Why We Hide

(She has a little sister back home named Abbie.)

((Oh, thanks for clarifying))
I sighed. "I guess," I said.

He was peeved although he did alright at hiding it. I could just tell.
"Do you want to walk?" I asked, dragging him out of earshot of the girl. "You don't like her, do you?"

"It's not that I don't like her. I'm sure she's a fine girl. I just don't want to have to carry around someone who can't pull their own weight."

"and me having to heal you all the time..."

I sighed. "I'm sorry that I get hurt, I thought it was natural to get hurt when running for your life."

"The very reasons our enemies wish to take her captive also would be assets to us."

"I understand that," I said, trying to reason with her, "but that doesn't mean we should drag a six year old around with us."

"ten..."

"Same difference."

"So basically the suggestion is that just because she is a few years younger we leave her? And you are...? Two years younger than I. Alright." I walked off.

"Wait, Shirlee," I said, following her.

I slightly slowed down as well as shortening my stride by six inches, knowing that he would follow. If it was that important he would have to show it and not make me bend over backwards.

"Shirlee," I said, grabbing he shoulder and turning her around. "I know you want to help this girl. I do too. And at this point, we're going to have to. All I'm saying is that once we find a safe place for her to be, we drop her. Deal?"

"You do understand that the world is much more dangerous for her than us, so if there is a place safe enough for her, it is safe for us as well."

I nodded. On the inside, I knew that I had to fix this. I had to make the people who sought to kill us pay.
I grabbed her hand and led her back to the grove where our new partner was.

"I still trust you." I whispered. "We will live through this together." Then we were back to Eliza.

We got back to Eliza, and I decided to take lead. w
"Uh, hi," I stumbled. "Well, We haven't had a proper introduction. I'm Kyle, and this is Shirlee. To be honest we have no idea what we're doing. So, uh, onto adventure!...or something like that."

Eliza turned bright red but began to talk. "Elizabeth McGregorson. I am so sorry you had to cover for me back there.."

"It's fine," I responded, "I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

I nodded approvingly.

"So...uh," I said, still trying to lead, "I guess we're off." I grabbed my backpack off of the ground, and started walking.

We walked util we were all tired which was about dark as we found an established campground. Nobody was there because it was too late in the year for any campers or rangers even. Eliza fell asleep at a picnic table as I looked through my mostly demolished backpack for something to eat.

"y'know," I whispered, "Looking at her sleeping...it makes me realize that I'm still a kid. That even though I try to pretend that I'm more, I'm still just a kid."

"All three of us are."