One and One and One More [Ems]

[Kire]

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E Z I O  L A S K A R I S

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Says, Thinks

When the bag is finally pulled off of my head I can barely think of what to do. Stunned, I stand there blinking like a dazed owl as a woman crouches in front of me. The other person - I know there had been another person, perhaps two others - was gone, but she was still here. "Hello." She had a pleasant voice, and I stayed silent to hear what she had to say. Maybe she would explain what was going on here, because I could only guess and I didn't like where my guesses were heading. All I knew for sure was that these people had taken me, and that even if they let me go I wouldn't be able to find my way home. I had no real idea where I was - both for overall location and even what the building I was standing in was. The sound was hollow here, though, so it had to be a big room. Still, most of the lights were off so I could really only see a small area. There was a clear wall to my right, but the left was all blackness.

"What's your name, bud?" The woman had reached out and taken one of my hands in her own, as though to comfort me. I was eleven, not a baby, but I still took comfort in the fact that she hadn't just left me alone. Alone. I tried to keep my back stiff and not shudder even though I had just been hit by a sudden fear. The skin of my back crawled with imagined bugs - I hoped they were imagined - and it was all I could do to stand still. I decided to distract myself by answering the woman. "Ezio." I didn't want to give her my last name, but my first name couldn't hurt. I wasn't the only Ezio, so it wasn't as though she would instantly know who I was. There had been three kids in my grade that were named Ezio, I had even had the same homeroom as one of them.

The woman smiled at me and squeezed my hand as though she was pleased, or trying to encourage me to say more. When I didn't, she decided to try another angle. "How old are you, Ezio?" I paused a little bit longer before telling her that, thinking whether it was a good idea or not. There was no way to know, and I wasn't going to get out of here by refusing to answer her questions. "Eleven." My one word answers were clearly not enough for her, but she apparently didn't see any way she could change it. In truth, she couldn't. I wasn't much for interacting with people, especially people who treated me like I was five. "Perfect, eleven is such a good age." I looked at her, confused. What had she meant by that? Eleven was not a perfect age in my eyes because I was too young to do anything by myself and yet I was too old to be helped by someone without being called a baby. I heard her mutter something but I didn't quite catch the words. Something about being younger.

The crawling on my spine was turning into pin pricks and I didn't know what to do. Some part of me urged me to yank my hand from her grip and run, get far away and find my way home somehow. Another part told me to go along with whatever this woman had planned, that that was the only way to get out of this okay. The last part of my said to find my opportunity to escape, and it was the one I listened to. I would have to go along with what she was saying and asking so that she would think that I was simply going to let them do whatever they planned to do with me and not put up a fuss. "There will be others coming by," her voice was light, friendly, but I instinctively thought that whoever these 'others' were going to be bad news. "You won't be alone here for very long, I promise." When she made to get up I felt panic well up in me. Alone?! She's gonna leave me alone?! I swallowed, letting her continue to hold my hand as she stood. Even when standing straight she wasn't much taller than me. I was 4'8" the last time my parents had measured me, and while I was average height for my age it comforted me to know that at least she, of all my kidnappers, was short.

Desperate to make her stay, even though I was eleven and should have been fine on my own, I blurted out the first thing I could think of. "But what's your name?" I hoped my tone wasn't rude, I didn't want her to get angry with me. For a moment I thought she wouldn't reply, or would tell me to leave off, but then she smiled sweetly at me. "My name is Polly." She extracted her hand from my grip - which I hadn't realized I had tightened - and let her hands fall to her sides. "It was nice to meet you Ezio, but I must go." She reached out and ruffled my hair lightly. "Someone will be along shortly, don't worry." And then she turned on her heel and walked away from me.

I thought to follow her, but decided against it. That would get me into trouble, even if I tried to play it off as me not wanting her to leave - which I didn't. The thought of sitting here all alone in a room that was too big and too dark for me to see everything in it scared me more than I would like to admit. All that there was as a sign of comfort was a large circular rug. It was coloured in rings of red and orange that looked faded under the small amount of lighting that I was left with. It was comfortable enough to sit on, and so I let myself plant my butt on the ground and stare in the direction of the door with my knees drawn up to my chest. Whatever person had decided to do this didn't know what it was like to be left alone in some place that they didn't know.

One time my mother had walked away from me while we were in the market, thinking I was following while I was really staring at the colourful fish in the display of a store. The Muttz and Petz shop had always been my favorite place and I could never pass by there without having to watch the creatures for a while. My mom had forgotten that ever since I had declared that I was an adult, and now it had come back to me. When I had looked up she was gone and I was scared. This felt a lot like that moment, except this time I knew it would take me a lot longer to find her. "Mommy!" I had yelled for her a few times before someone had let her know there was a boy that looked like a little gentleman, calling for his mother. The feeling of her hug had been the best thing I had ever experienced, and I had cried into her shirt like I was four again. She had stroked my head, neck, and back in a soothing manner, crooning softly to me.

My fingers wound through the threads of the carpet, getting trapped so that I had to pull hard on my hand to get it free again. I was sitting a little off center and the thought that I had missed the bullseye both comforted me and made me giggle a little. I let out a noise like a hiccup and it was then that I realized my eyes were wet. I couldn't cry, I was eleven. I was old enough to not cry at anything anymore and I had failed to keep from doing so. I pulled my knees tighter to my chest and wiped my eyes against my pant legs. At least my nose wasn't running, much.

A sound from the far end of the room, at the place where Polly had disappeared, startled me into a standing position. I don't think I had ever moved that fast. There were shuffling sounds and I felt my hands stiffen and curl into fists. What could I do against whoever was coming for me? Nothing, most like, but if they wanted to hurt me I would make it a chore for them. Shapes were moving towards me from where I assumed the door was, one tall figure, and two shorter ones. I recognized Polly as one of them and had to hold myself still. I didn't want to run over and cling to her as much as part of me wished to, I had to act my age. I'm eleven. As the three forms moved closer to the light and me I saw that the middle one had a bag over his head, just like I had. Eleven, not three.

The bag was removed by the tall figure and he - it looked like a man - stepped behind his captive's sight and stayed out of mine. There was no way to distinguish facial features in the dark and before I could even catch a gleam from his eyes or hair or teeth he had turned and began to leave, shoes making scuffing sounds that filled the entire room it seemed. The captive was a boy, I could see that now as Polly drew him to the edge of the rug. She kneeled in front of the boy just as she had done with me, but before she did I saw that the she was taller than him by a foot. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I assumed that she was asking him the same questions as me. I hoped that he was as cautious as me, but there was no way of knowing until it was too late.

I waited until they had stopped talking and Polly had stood up. When I saw here leave I relaxed my hands and body and tried to walk over to my only companion. "Hey," I tried to make my voice soft and as non-startling as possible, "did they grab you too?" The answer was pretty obvious, but maybe if he knew that I had been taken too he might not be scared of me. We were the only ones here so we may as well try to keep each other company. "I'm Ezio." Once again I didn't say my last name, worried there might be some cameras or microphones or something that would capture it and give it away. I wasn't quite sure why I felt like I had to keep it so much of a secret, it was just how I felt.

My hand was shaking slightly and I pressed it hard against my leg. I couldn't show any fear, I had to be brave. I am eleven years old, I am not a child to be scared by little things. "What's your name?"

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[Knuckles]

Cyprian Achluo

It's dark. So dark. And I hear nothing. Just silence as I'm guided around. Underneath the bag, my body shakes. I'm afraid. Darkness has never been a friend, and it takes all I have not to scream. I fight trying to remain strong, but I want mommy and daddy. They take care of me. Guide me through life. Mommy said if I was a good boy she'd get me something special. And that's what I was. I always slept in my own bed even though the monsters tried getting me. I kept my eyes close and sang songs. It wasn't ever much, but I'm so afraid. And right now I can't even sing. Can't do anything. Tears roll from my eyes. And then the moment stops, and suddenly the world becomes light again.

A woman stands in front of me. Mommy doesn't want me talking to strangers. It's a bad idea, but mommy isn't here. Daddy isn't either. And something about this plate scares me. I raise a hand towards my face blowing my nose and wiping the tears away. I probably just ruined the outfit, but does it matter? Mommy would be mad, and daddy would yell, but they aren't here. She kneels down in front of me like mommy did as she got me ready for the day. Mommy wouldn't let anyone hurt me, but something about this place makes the hairs on the back of my neck rise. It's not very light, but it's enough to hide the monsters from getting me. "Hey. Can you tell me your name?"

My name. It's not important. Mommy told me not to talk to strangers. Or even let them near me. I want to run away and hide, but it seems easy to get lost. If I tell her my name, and she tells me her name, she won't be a stranger. Mommy would be okay with that. Daddy would allow me to talk to her. I wonder what they're doing. Are they out looking for me? Do they even care that I'm missing? I look her in the eyes. My chin quivers as I move around shifting my weight from one foot to the other. "Cyprian." That's all she needs to know. All anyone needs to know. "Who are you?" My heart races under my chest. I want to close my eyes, but I need to know her answer. It's important. So important.

"Polly." I nod my head while looking around trying to figure out where I am. I don't want to know. I just want to go home. I want mommy and daddy to read me a story. They tuck me in at night. They make sure all the monsters can't get me. And I go to sleep. And when I wake up they're gone. Maybe this is a dream. Mommy and daddy will come running if I scream loud enough. But I can't. It's like someone's grabbed my tongue and won't let go. I can't talk, and it hurts. I can't breathe. Can't move. Tears fall from my eyes again, and I don't stop them. She takes one of my hands into her own. I don't like it, but I don't move away. I'm frozen in place like I was playing freeze tag or something. I take a deep breath trying to remember all the turns and twists so I can run away when she's gone. I want to get out. I want to go home.

"How old are you, dear?" Mommy never wanted me to say my age. She said it was a risk. But she's not here. I want her so bad. I want to hug her. To hide in her arms. I want her to sing me to sleep, or even read a story. I love her so much,and I miss her. I don't know where she is. I need daddy too. He'd stop this from happening. He'd make sure she was in her place, and she didn't bother me. Daddy protected me. He never allowed anything to happen to me. I wipe the tears away and blow my nose again trying to hide myself away. She's a monster. They're all monsters. Every grown up except mommy and daddy. "Eight." My voice shakes, and I look at the ground hoping she'll just go away, and she'll just leave me alone.

She stands up and starts moving away. My heart leaps inside my chest. "Don't go! Please!" I'm begging for her. I want to know answers. I want to know where she is. What she's doing. Tears move down my face rapidly, and I don't care who sees me. I'm so afraid. My entire body shakes as she moves away. "Don't worry. It'll be okay. I turn around trying to figure out what's going on, and I see another person. But I don't want her to go. I want her to stay here. I need her. I want my mommy and daddy. I turn back towards her wondering what's going to happen, and she's gone. I close my eyes trying to figure out what's going on as I move away from where I'm standing. I want to hide. I want to go away.

But I don't. I slowly open my eyes wanting this to be a dream, but it's not. A boy is walking over towards me. He isn't old. He doesn't look like he's much older than me. "Hey, did they grab you too?" I shouldn't be afraid of a kid. I shouldn't worry, but I can't help it. I want my mommy. I want my daddy, and he's neither, but he's here, and he might know something. He might know why I'm here, or why he's here. I look around trying to take in the place. I want to know more, and I want to know which monsters lurk in the corners of the room. Where are they hiding? What will they do to me? Mommy and daddy aren't here to make them go away. I turn back towards the kid. "Yeah. Put a bag over my head."

I wipe away the tears once more. I can't be afraid. I can't be, but I am. I want to find my mommy. I want to see her. Maybe he can help me? "I'm Ezio." Maybe we can be friends and play together now that he told me his name. But I forgot we're still strangers. He doesn't know me. I don't want to tell him, but maybe it'll help. Maybe he'll help me. Or I can help him. Or something. I don't know. I just want to go home. I take a deep breath trying to calm myself down. "I'm Cyprian." Daddy always held out a hand to shake when meeting new people, and I try to do that. Maybe it'll show respect. Or something. Maybe he'll take it. I hold out my hand like daddy.

"Do you know where we are?"

[Kire]

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E Z I O L A S K A R I S

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Says, Thinks

He looks as scared as I feel, and even when I chide myself for the fear I know I can't blame him for feeling that way. I wait as he scans our surroundings, taking in the rug and the single light above us and the fact that this room is massive. The prospect has to terrify him as much as it does me: the idea that there is no way to see what fills this room. When he turns to look at me again, I hope I have a comforting expression on my face and not one of panic. "Yeah. Put a bag over my head." It's only then that I notice he had been crying. He was probably a few years younger than me, so his crying was not a surprise or a shame. If he caught me in tears then there would be a problem - namely that I would be embarrassed and ashamed - but I only felt sympathy towards him.

He takes a deep breath and I have to as well. My throat is feeling tight like it always does just before I'm about to cry and I know that I can't let myself. I had already cried once, that was more than enough. "I'm Cyprian." Then he hold out his hand like I was always taught to when meeting new adults. Being familiar with the gesture, I take his hand on impulse and shake it solidly. Barely able to keep from crying, though, I kept back my instinctive "Lovely to meet you, so-and-so!" that my parents had forced upon me. As I shake his hand he looks at me and I feel suddenly desperate to be by myself again. "Do you know where we are?"

I realized in that second that, because I'm older, he was going to rely on me for the answers. The problem was that I didn't have them. The other problem was that I didn't want to look out for another kid, especially one younger than me like he was. I shook my head, letting go of his hand and dropping my gaze and head so I stared at the floor. "No, I don't." I shrug, as though roughly gesturing to everything. "It's a big space, though. That's all I know." I bit the inside of my cheek, looking up at him. "That, and that it's dark. But that's pretty obvious."

I can't comfort him because I can barely keep myself together at the moment. I'm eleven. I'm eleven. I can't cry anymore. My fingers curl into my pants and I'm gripping it so tight that I don't think the material will ever lie flat again. My mom would be so mad, and yet I can't help it. If she were here maybe she would understand. If she were here I wouldn't be doing it because I wouldn't be alone. I'm not alone, though. The other boy isn't that much smaller than me, but he still doesn't even reach my chin and looks like he's terrified out of his mind. I can't discount him, but he isn't the same as having my mom here, or my dad.

"At least we're not alone."

I sit down, staring off into the direction where the door is. There's two of us, now, which means that we have twice the strength that we had before. I take a peek at Cyprian, then recalculate. Maybe not twice the amount, but he was still another person and, really, that's all that should matter to me right now.

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[Knuckles]

Cyprian Achluo

Something about this entire room isn't right. Why would most of it be dark? Why is there a rug in front of us? What is this? Is my mommy and daddy here? I hope they are because I don't wanna be without them very long. I don't even know where I am or how to get back home. So many twists and turns as they moved me through to wherever this place is. Something just feels off, but I put all those possibilities in the back of my mind. At least I have someone else with me, and I'm not alone. I'm not without anyone. A small smile spreads across my face when he shakes my hand, but it's the words that slowly take it away.

Maybe expecting him to know was stupid of me, but he was here before I even got here? I shake my head slightly while my eyes dart around trying to take in everything. Every hair on the back of my neck stand straight up. Fear takes control of my body, and I swear the monsters grow stronger and stronger every single day. "It's a big space, though. That's all I know." I turn around looking. It is a huge space. It's larger than anyone one room I'e ever seen in my entire life. Which makes it appear creepier than it should be, but I try not to let anything inside. I try to remain calm and quiet.

"That, and that it's dark. But that's pretty obvious." I've never been a fan of the dark. Mommy and Daddy always made sure I was asleep before they left, and whenever I was in a room alone a light was always on, but here it feels like this one small life isn't much, and my brain screams at me telling me it'll blow at any possible second, but that just might be me being scared. Everything is scary, and this just makes it worse. I find myself looking at Ezio again wondering how long he's been here, but none of that matters. It shouldn't matter.

"At least we're not alone."

The words feel like they slap me across the face. He was alone before I got here, and now I'm here. And there's me and him. "Yeah." I mutter under my breath trying to remain calm, and I watch as he sits down and turns towards the door. It's the same one I came through. Possibly the same one he came through? I don't know. He was here first, and now I can't do anything other than stand here looking around. "How long were you here before I got here?"

It's probably not the best question to ask, but I can't sit here in silence. I can't allow that because it's so terrifying. And I need a distraction. Something to control myself. And with talking my mind doesn't race as much. Mommy always said I was better when talking, but I don't think she's right. I was talking and ended up here. Who knows what'll happen now. I want to go home. I want away from here. I just want to go to my own bed.

I want my mommy and daddy.

Hearing
Speech

[Kire]

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E Z I O L A S K A R I S

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Says, Thinks

I swear his breathing is a little heavier now and I wonder if he's seen something. Turning to look at him, I catch a glimpse of the weirdest expression in his eyes. It's not quite fear, it's something else, but then it's gone. "Yeah," I barely catch the word, muttered as it was, and I tried to smile at him. It felt wrong, though, and fake. There was a pause, like suddenly we had both held our breath, and then he broke it. "How long were you here before I got here?" I thought he might have twitched then, but I could have just been imagining it. Either way, I wasn't all that comfortable either. Talking helped, kinda.

I had to think about it a bit, trying to calculate in my head. I wasn't all that great at guessing time. All I knew was that it had felt both like a long time and not long at all. Probably somewhere in the middle, then. "A while, but not too long." Just enough time to cry. I couldn't tell him that, though. I was eleven, I couldn't be crying. "It's okay, though. It doesn't matter anymore." I patted a spot on the rug beside me, asking for him to sit with me. The presence at my side would be a better reminder that I really wasn't alone, and I could use that right now.

It would also give me another reason not to cry.

The sound of the door open made me jump. The door banged against the wall with the sound of a gun going off, and I heard a single bark from somewhere in the dark. Then nothing. Suddenly I saw a shape moving towards us and it took me a moment before I recognized Polly. I started hearing her footsteps a moment later, and I watched as she approached us. It wasn't until she was nearly at our circle of light that I realized she was carrying something, or someone.

When she stopped at the edge of the rug, she crouched down and off loaded her bundle. The bundle made a fuss, trying to grab and cling to her. "Philo, no." She pulled away from the bundle, staring down at it. "You get to stay with these nice boys now. They'll look after you." She turned to smile at us, then pointed at the boy - it seemed to be a really young boy. "His name is Philo, and that's the only thing he knows how to say, except for 'no'." She sighed, clearly having heard that a lot. "He's two, so keep an eye on him for me, won't you?" I just stared at her, feeling a bit of panic welling inside of me. I couldn't take care of a two year old, I was eleven! That was something for adults to do, not for Cyprian, and certainly not for me.

I don't even like kids my own age.

Slowly I shook my head, and Polly looked at me with a much sterner expression than before. "You will take care of him." And with that, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Philo screaming and crying on the rug. He was rolling around like a worm and I felt sick. I shot a helpless glace at Cyprian before watching after Polly again, even though she was already out of sight. When I glanced back at the older of my two companions - only once I had heard the door slam shut - I was unable to keep my worry from showing. "What do we do?"

I had no idea how to take care of a kid, and wouldn't he need diapers and stuff. When did we know if he was hungry. How do we do this? The questions were overwhelming and I had to lay my head on my knees for a bit and try to breathe. I was so confused, and suddenly a lot more scared. What would happen if we didn't take care of Philo? I stood up suddenly and walked to where Philo was still squirming. I crouched down beside him. "Hey, uh Philo?" The boy continued to roll. "Can you stop rolling around for a bit?" He did, but only for a moment, and then he gave me a look and yelled, "NO!"

I jumped back, startled. Polly had said he used the word no, and apparently it was one of his favorites because he was giggling to himself now and clapping his hands. I put my head in my hands, having no idea what to do, and just sat there. Of all of the things that I had expected to happen the moment the bag came down over my head, this was not it.

What were we going to do?

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[Knuckles]

Cyprian Achluo

He said he had been here a while but not too long. Part of me wonders what it was like being stuck here all alone without anyone around. At least whenever I was brought in, he was here. I wasn't alone. I had nothing to worry about, at least that's what I thought. I take another deep breath before looking around wondering what why it's so dark. I want to now what it has to do with anything, but it doesn't do anything for my nerves. Mommy and daddy would stand beside me. They would hold my hand and let me go through this with them, but they aren't here, and I don't know where they are. I'll never find them again. I'll never see them again.

All I can do is nod my head as he talks because the moment I'm about to speak, the door flies open slamming into the wall, and something from somewhere inside this room barks loudly. My heart leaps inside my chest, and it's beating faster and faster with every passing second. My eyes are wide, and I don't know what to do. What is that? I can't ask, though. My chin just drops to the floor and I'm unable to move unable to think. Polly walks through the door and she's walking over towards us. Something rest in her arms. It's a little bundle of something, and she's moving like she has a purpose. "Philo, no." Only then do I realize it's a human she's holding onto.

Inside the bundle she was holding was a tiny boy. He couldn't be no more than three years old. My eyes wide as I stare at him trying to figure out what to do. "You get to stay with these nice boys now. They'll look after you." He's staying with us? We're going to be in charge of him? I'm eight years old. I can't look after a toddler. "His name is Philo, and that's the only thing he knows how to say, except for 'no'." My eyes turn back towards Polly wondering what she could possibly be doing. Why would she leave us here with a baby? Why would she do that to us? She said he's two, and she wants us to keep an eye on him. I shoot a glance at Ezio wondering what he's thinking. How are two children supposed to take care of a two year old? That should be illegal or something.

I'm about to open my mouth to speak when she interrupts stating we will watch him. "Of course." My voice shakes as the words fly off my lips as she turns around walking away leaving a crying two-year-old on the rug. He's wiggling around like crazy, and I feel like he's going to roll onto his stomach and stop breathing, and I don't want that to happen. Ezio asks what do we do, and I wish I had an answer for him because I have no idea. I don't know how to care for anyone. Mommy and daddy took care of me. Mommy and daddy made sure I was doing well. I searched my brain trying to figure out something to do. Trying to figure out the answer that was needed, but I couldn't find any. All I know is mommy and daddy sang to me a lot when I was growing up.

Ezio asks him to stop rolling around, and Philo shouts no at the top of his lungs and starts giggling and clapping his hands together. Apparently that was one of his favorite words. Polly was right, and now she's gone. She's not here anymore, and I don't know what to do. I don't know what to think about. My entire body shakes as I look around trying to figure out something. Anything. I want to cry and scream. I want to go home to my mommy and daddy. I need them right now. "We could try singing to him?"

Taking a deep breath, I slowly move over next to the giggling toddler, and I sit down beside him.

"Hush-a-by baby
On the tree top,
When the wind blows
The cradle will rock.
When the bough breaks,
The cradle will fall,
And down will fall baby
Cradle and all."

I only hoped it works.

Hearing
Speech

[Kire]

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E Z I O L A S K A R I S

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Says, Thinks

I watch Philo wiggle around, trying to figure out how to get him to stop. He would wear himself and the rug out at this rate and I was starting to get frustrated. Cyprian moves closer and I can see him shaking slightly. We're both completely unsure of what to do, and it unnerves us both. I have to be strong though, I'm eleven and he's eight and Philo is two, I have to act like I really am the oldest. I have to act like an adult. "We could try singing to him?" I shrugged my shoulders helplessly. I didn't know the first thing about babies. I move back to let Cyprian sit beside Philo easier.

I move a distance away, looking out into the darkness like I was on guard. From behind me came Cyprian's voice, shaky but melodical, as he tried to settle the toddler. "Hush-a-by baby on the tree top," I peered into the darkness, hoping to see something. Maybe I could find where the door actually was, or maybe I could see the far wall. "When the wind blows the cradle will rock." Cyprian's voice was a little steadier now, and it wasn't actually all that bad to listen to. He kept a steady tune and hit all the right notes. I hummed along softly. "When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall," At this I stopped humming, the hairs on the back of my neck starting to pickle. I didn't shift my gaze from the blackness, but I began thinking about the very words Cyprian was using to try and calm down Philo. "And down will fall baby, cradle and all."

I sat down heavily, pulling my knees up to my chest and cradling them in my arms. What a horrible song. It was a horrible, horrible song and yet so many mothers sang it to their children. "Please," I called back to Cyprian, trying to keep the horror out of my voice, "don't sing that one again." I rocked a couple times in silence, wondering how to explain what I was feeling and thinking. There wasn't anything I could say that kept it from sounding weird. Philo only seemed to have enjoyed it while it was happening because while Cyprian was singing I hadn't heard a sound from him. Now there was a resounding. "NO!" and the sound of fabric rubbing against the rug started up again.

"Maybe try a different one?" I sighed, dropping one hand to the rug so I could twist my fingers into the fibers. One that isn't about something terrible. "I think he only likes it when you're actually singing." I wouldn't lie about the fact that it soothed me too, and until the truth of the words hit me I was actually enjoying it. He couldn't know that it scared me, though, he couldn't know that anything scared me. I was eleven and he was eight and Philo was two. They had to know I could be brave and strong and take care of them.

I couldn't lose them like I had lost my parents - because I was too stubborn to realize that I needed them with me. I couldn't show them I was weak and scared. I was eleven but I had to act like a grownup. I had been doing it for a while now, I just had to continue. If I could fool adults into thinking I acted and thought like them, then maybe I could fool myself. After all, I had to show them I was there for them.

We were all each other had right now.

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[Knuckles]

Cyprian Achluo

Philo was actually calming down. Like he was listening to the words, and for a moment Ezio was humming along with them. It was a song that mommy and daddy always sang to me, yet when I reached a few words, he stopped. Once I was done he was sitting on the ground, and he asked me not to sing that song again. I shrugged my shoulders not seeing anything wrong with it, but for some reason the words went through him. They weren't what he wanted to hear. Maybe it's the meaning of the song. Maybe there's something mommy and daddy never told me. It was just a lullaby. And at that moment, Philo started rolling around again screaming no.

I groaned to myself wishing he would stop. I couldn't sit here singing forever, but maybe that's what he needed. Perhaps I could think of other songs. I sigh to myself. I'm eight years old, and Polly placed me in a situation I never thought I would be in. Ezio doesn't need to be in this situation. It's like they want us to be parents. It's like they want us to become parents, but that's impossible. Mommy and daddy never discussed this. They never said what it's like being parents. I don't know what to do, but the longer I look down at this toddler, my heart sinks. He was taken away from his mommy and daddy. I was taken away from my mommy and daddy. Ezio was taken away from his mommy and daddy. It's wrong. It's so wrong, but I don't think anything I'll do about it will change it.

"Sorry. I didn't know." I replied in response to Ezio allowing him to know that I wasn't ignoring him. He needed to know that I heard him. I look down at Philo again. Perhaps just any song would help him. It would help him to calm down because right now it feels impossible. It feels like he won't ever do anything. "Maybe that's what I need to do until he falls asleep or something. Maybe I'll just keep singing to him."

I reach my arms down underneath Philo cradling him in my arms like I've seen my mommy and daddy do to other children his age. I place his head gently on my arm, and I look straight into his eyes. "Hey Philo. Don't worry. Don't worry at all." A large grin plasters itself to my face. Maybe this will help him since I don't want him squirming around a lot. I don't want him dying whenever Polly told us to watch him. I take a deep breath allowing myself to feel it's relaxing nature flow throughout my entire body. This is offering a distraction from the world around me, and maybe it's what Ezio needs to.

Exhaling slowly, I look around one last time before resting my eyes on the tiny boy again.

"Go to sleep. Go to sleep. Go to sleep little baby. Close your eyes, and go to sleep. Go to sleep little baby. Go to sleep my little baby. Close your eyes and go to sleep. Go to sleep my little baby. Close your eyes and go to sleep. Go to sleep. Go to sleep. Go to sleep my little baby. Close your eyes and go to sleep. Go to sleep little boy."

I sigh silently to myself before repeating the same song again. Maybe he'll fall asleep so I can relax for a few moment. I don't know if it'll work, but a kid can hope, right?

Hearing
Speech

[Kire]

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E Z I O L A S K A R I S

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Says, Thinks

Cyprian's groan encompassed all that I felt. The frustration I already had for the toddler was growing by the moment and I was half tempted to just leave him to fend for himself. I couldn't be that cruel, though, could I? Cyprian saved me from making any rash decisions by just being here, but also by attempting once more to calm Philo. "Sorry. I didn't know." He looked at me, really looked right at me, for a moment before turning back to Philo. I didn't say anything because I had no idea what I could say. "Maybe that's what I need to do until he falls asleep or something. Maybe I'll just keep singing to him." He meant he was going to sign again. Some part of me was happy at the thought, but I still couldn't say anything. I was overwhelmed by how terrible the world had become.

I watch Cyprian pick up Philo and hold him like a baby. It must be awkward, since Philo wasn't all that much smaller that Cyprian, but somehow he managed. I didn't move, I didn't speak, I just kept on watching. "Hey Philo. Don't worry. Don't worry at all." I can see the smile suddenly grow on Cyprian's face and it eases a piece inside of me that I didn't know was taught. Seeing him smile made me realize that maybe we could be okay. I watch his breath in lift his ribcage and shoulders, see his eyes close, and then I hear his voice.

"Go to sleep. Go to sleep. Go to sleep little baby."

This time his voice doesn't shake, and almost immediately I can feel myself uncurling slightly. I once more am caught up in how fragile his voice is, and yet how clear. He was eight, but he had a better voice than I did. I was glad he was here. "Close your eyes, and go to sleep. Go to sleep little baby." I heard myself start to hum along, my own eyes closing just like he had asked, and I realized then how tired I was. I could use a nap. "Go to sleep my little baby. Close your eyes and go to sleep. Go to sleep my little baby." His words were starting to jumble in my head and become nonsense, a background noise that was soothing and nothing more.

"Close your eyes and go to sleep. Go to sleep. Go to sleep. Go to sleep my little baby." I jerk as my body tilts to the side. Saving myself from falling over with a hand, I look back to see if I had disturbed either Cyprian or Philo. I didn't notice any difference in the picture before me. Cyprian still had the younger boy held in his arms, and I marveled at how silent the toddler had become. Philo was staring up at Cyprian with large eyes, his hands clutched together. It seemed the kid really loved it when people sang. I could feel my eyelids droop again and I wondered how long it had been since I last had slept. A few hours? A day? However long, I really just wanted to lay down and sleep like Cyprian's song suggested.

"Close your eyes and go to sleep. Go to sleep little boy." I eased myself down so I was laying on my side. My eyes were shut against the darkness and against the one light we had. It was funny how, with my eyes closed, I felt like I was balanced somewhere between darkness and light. Maybe I was, and maybe there I would be safe for a while.

The pause in Cyprian's singing made me open my eyes for a moment and look at him. I saw the fall of his shoulders as he sighed. When he began again I once more closed my eyes, and finally let myself sleep.

"Go to sleep little boy."

But I'm eleven, I'm not a little boy.

And yet I slept.

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