all god's orphans

Millie smashed the glass of the front door and let herself into the house where they had stashed their vehicle. Kite had her arm wrapped around Sarah who was teetering on the edge of hysteria. They had led her out of the camp and back to the house in order to try and get her to calm down but it didn’t seem to be doing much. Kite sat her down on the sofa and tried to soothe her.

“It’s okay.” She kept repeating, her dark voice cutting through the panic. After a while, Sarah calmed down enough to speak.

“Would you like some water?” Asked Grey.

“What’s water?” Sarah responded. Grey wrinkled his brow but thought better than to push the subject.

“I’ll just get you some.” He said and went into the kitchen.

“Can you tell us what happened to you?” Said Millie’s machine, which freaked Sarah out a bit.

“What’s wrong with you? Why can’t you talk?” Sarah asked with the bluntness of a child.

“It’s not important.” Replied Millie. “Do you remember anything?” Sarah shook her head. “Was that camp your home?” Grey offered Sarah a glass of water, which she sipped gingerly.

“I don’t know.” She answered.

“It’s okay.” Said Kite again. “There are many people having this experience. You are not alone.” Millie sat down in a chair beside the sofa and tried to look as helpful as she could.

“Tell us the first thing that you remember.” Her machine said. “Did you wake up at that camp?” Sarah scrunched up her face.

“No.” She finally answered. “I don’t think so. I think I was somewhere else.”

“How did you find the camp?” Millie asked.

“I was looking for food and I heard that weird noise coming from the speakers so I headed there.”

“Was there anyone else there when you found this place?”

“No.” Said Sarah with a little more conviction. “It was empty at first and then some cars came, followed by some motorcycles.”

“What were they doing there?” Asked Grey. Sarah shook her head.

“I don’t know.” She answered. “They were looking for something, I think. Then they left. I hid from them.”

“Why?” Asked Kite, but Millie didn’t even bother with that question. She would have done the same thing.

“They seemed angry.” Sarah said. The three of them exchanged glances. “Angry?”

“Does that sound like the Army to you?” Grey asked Millie.

“Maybe.” She said. She honestly had no idea what was going on here. It was difficult to tell how long that camp had been abandoned or if it had anything to do with the other camp losing its collective mind the day they had escaped.

“Where are y’all going?” Asked Sarah after a moment.

“We’re looking for someone.” Replied Millie. “He’s called the general. I don’t suppose you heard those angry people mention him?” Sarah shook her head, but something in her demeanor shifted.

“Do you have anything to eat?” Sarah asked. Kite smiled.

“Of course.” She answered. “What would you like?”

“Do you have any potato chips?” Kite stood up and offered her hand.

“I’m sure we have something. Let’s go check.” Sarah accepted her hand and followed her to the SUV outside. Grey and Millie watched the door close and when they were sure she couldn’t hear them, Millie beckoned Grey into the kitchen.

“What should we do with her?” She asked.

“What do you mean?” Grey genuinely assumed they would take care of her.

“She can’t come with us.” Millie typed, her brow angled down into a ‘V’ of confusion, disbelief, and anger.

“Why?”

“We can’t have a kid following us around. These people we’re up against are dangerous. She’ll only get in the way.” Millie could see that Grey’s conscience wasn’t going to let him abandon a young girl just to make his own life easier, so she changed tack. “It’s for her own safety. Do you want to get her killed? Or worse?” Grey’s face changed shape and Millie could see that she was making a better case. “We need to find a safe place for her and leave her there. She can’t take care of herself and if she comes with us, she’ll just be putting herself in danger.” Grey considered this and as he did, images of Millie’s attackers flashed across his mind. She was right, he knew, but he didn’t like the idea of leaving a frightened young girl alone in the world. He wanted to protect her. They heard the sound of the door open and Kite entered the house with her hands raised and a strange look on her face. Grey noticed it first.

“What’s wrong?” He asked as she stepped aside to reveal the 9mm handgun that Sarah had pressed into her back.

“Sit down.” Ordered Sarah. “And give me the keys to your car.”