Page 59 of Echoes From Within

I hold absolutely still as this precious girl slowly looks at my face. After several moments her tense shoulders loosen and she seems to be breathing easier.

“Can you see the difference?” she nods. “Tell them to me so that if that happens again I can help you.”

“His hair is not as dark,” she says. “And his body is bigger. He doesn’t have a star tattoo on his hand. And his eyes aren’t mean.”

“That’s good. Would it be alright if my friend talked to you now?”

“I’m sorry,” she tells me, taking a brave step forward. “I was scared.”

“That’s okay, sweetheart,” I smile. “That was very brave of you to come over here. I’m so incredibly proud.”

“Really?” she says, a small smile forming on her lips. “Did I do a good job?”

“You did, sweet girl. My name is Travis, but the only person who calls me that is Sophia.”

“Not even your mommy?”

“Nope. Well, sometimes,” I admit. “Mostly when I get into trouble.”

“Old people don’t get in trouble,” she says.

“Well, this old man does,” I laugh.

“What does everyone else call you if they don’t say your name?”

“Venom,” I answer. “Everyone calls me Venom.”

“Like the snake poison?”

I nod.

“Why?”

“That’s what my brothers started calling me when I was a teenager,” I answer. “But being completely honest, I can’t really tell you about the meaning behind the nickname because you’re not old enough to understand it.”

“I’m a whole eight years old,” she says, tossing her hands on her hips. “When I was a little girl I wasn’t smart, but I’m not a little girl anymore and I can understand big things.”

“When you were a little girl, huh?” I smile. “Was that a long time ago?”

“Yeah,” she sighs as if she’s dragging up old memories of years ago.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” I ask.

“Oh,” her eyes go to my woman as she leans down whispering something in her ear.”

“Sophia says I can tell you but you can’t call me that name where the bad man can hear.”

“You have my word,” I say, trying to keep the anger in my voice down.

“Well, the cop person says my new name is Zoe, but I don’t really like it.”

She walks over and crawls up in my lap, cups my ear, and whispers, “But my real name is Alice but I like to be called Allie.”

Pulling back, she looks up into my eyes but doesn’t hop off my lap.

“Protect,”Xander growls.“Keep.”

“You’re not a caveman, Xander,”Miles sighs.“But I agree. She’s important. We need to keep her safe.”