━━━━𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒘𝒐.

  𝐉𝐎𝐄𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 Tommy stood before the little
girl sat at the wooden table, a bowl of canned peaches pushed off to the side, untouched. The sun had gone down by the time they got back to Jackson, the low sound of crickets filling Mason's ears.

"C'mon, kid. You're skin and bones, eat your food." Tommy pushed the bowl closer to her pale form, only for the little girl to keep her head lying on her knees. Joel huffed, hands resting on the table.

"You gonna talk?" Nothing. "Hey, you deaf? I asked you a question." Joel's tone was stern. With great reluctance, Mason lifted her head from her knees, pointing a finger to her bag. She looked to Tommy as she did. His presence was comforting, unlike his brothers.

"Your bag?" The man asked, to which she nodded. He began to slide the bag over to her, only for Joel to stop him.

"Tommy."

The man ignores his brother, handing the pack over. Mason rummages through it, pulling out an orange crayon and a blue journal. She scribbles on the page, sliding it over to Joel.

not def. mute.

It's written in sloppy handwriting, and the man can't help but chuckle at the misspelled word. He passes the book to Tommy, who nods.

"Alright. Mind telling us your name?" He hands the journal over to Mason, but the crayon in her hand stays still. She didn't know these people. She was a scared, hungry, weak little girl, and she had no idea if these two men would harm her.

"Kid, we ain't gonna hurt you. Just need somethin' to call you." Joel reassured her as he crossed his arms over his chest. With hesitance, the girl sloppily writes on the piece of paper. She hands it over to Joel, head back on her knees.

masin

"Kay, Mason. I'm gonna head out, get you some clean clothes while you wash up." Mason's head picks itself from her knees in a flash, running after Tommy. Her grimy hand latches onto his, bringing him to a halt. She looks at him in a panic, looking like a deer in headlights.

"What is it?" His concern was quickly drifting away as she looks back towards his brother. He kneels before her, jutting his thumb towards the man.

"The big man scarin' you?" She hastily nods, gripping onto his hand like a lifeline. "I'll be quick. Just hop in the bath, don't even gotta look at him." He reassures, walking out the door. Mason stood in the same spot, not daring to move. At that moment, Joel realized how pitiful she looked. She was unhealthily skinny. You could most likely count her ribs, and you could tell she was sleep-deprived. His gaze drifted to the peaches on the table.

"C'mon, kid. You gotta eat." He beckoned her over with a wave of his hand. She looked at him, then at the food in the bowl. She shook her head, playing with the dirt under her nails. The man rests his hands on his hips, calling her over once more. This time, she drags her feet to the table, slumping in her chair. The dreaded fruit sits in front of her, a look of disgust crowning her features as she spoons it into her mouth. Mason slides the bowl back over to Joel, shaking her head as the sludge sits in her mouth.

"Guessin' you don't like peaches." He takes the bowl while the little girl writes in her journal.

too sweet

He nods, walking into the kitchen. He throws the cubed fruit into the bin, placing the bowl in the sink. Joel's eyes scan around his kitchen, hand running over his salt and pepper beard. He eyes the loaf of bread he had gotten from the bakery that morning and the jar of peanut butter peeking out from the cabinet. He grabs the baked dough from the bag on the counter, taking a knife from the sink.

A few moments after, the burly man places two slices of bread slathered in peanut butter in front of his guest. Mason eyes the food, glancing up at Joel, who narrows his eyes.

"Go on." He instructs, hands going back to his hips. The little girl tears a piece from the food, nibbling on the end of it, and soon enough, she's scarfing down the bread as if her life depended on it.

"Hey there, slow down, or you're gonna choke." The man can't help the laugh that comes after as he pulls the plate away from her. "Chew." She narrows her eyes at Joel but does as she's told. The plate is once again in her reach, and she picks up the second piece.

"Gonna go run your bath." He turns, making his way up the stairs. Mason watches him go, her heart beating faster when he's out of sight. She was alone; she was scared and alone. Her feet quickly touched the ground, hurrying after Joel.

The man barely has time to hear the tiny footsteps before Mason barrels into his side, clutching at his green flannel. He tenses at the contact, breath hitching in his throat. He attempts to move away from her touch, only for a soft whimper to come from her chest. With a huff, he pats her back, looking to her as she buries her head deeper into his side.

"Uh... you alright?" He knows it's a stupid question. Why would she be? She was born into this world and, for who knows how long, was abandoned.

Mason quickly pulls away at the uneasiness in his voice, shrinking in on herself. She turns slowly, walking on trembling legs towards the stairs. Joel can't help the pang of guilt in his chest as the girl races down to the dining room, following after her. She scribbles in her journal, pushing it in his hands when he's close enough.

scard alon

He glances at her, holding the book in his hand.

"C'mon." He holds his free hand to her, waiting for her to take hold of it. Surely she does, and he leads them back up the stairs and towards the bathroom.

━━━━━━

The little girl sits on the lid of the toilet, water filling the bathtub as her legs swing back and forth. Joel leans against the wall, his foot lightly beating on the tile beneath them. As the two sit in silence, the man takes the chance the look her over. Dried blood under her left nostril, bruise on her cheek.

"Hey." His voice was quiet but loud enough to hear over the rushing water. Mason looks at him, watching his hand as it motions to her face. "Somethin' happen?" She shrugs her shoulders, and Joel lets the subject go. He leans over, shutting off the running water.

The little girl stands, raising her arms as he removes her hoodie, and as the man does, his breath hitches. Her ribs protruded from her sides, cuts and bruises littering her back and stomach. He pushed down the rage that rose in his throat like bile, helping her step from her jeans. He lifts the girl into the tub, using a cup to drench her hair in hot water.

The girl's head is soon a mess of bubbles, shampoo cleaning the filth from her hair. Joel's hand covers her eyes as he rinses the suds from her hair, keeping the soap at bay. Mason takes one of the remaining sets of bubbles into her hand, smearing it on the man's arm. Her hand is quickly back in the water, a smirk tilting her lips as Joel shakes his head at her antics, rinsing his arm in the water.

"Funny." But he can't help the smile on his face as she giggles. He soon drains the water, wrapping the girl in a fluffy towel as a knocking sound comes from the front door. The man lifts the little one from the tub, holding her on his hip as he takes them downstairs. At the door stood Tommy, hand clutching two bags of clothing as he smiles at Mason.

"Look at that; there was a girl under that muck!"

Joel steps aside, closing the door behind Tommy as he walked into the house. He sets the clothes on the table, turning back to the pair. Mason's head rests against his brother's shoulder, soaked hair drenching his shirt. Her hair was short, barely meeting the end of her neck, already curling at the ends.

"Night, you two." Tommy goes to walk towards the door, but Joel's voice stops him.

"You ain't takin' her?" His brows furrowed, hand resting on the little girl's back.

"You'd want that?" The younger brother gave Joel a knowing look. "Brother, pretend all you want, but that little one has you already wrapped around her little finger." His hand rests on the doorknob with one foot out the door. "You're gettin' soft, old man." The door shuts with a soft click. The man grunts at Tommy's comment, the girl of topic playing with his shirt's coller. Grabbing the bags from the table, Joel begins to his room.

Mason is soon changed, sitting on the man's bed as he folds up her old clothes, setting them on the chair in the corner.

"Alright, bedtime." He brings the quilt over the girl, hand reaching over towards the bedside lamp. She takes hold of his wrist, pulling it back before he gets the chance to switch off the light. The girl reaches for her journal and crayon, turning it towards him.

on

Joel heaves a sigh, nodding his head. "Okay." he ruffles her hair, heading to the door, only to be stopped by a soft whimper. Mason holds out her book for him, looking at him with pleading eyes. He takes it from her, narrowing his eyes after he reads the sloppy writing on the page.

no go

"Fine, but after you fall asleep, I'm goin' to the couch." He kicks off his boots, lying down next to her as she cuddles into his pillow. Yet, even as her body lies still, her eyes stay open, focusing on her pajamas' white fabric. Mason dreaded what was to come when she closed her eyes. Would she wake up in the abandoned house that smelled of decaying flesh? Or maybe it would be night terrors of infected chasing her down. The little girl's blue eyes continued to focus on every detail on her sleeve, eyes only glancing away when the man lying beside her released a huff.

"Go to sleep."

The girl's aching arm wrote with her orange crayon, placing the book on Joel's chest.

scary dreems

He nodded, handing the blue journal back. "Nightmares." Mason nodded against her pillow, hand playing with a loose strand of its pillowcase.

"Gotta try to sleep; you need it. Be here if you need me." The man said as he took a glance towards the little one in his bed. Her mouth was agape, soft snores escaping from her tiny lips. Brown hair fell across her cheek, and without thinking, Joel tucked it behind her ear. Mason looked at peace, as if no wrong had ever come to her.

And as he looked at her, Joel knew at that moment, in a single night, this little girl crawled into his heart.