Hail Mary

CHAPTER SIX

Curiosity got the better of me.

I, Cliff Lewis H. Davidson, a solitary citizen of Fordwich, Canterbury, do hereby admit and solemnly swear, that despite mortification, after having been able to push people away for half his life, I was finally intrigued by another human being.

By a girl.

I tossed and turned in my bed, squeezed my eyes shut, and willed myself for sleep to come, but to no avail. I couldn't seem to get the image out of my head.

When I finally gave up, I stared up at the dark ceiling above me. My eyes were wide, my mind wild with so many questions.

My interest was piqued by the two sisters. I had assumed they were sisters, because what else could they be?

---

The next morning, I woke up yawning and was still drowsy from being able to sleep only after 3:15 AM.

I was late this time because when I sat up, the bed across from mine was already empty even though it was still relatively early. I paid no more attention and proceeded on to the bathroom to wash and get dressed before leaving for the day.

After I was satisfied with myself, I carried my usual cargo and tiptoed out of the bedroom. This time, before heading for the door, though, I made a beeline to the kitchen. I opened my backpack half-filled with spray cans to put 2 apples and one leftover banana from the fruit basket. I also obtained 4 granola bars and a fresh box of cookies from the cupboard.

Oops. Milk! I headed to the fridge and opened it, smiling at myself once I read that it was so far from expiration.

Chip, who was at the opposite side of the kitchen counter, watched on as I did the entire process, silently munching on his dry cereals. I was glad that he listened to his better judgment and stuck to not speaking anything.

I quickly zipped my bag closed when I heard my parents' bedroom door creak open and sprinted towards the door and outside, going the same route as yesterday.

---

` The area still seemed deserted, but make no mistake, I was certain that Millie and her sister were still there somewhere.

I walked up a little bit more.

"Hey, vandal." I heard a soft voice from somewhere within the stretch of dry land. I looked to my left and there she was, donning the same white dress from yesterday, bare feet padding on the dirt, brushing along the small weeds that were surviving there.

I stepped back a little as she kept walking forward, holding hands with the little girl who had her little thumb between her lips, sucking it. They both appeared to be fresh from sleep. I looked around as I thought this: where do they sleep?

"Hey," I whispered, more to myself than to the person in front of me. For some reason, I'd found my trainers interesting as I looked down at my feet. I was kind of mortified.

I replayed in my head what had happened yesterday when I ran almost immediately after seeing them both. I was catching my breath by the time I was back in front of my house and tried not to cry for being such a sore loser. We did not even get the chance to talk properly.

"Why'd you run?" She finally asked. "Did I scare you?"

I looked at her little sister, eyes barely kept open.

"No." I shook my head. "I -- have you eaten already?" I changed the subject.

"Um." She hesitated but when she looked down upon the little girl next to her, she eventually shook her head defeatedly.

"I brought food." My voice was shaking. My hands were also shaking as I bent down and laid my bag on the ground, unzipping it to hand the treasures that I snuck out of my house.

I found out that when you say a few words at a time, the lesser the chance you will commit a mistake in trying to express them.

I heard her clear her throat before asking, "Do you want to come inside?"

I looked up at her as she pointed at one of the abandoned cars.

So, that was where they sleep, I reckoned.

I retrieved the bag from the ground and dusted the dirt off the knee of my pants. I followed the two girls who stopped in front of the car's rusty old door. Most of the paint had already been chipped off, probably caused by the elements and being abandoned there for a very long time, but some colors were still able to peek through the surface to make me figure that it used to be a bright orange beetle car.

They both went inside the door by the front seat. The little one proceeded to the back where layers of blankets were neatly piled on top to serve as a bed. She sat down, still sucking her thumb. I felt terrible thinking how hungry she must have been already.

Millie ushered me in, motioning for me to sit next to her in what used to be the driver’s seat. The handle of the steering wheel was still attached. Some old clothes were plastered loosely by the window to act as a curtain to shield them from the cold and wind.

I saw the little girl’s face light up when I finally handed them the food I had in my bag, her mouth gaping and watering, her hand stretching forward excitedly. I saw Millie smile endearingly as she offered the banana to her little sister after peeling it.

“How about you? Are you not going to eat?”

She smiled in response. “I am not hungry.” I could see that she was lying because she was clutching her stomach, her hands were obviously trembling from hunger, but she was still grinning whilst watching the other inhale the food, satisfied.

“Please?” I begged her. “I brought enough for the both of you.”

“But if I ate, there wouldn’t be enough for her for the next day.” She protested and it broke my heart. I looked away as a single tear threatened to escape one of my eyes. I played it off like it was just because of the wind.

“Please, Millie?” I heard myself speak her name for the first time. “You don’t need to worry. I’ll be coming every day with more food.” I said and meant it.

She frowned a little and then she smiled. I took it as a sign to hand her one of the granola bars and she took it willingly. A sigh of relief and satisfaction came over me as I watched her slowly bite into the treat.