The Bacca

Savoir

Here I am, in the park sitting alone on a swing. I told my parents that I would be with friends, but I don't have any, only the wind is here to lightly push me in the swing and also push the swing beside me, so in a sense the wind is my friend along with the ravens that seem to follow me around. A woman with long red hair walks up to me, with a simple smile on her face.

"Hello, there."

"H-hi." I reply to the strange woman, mentally deciding whether to run or not. She looks me over.

"How did you get so many bruises?"

"I-I fell. When I was playing." She kneels in front of me, looking into my eyes. Is she a hypnotist? Hopefully not.

"You poor thing. Won't your parents be worried about those... Rapidly healing bruises..." She sounds a little confused for a moment. I shy away a little, and she gets up and follows.

"I don't want to hurt you. I may not be like your parents, but I don't leave children who get hurt." 

"I'll be fine. I always heal from almost anything." She then pulls a piece of paper from her back pocket, looks at me, then puts it away.

"Is your name Jerome Aceti?"

"Yeah... Why?" I back up a little.

"Jerome, would you like to find a family who actually loves you?"

"Why are you asking?" I ask, nervously.

"I overheard what had been going on in your home. I don't want to leave you with an abusive family, but I will be leaving town. For good."

"Really? You're not gonna do bad things to me?" She smiles at me.

"By bad things, do you mean helping you with your homework and playing with you?"

"N-n-no..."

"Then no, I won't do bad things to you. Are you okay with this idea?"

"Y-yes."

"Okay. I can take you with me, but I need you to get some things from home first, Jerome. And we'll meet back here."

"Okay. Thank you, lady." I turn to leave, but she calls me back.

"Wait a minute. I haven't told you what to get yet. You need to get your passport, and anything else you want to keep from home, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks." I run off, back home. I grab my passport and stuff a pillowcase with everything I love, then run back to the park, where she's waiting for me.

"Ready to go?" I nod, and she hands me a backpack. A Star Wars backpack, with Chewbacca! 

"Yes, yes, yes! I can't wait to get away from here!" She smiles and leads me to a car. I get in, and she sighs.

"We're both getting away tonight." I don't think much of this comment, and doze off on the way to the airport.

"Jerome, time to wake up." I snore. I hate waking up.

"I have a surprise for you." I open one eye.