Urban Dead: The Price of the Oath

[Caz]

"Nope," the boy said with another headshake. "She jes' thinks somethin's off about ya."

[Cynical Cat]

"Off?" Wendigo emitted a bark of laughter. "Off doesn't come close."

[Caz]

"Well then maybe it's less she don't know and more she don't care," the boy said cryptically. He folded his arms and seemed to scrutinise something in the air for a moment. "People aint as judgemental as you think sometimes," he said quietly. "My mama back in America used to tell me how people didn't like anyone not like them. That's called prejudiced," he said authoritatively.

"But people like my new mum and dad, they aint prejudiced like that. They love me no matter what. Miss Gwen don't care if you're a normal person or not so much that she didn't even bother considerin' it."

[Cynical Cat]

"Perhaps," he replied. "Perhaps." He looked into the fountain. "It is not so terrible to be a ghoul."

[Caz]

"Not like ya couldn't just ask her," the boy said pointedly.

He yawned and leaned over, his head thunking against Wendigo's solid shoulder.

"Must not be that bad," he said, "you don't seem depressed or anything."

[Cynical Cat]

"This life isn't bad. Considering. But my past. What I may have lost. What I may have done. That I do not wish to know."

[Caz]

"Then just forget it," the boy said. "You're who you are now. Far as we know, your life just began, and what you do from now on is what's important. It aint our place to judge you for what you did 'fore you even met us. So you shouldn't worry either."

[Cynical Cat]

"Good enough."

[Caz]

"'Sides," the boy said, "I known you even less time than Mel an' Miss Gwen an' I like you just fine," he said with an authoritative nod.

[Cynical Cat]

"I like you too."

[Caz]

The boy smiled. "I don't got many friends," he admitted. "But you listen good. An' you're honest. Even if you ain't a full human, you're still my friend."

[Cynical Cat]

"Too many secrets. The humans don't want them exposed. Not that different, I guess. They just know them, while I don't."

[Caz]

"Secrets jes' hurt people," the boy said. He yawned and wiped at his eyes, all the while using the ghoul as a leaning post. He didn't seem to care, however, as a blind kid probably wouldn't.

"It's up to you," Jared said. "Whether you wanna stay or not. Folks only end up alone if they make themselves be that way."

[Cynical Cat]

"Better here than out there. If your people trust me enough."

[Caz]

"Most of 'em wouldn't even know 'less they talked to ya face to face. Like Miss Gwen has seen ya a lot an' she didn't think nothin' of it."

He paused a beat, then said: "'Sides, this mall is all we got. An' you helped keep it safe. If anythin' it's us who should be tryin' to impress you. Miss Gwen and Mister Gil were talkin' 'bout how you an' dad an' Miss Sherry are heroes."

[Cynical Cat]

"Hero? No. Just did what was necessary. Benefited me. I didn't do it for others."

[Caz]

"Does that change the fact that you did it?" Jared asked with a shrug. "I aint heard a one of 'em talkin' or thinkin' 'bout motivation. An' even if they knew, that wouldn't change how Mr. Petro an' Miss Gwen think."

[Cynical Cat]

"Don't know what that makes me," he replied. "If they will accept me, it will be better to be here."

[Caz]

"Well if'n I hear someone sayin' somethin' 'bout you that ain't good, I'll tell ya," the boy said, holding out his hand, "deal?"

[Cynical Cat]

"Deal." He took the boy's hand in his own leathery one.

[Caz]

Jared smiled after the handshake, attempting to make his blank eyes appear to hold the smile as well. Instead, he rather resembled a mannequin. Sensing his failure, he let loose another yawn and said:

"I'mma go sleep now. Been up way too late. You should, too," he added, his voice taking on a ridiculously paternal tone.

[Cynical Cat]

"I don't sleep, but I do rest." He got up.

[Caz]

"Maybe you should go see the girl," the kid suggested with a waggle at his eyebrows that, were he not blind, one might have accused him of learning from Petro.

[Cynical Cat]

"Sure," he replied and wandered off in search of Gwen.

[Caz]

The boy wandered off, using what he remembered of the Mall's layout as a careful guide to finding someone in the commons area that would take him back to Melanie and Petro's room.

Meanwhile, in the infirmary when Reaper arrived, Dorian was busy changing the dressings on Gwen's side. The cut itself seemed to be healing now that it wasn't rotted, but the bruises where ghastly. Neither of them seemed to notice his approach.