'I'm okay, honest, th…th…thanks,' he offered as he eventually limped away. He had wondered what they might have done to her without his intervention...and he still had his 'sock' tight, around his right wrist. He became aware - it was noticeable that there was a slight reluctance by his helpers to get too close to him. He was definitely not a pretty picture - and smelt as bad as he looked.
Two other times in his daytime wanderings, when he had caught sight of this meek, frightened little creature scuttling hither and thither, he would give a weak smile and a thumbs-up gesture. It was a message, 'I'm looking out for you – you'll always be safe with me my little darling.'
She would look away – and scuttle off.
Ever since his first beating - a beating that came out of the blue, and as he w
