Staying Together

❝ Closed ✎ Starter ❞

     "What’re you doin’?“ Sammy had seen one of those devices maybe once before. It was a box, with a light attached to it, one that liked to go off every so often. And now she was pointing it at his garden. At Billy’s garden. “You’re gonna hurt the flower petals!” Because for all he knew, that flash of light was going to be too strong. It was going to hurt those precious golden yellow petals, so soft to the skin - but that Billy said ‘you always have to be gentle with them. Dont touch ‘em.’ But he can’t do much more than shout concerned words. Because he’s standing behind their property fence, and she’s on the other side. Don’t come in, the little boy willed. Because what if she got to the rest of the garden too?

@deetziisms

     Hesitance wobbles on the heels of his wellies, little feet about ready to turn around and dart off; maybe call for Jane. But in the same moment he couldn't move, rooted to the spot the same way his flowers were. Fear perhaps, is what froze him there. Fear, and a tiny piece of innocent curiosity.

     Billy hated prying eyes. And he hated when their little barrier of a fence and gate was interrupted by passersby. Out here. A thinned gaze, wary and cold as the other dared to reach past the short fence and into his garden. “I water them all.”

    There seems to be a moment of heavily hung silence before Carter is finishing. In the meantime,  Billy’s invested himself in the nature around him, while they sat at the shared boulders of Skull Rock - a decent meeting place that still had its seclusion. The palm balances a pebble, weighing it. “Yeah,” a agreement. Not quite a promise. But not a refusal. Yet. He’ll let the rock drop, finding instead a single strand of grass to pull out of loose dirt and wrap between fingers. “Yeah.”

     “You’re not annoying.” Better than badgering from Jack, or the clingy shadow of Sam. Even Jane could get on his nerves. It was nice to get away from his family. While there was no obligation to meet up with Carter from time to time, it was certainly needed. For sanity’s sake.

     Shoulders gave a shrug. Don’t be such a nosy Parker, he could hear Jane’s voice scolding him. “Aren’t those things usually kept in a lockbox?” She was the one that had left them out for prying eyes like his.

     “Important, then?” He knew the fair share of ‘important’ documents. Maybe that’s what kept him from touching them. Though eyes still wandered to interpreting the words.

   “ … what is it ? “

    “Hey!” The loud, bold voice of Billy Marrowbone, shouting to the figure at the edge of the yard, as a sort of warning. But it’s as he gets closer that he recognized the hair and the shape, gun lowering immediately, then strapped over the shoulders. A quickened place, only to make the apology sooner. “Sorry, um …”

    There’s a crunching of smaller feet on gravel from behind him. Then Sammy was there, clinging tight - and hiding behind - his brothers leg. “Careful, Billy,” his tiny voice squeaked in warning.

    The older boy’s arm instinctively goes to find the little one, set on the head then the shoulders to hold Sam close. “What’re you doing?” Billy’s reaching down, lifting Sammy into his arms. “You were s’posed to stay inside.”

    Sam wrapped arms around his brother’s neck, buried his face in the elder’s shoulder. “I couldn’t stay in the Fortress.”

    There’s no answer from that, Billy merely taking a glance back to the house, finding Jane who stood by the kitchen window, and giving a nod of the ‘okay’. Then he’s turning back to Carter. “We’re just… a bit busy … today.” Then a nod toward the little one,still hiding his face. “And he was … he didn’t realize who you were.” Billy had told the other two a bit about Carter (to Jane’s delight that maybe Billy had a friend now). But Sammy had not been in the know. To young and distracted for those things.

For the first time, Carter looked at Billy with f e a r in her eyes. Sure, she’d maybe been a little suspicious when they first met—as her anxiety demanded she was with everyone—but she’d never been afraid. She’d never had a reason to be afraid. Then he decided a gun was a good way to greet guests.

She was about to speak her mind on that subject when the little boy reappeared, so anxiously clinging to his older brother, and she had to stop herself. He reminded her of her own little brother, and the words she’d been about to yell died in her throat.

     He hadn’t had time to the apologize, the lips parting to express his thoughts, when Sam had run back out to shift the elder’s attention. But hopefully eyes would establish the middle Marrowbone’s regrets, in that split second where they’d caught on to Carter’s.

     The little one only squeezed his arms in a tighter grip. Face buried straight into his brothers shoulder. As Carter sent out her apology.

     “Sam, this is Carter. She’s, um ... “ An awkward glance to the other. Billy didn’t want to get it wrong. He was still orienting to talking to relations outside their secluded property. “She’s a friend.” He’s adjusting the boy in his arms, a bounce and a shift to get a better grip and keep Sam from slipping. While still small for his age, he was getting too big for this.

     Timid little eyes peek up to get a glance at the newly introduced company. One brown hue, then another. Enough to get a better, safer look at the new face. Now that he was in the protection of Billy’s strong arms, Sam could safely take his time to study - and decide - about the other. Then a little look up to the other, with Billy giving a partial shrug - and encouraging nod.

Sam was resting his head on Billy’s shoulder now, but still watching Carter from the side. Then the ever so quiet sound of his voice spoke out his usual introduction. One of proper etiquette. Like Mum had said.

    The light and gentle words reached the little boy’s ears. In less than a second, the grin had slipped away. And eyes were going wide. Little rubber wellies had frozen to the ground. No one came to their house. Jack said no one was supposed to come to their house.

    He hadn’t even heard the context, the request. His little body wouldn’t listen and move, focused too much on fear. But finally, Sammy was backing away, feet shifting through low gravel before stumbling to turn around and run back inside. It wasn’t until he’d hit the steps, pounding across the old wood, that he was calling for his brother. Of course it was the middle brother he’d requested, the one who was always ready to protect. “Billy!” Trembling fear, voice cracking with the tears that started to form.

    The three siblings looked up at the familiar cry. With rolling eyes, Billy was crossing over to reach the boy. “What? I told you to leave that bee hive alone til I got it.”

    After a choked and tearful explanation, that took some interpretation, and soothing from Jane, Billy was stomping outside, rifle in arms, making sure the others stayed inside until this was dealt with.

Carter didn’t expect the little boy to be thrilled to see a stranger walk up to his house, but she didn’t think he’d be…..well, terrified. She frowned, crouching down to be closer to his height. “You okay?” she asked, but she never got an answer. She just had to watch with concern as he ran away, calling for help.

     There’s a crunching of smaller feet on gravel from behind him. Then Sammy was there, clinging tight - and hiding behind - his brothers leg. “Careful, Billy,” his tiny voice squeaked in warning.

     The older boy’s arm instinctively goes to find the little one, set on the head then the shoulders to hold Sam close. “What’re you doing?” Billy’s reaching down, lifting Sammy into his arms. “You were s’posed to stay inside.”

     Sam wrapped arms around his brother’s neck, buried his face in the elder’s shoulder. “I couldn’t stay in the Fortress.”