Beneath the Glass Moon

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

When Aurora led me through the door I was assaulted by the smell of oil and grease. The trappings of the garage were in close courters and swung low at head level. The little girl easily maneuvered around them and happily led me toward the office in the back. I took the time to notice Aurora's features from her long black hair and mismatched gloves. Her clothes were larger than her frame but seemed worn with age. She eerily reminded me of myself at such an age; clothes that weren't mine but they were all I had to wear.

"That is the office we can sit in there." She gestured to the small glassed in area in the corner of the garage. I smiled and nodded in response as she continued to lead me. I hadn't noticed my brother along any of the trappings in the garage. Her small hand was cold in hand and the longer she held on the warmer her palm got. She's got to be freezing. How could someone so small stay that cold without getting sick?

She stood by the single chair and crossed her hands behind her back and rocked back and forth on her heels.

"You can sit in here if you'd like." She looked down and avoided my eyes. I frowned.

"Would you like to sit with me? I'm just waiting for Evan; do you know who that is?" Still not looking at me she nodded her head.

"He works with my daddy, but they're not back yet." I smiled, so that's why she was wondering around here. Wait, why is she here alone? I lifted the bag of food in front of me.

"Would you like to share? Since Evan isn't here there is plenty for both of us." This time she looked up and she wore only a small smile.

"Daddy says I shouldn't take from strangers because not all strangers are really gen-ner-us." Her face twisted as she attempted the pronunciation. I frowned, she was left alone in a garage yet she wasn't supposed to take from people?

"Well...We're not strangers. We met outside remember? I'm Evy and you're Aurora. Would you like to be my friend Aurora?" She giggled and nodded her head. "Then we should eat." I walked across the office to sit in the lone chair and left the box of food on the desk. I motioned to Aurora to sit with my in the chair and she cautiously crept to me.

xXxX

The door to the office swung open about an hour later; Aurora and I had only eaten half of the food I'd bought. Evan stood wrapped in his leather coat and once he realized we were in the office he bulked. His face went from silent to surprise to overzealous fear. Aurora stiffed in my lap and I put out food back on the desk.

"Hey Evan...Is everything okay?" I looked at Evan curiously and pulled Aurora from my lap to stand. The little girl hid behind my legs and pushed her face into the back of my shirt. I turned to comfort her confused at her shyness.

"What the hell are you doing?" The voice surprised me but not enough to clear my thoughts of the small girl at my legs. With my back turned to whoever had spoken I reached to pick up Aurora, who in a short time I'd become protective of. She flinched away from my reach and fled to the man at the doorway.

"Evelyn, come on I think you need to come with me." When I turned Evan was beside me grabbing a hold of my arm steering me toward the exit. It was then that I really saw the person the voice belonged to. He stood and easy 6'4" and his dark onyx hair curled past his ears at shoulder length, but the most startling thing I noticed about him was his eyes, a green so vivid it looked feral. It took his scowl for me to shift my gaze to the three parallel scars running across his face. They started under his left eye and crossed over his nose to end at the base of his lips. Just like Aurora, only longer.

I stumbled after Evan, leaving behind the food in its container, as we brushed past the man and Aurora. I'm not leaving without saying goodbye to Aurora.

"Goodbye Aurora! I'll see you next time okay?" I threw a smile over my shoulder st the little girl who was waving bye to me. The man stiffed at my words and whirled around to glare at me.

"What did you call her?" Each syllable was ground out between his teeth; his anger was barely contained. I froze, not from fear, from sudden anger. Evan's grip slackened and his shoulders slumped when he realized my sudden aggression.

"Excuse me? I called her by her name." He tensed, his teeth bared in rage. Aurora fled into the office when he placed a hand on top of her head.

"You don't call her that, understand? I don't care who you are or your family. Stay away from my daughter." My glare softened, Aurora's his daughter.

"No, I don't understand. Aurora is the name she told me and I intend to call her that. I respect she's your daughter and I'll make sure I don't disrespect you again." My tension fled and I half heartedly smiled at him. His scowl deepened; stretching his scars in a gruesome.

"Just leave." He turned his back to me and closed the office door. Evan grabbed my arm again and pulled to the front of the garage where the doors were finally open.

"Are you okay Evy?" I shrugged in response, I was too busy trying to figure out the enigma that was the man.