was no doubt in her mind. Without his interminable strength and conviction, she would have crumbled at the first hurdle. Her hands found half of his over-sized palm and clasped it. *”Thank you, Marv. I don’t know how I can ever repay you for your help.”* Her eyes glistened as the rectangular ceiling lights hummed in the background.
*”We’re a family now. It’s my duty.”* he replied, the smile now returned back to it’s former glory.
A loud clanging knock broke the two off as Marv rose to his feet. He leapt up into the air a clear ten feet, grabbing two small handrails on either side of the trapdoor. With a controlled push, the metal flap opened as Sy appeared grinning down as them.
*”Hey Marv, did I miss anything?”* he asked in his usual jovial manner.
*”Not a thing. Everything go ahead alright up there?”* he asked.
Sy nodded his head whilst scooping the boy closer toward him with one arm. *”He, erm… Did what he had to do. Don't worry, though. I made sure he’s all freshened up and clean now. The supplies here are really coming in handy.”*
*”That they are, Sy. But anyway, come on down. We got important business to take care of. Grab my shoulder right here.”*
Sy eased himself down, gripping onto his dirty white sleeve for support and holding the boy in his other free arm. As they descended down, Marv’s let the propped up door close behind them with a soft clunk and bolted it from within.
Sy placed the boy on the ground as all three watched him. He just stared at the floor, unflinching and still stuck in a perpetual daze. Dee looked at Marv who in turn looked back.
*“OK”* he said after a few moments thought. *”Sy, take a seat over there. Bring the boy with you and keep him next to you.”*
*”Sure thing.”* he replied, already halfway across the floor with the boy in his arms, about to take his place on a vacant seat.
*”Now.”* Marv proceeded. *”This place had the rudimentary necessities we needed, but as you can see, we can’t stay here.”* Sy scanned the room. On the far right, a stack of filthy shelves provided for numerous small boxes filled with everything from first aid kits to tinned foods. Old soap bars, radio equipment and army ornaments littered the rest. On the other side, a stained broken fridge lay on it’s side. Empty green beer bottles and a few scattered decks of playing cards were strewn over the makeshift table. It was a step up from the basement back in the city, but not by much.
*”With that in mind, we obviously need to leave here. I’ve got that all covered, but I need you guys to work with me on this. So, you all listening carefully now?*” They both nodded in unison, with the little boy remaining next to Sy, motionless.
*”Right, here’s how we get out of this place and reach our final destination. Where everybody can start anew. This time, we go home for good.”*
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<h2>Hope you enjoyed this post, please look out for more on the way... (author: @ezzy)</h2><hr>
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