Liz poked her head out from under the bed, expression fearful. “I-is he gone?” she asked with a tremor.
Raven smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring manner. “Yes, honey. He’s gone.” She still saw blood spurting from his mangled hand when she blinked but the danger was past. She thought she would see the man’s anguished face for a long time at night but it was worth it. I hope you’re proud, Grandfather, she thought.
“Come on, Liz,” she spoke, holding out her hand.
Liz looked at Raven’s hand with growing horror. She swallowed audibly and her face paled.
“What’s wrong?” Raven asked then looked down. Her hand was covered in blood so completely that she couldn’t see her skin. “Oh,” she spoke, shocked that she hadn’t noticed. “I’ll just go wash up.” She looked at Liz. “Get ready to go, Liz. I don’t know if that man was alone or not.”
Liz crawled out from beneath the bed and stood in front of Raven. The leggings had fit her fairly well as had the sweater, but the slippers were obviously too big and Raven doubted she’d be able to run in them. We’ll have to get her some proper fitting shoes first thing, Raven thought.
“It wasn’t the same man,” Liz said in a small voice. Her eyes were wide. “This one had lighter eyes and his jacket was a different color.” She paused to think, closing her eyes. “The other man had a bigger nose and his skin looked different, rougher somehow and darker.” She opened her eyes and regarded Raven.
Forgetting her blood-covered hand for the moment, Raven asked. “Are you sure? You only saw the other man for a second and you were very afraid.”
“I’m sure,” Liz said, nodding. “I have a good memory. Daddy said it was idic or something like that.”
“An eidetic memory?” Raven asked. “You can recall thing in detail if you only see them for a second?” This was interesting. Raven had never met anyone with an eidetic memory.
“Yes,” Liz responded, nodding again. “Dad had me tested in a big white building with lots of rooms when I was little.”
“That’s cool,” Raven responded. She moved her fingers and the drying blood cracked. “Let me wash up and we’ll go to the truck.”
Liz looked fearful. She nodded rapidly and swallowed. “O-okay,” she answered. “I hope Henry and Rocky are all right.” Her voice was gentle but had an unmistakable affection to it.
“I’m sure they’re fine,” Raven responded, smiling. She looked around the orange room, taking in its various shades and hues, thinking that she would miss every one. Trailing her hand across the dresser — painted a burnt umber with tangerine highlights — Raven walked into the bathroom. She didn’t want to leave Liz alone for long but needed a moment to clean the blood from her skin and compose her thoughts. Raven shut the door behind her and closed the toilet lid, sitting on the seat. She put her elbows on her knees and hung her head for a moment, closing her eyes. A fine tremor ran through her body like she was connected to a live wire.
“Get a hold of yourself,” Raven spoke aloud.
Opening her eyes, she noticed that her hands shook. She took a deep breath and let it out noisily. Rising, she turned on the tap and rolled back her sleeves. Raven cleaned the blood from her skin, scrubbing with a green nailbrush. She wondered absently why the brush wasn’t orange because the color theme continued in here, pale melon tiled floor and burnt sienna painted walls. Raven scoured the ichor from beneath her nails. The warm water ran out and she heard a loud thud from the water heater. Its constant hum vanished.
“There goes the gas,” she thought. “I guess we’re leaving at a good time.”
Sadness and trepidation washed through her in turn. She finished scrubbing and dried her hand on the bathroom towel — peach with black stripes — and opened the cabinet. Raven grabbed a tube of toothpaste that was mostly full and an unopened bar of soap. She’d already packed their supplies but must’ve forgotten these. There was no reason to leave anything the intruders could use.
“Raven?” Liz’s nervous voice reached her ears. There was a gentle knock on the door.
“Just a sec,” Raven called, taking one last look in the mirror.
She ran her fingers through her hair, clearing out any tangles; it cascaded down her back in a black shimmering sheet. She turned and opened the bathroom door. Liz stood so close that she was forced to take a couple of steps back so Raven could open the door. She looked anxious, wringing her hands and biting her bottom lip. Raven longed to comfort her.
“Come here,” she said, pulling Liz into an embrace. She could barely feel the girl’s body beneath all of her layers.
“I’m scared,” Liz murmured, face buried in Raven’s chest.
Raven stroked her hair. “I know, honey. But we’ve got to go. We can’t stay here any longer. It isn’t safe.”
She felt Liz nod. Patting the girl’s back, Raven held her at arms-length. Looking into her face with its delicate bone structure and big amber eyes, Raven smiled. “Everything is going to be all right,” she spoke with conviction.
“Do you promise?” Liz asked, voice trembling.
“I promise,” Raven answered, fully away that she couldn’t control everything, but she would do her best to keep Liz safe. That was what she was swearing to and she would not break her oath. The girl coming along had given
