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Tears fell effortlessly as I watched them, praying that my family wouldn’t be taken from me this time. When his heart started again, beeping a steady rhythm, I knew this was what I wanted to do. I wanted the skills to save people so I wouldn’t lose someone again.
Once we arrived at the hospital, a flurry of activity occurred as they rolled Otto into a room, directing me to sit outside. I wrapped my arms around my legs as I watched nurses and doctors entering, saying a lot of words I didn’t understand. At some point, I fell asleep, the day’s exhaustion catching up to me.
“Hello, dear, are you Birdie?” a kind voice asked, pulling me from sleep. I sat up, rubbing my eyes as I looked around, trying to remember what had happened.
“Birdie?” she asked again, and I turned to her, nodding. She smiled, pointing to a curtain. “Your friend is asking for you.” I immediately jumped off the chair and raced to the curtain, vaulting myself into his bed.
“Ouch, Little Bird. Careful,” Otto said, making fresh tears return to my eyelids.
“You’re alive,” I whispered, my hand hovering over his arm, scared to touch him.
“I am. Thanks to you. You saved me, Little Bird.” The tears I’d been holding escaped, rolling down my cheeks earnestly.
“Hey, no tears. I’m on the mend. We’ll be back to making stories in no time.” Nodding, I wiped my face, falling into his arms when he opened them.
Unfortunately, our tale did not end in happiness, as the hospital was not keen on allowing two kids without parents or guardians to leave on their own. I screamed and kicked, hissing and chomping my teeth at anyone who neared.
“If you don’t come on your own, we’ll have to get the cops involved,” one tired nurse said, dropping her arms.
“Go, Little Bird. It’s okay. I promise I’ll find you. Together forever, remember?”
I shook my head no, not wanting to leave him, but in the end, I didn’t get a choice. I’d gone to get some food with one of the nurses, returning to find his bed empty and a lady with a badge waiting for me.
The first moment I could escape, I did, running from my appointed babysitter. But after a few blocks, I slowed, realizing I had no clue where they’d taken Otto, and was unfamiliar with this side of town.
Sitting on the curb in defeat, I debated my options as my stomach rumbled. A sleek black car pulled up a bit later, and I jumped up, ready to flee as the door opened, a man’s voice stopping me.
“Wait. I have an offer you might want to hear. If you don’t, I’ll help you go wherever you want. All I ask is for you to listen to my proposal.”
The man didn’t look like any of the social workers I’d seen before. He was dressed in nice clothes, and while he didn’t appear friendly, he wasn’t scary either. His beard was trimmed, and his eyebrows resembled caterpillars, making me like him for some reason. He held out a paper bag, and the smell of food reached me, and I grabbed it.
“What if I told you I could help you become strong, to learn skills you could use to make bad people suffer?”
“Why would you do that?” I asked between bites.
“Does it matter why?”
I thought about it and realized it didn’t. I shrugged, shoving the burger in my mouth. “No, I guess not. What do I have to do?”
“I’ll give you a nice place to live, clothes, food, and your own room. I’ll offer you whatever education you want and train you to fight bad guys. Once you’re ready, you’ll take on the jobs I give you, earning money for yourself.”
My mouth hung open, and I turned around to look for the joke. When no one jumped out, I scrutinized him closer. I couldn’t detect any lies. He stood still, letting me observe him. Despite this man being a stranger, he didn’t set off my danger signals like Carlos had.
“So, if I come to live with you, you’ll give me whatever I want and train me to kill bad guys?”
“Yes. Several girls like you will be training alongside you.”
The idea of others training with me captured my attention even more. Looking down at my dirty clothes, I faced the facts. I had little to no resources left in order to survive, much less find Otto.
“I have a friend who was taken. Will you help me find him?” I asked.
“If you wish.” He nodded, and it felt like he was giving me his word.
“Okay then.” I shoved the last of the food into my mouth and stood, tossing the trash into the garbage next to a bench.
“Wonderful. What’s your name, little one?” he asked. He didn’t particularly smile, but he wasn't angry either. I kind of liked the fact he didn’t pretend like most adults.
I shrugged, not wanting to give my real one. Cindy Hopevale needed to stay dead. “I don’t have one, but my friend calls me Little Bird.”
