Isla
Everything around me speeds up as the threat of danger quickens my pulse. Besides me, Liz already has her bow notched and in position. Fauna has her new axe gripped tight with both hands.
I can feel the others all palming their weapons, looking around for the threat.
But the threat comes in a different form, one I don’t think any of us were expecting.
A small bolt of colourful fabric and a large black hat sprints between our legs. A slight sting blooms across my calf as the small child passes straight through us.
Ruaridh has launched himself between where the girl ran to and us, him wrestling with Luna.
‘Put it down, Looney Tunes.’
‘How was I supposed to know that noise came from that?’ Luna points her knife over Ru’s shoulder and towards the little girl.
The little girl who has launched herself into Liam’s arms. He shifts his grip on her sides, throwing her up in the air in the process, causing her to let out another squeal. This one ends on a giggle.
‘You’re back!’
Her hat hangs on by a thread, now clearly a pirate's cap dotted with an assortment of greyish-blue feathers. And she is dressed in vibrant purples and blues, all continuing down through her tutu skirts and ending with a pair of scraped-up walking boots.
Liam smiles wide as he throws her back up into the air earning another happy giggle and my stomach sinks.
I look for the resemblance between them. How her hair is a much whiter blonde than his, but that’s common in kids, isn’t it?
Pressure builds in my chest and the backs of my eyes begin to sting. I swear, if this guy is some post-apocalyptic player obsessed with repopulating the world, I will castrate him myself.
‘How ya been, little lady?’ Liam asks, setting her back down on her feet.
‘Maw Maw made me a dress!’ She fluffs her outfit out for him to see, proud of her stylish clothes.
‘You look beautiful, Elsa.’ Liam motions behind the girl, straight towards us. ‘Why don’t you show our new friends?’
Elsa whirls around, mouth wide open as she takes us all in.
And screams.
Again.
Liz groans, covering her ear with one hand the other still clutching her notched bow and arrow.
How we never heard her back at the school is a mystery. She’s like a bloody foghorn.
‘What did we say about the screams, Elsa?’ Ruaridh grabs her attention.
Practically vibrating with what I can only assume must be excitement Elsa’s mouth opens and closes but no words come out.
Liam takes her tiny hand in his, well his finger and gently whispers, ‘remember to breath, just like we taught you.’
She nods, her mouth closing as her nostrils widen on a deep breath in and on her exhale she lets out a loud roar.
I smile, amused by the little girl calming herself down in such a way — the same way my big brother taught me to when I was little. But it doesn’t last long, that lightness fizzles away as soon as I spot Liam’s gaze right on me, watching.
He can fuck right off with his cheesy player smirk.
‘I’m Elsa.’ The girl, who must be around four or five years old waves and I try to soften my distress a little.
It wouldn’t make the best impression — me scowling at a child, all because she's associated with the knob head I thought it would be a good idea to fuck.
