Hammered Humanity (✅)

Chapter Twenty-One

"I'm gonna get you, Holly!" Little Greg said, chasing the smaller girl around the yard.

"Not with those stubby legs!" Holly shouted back as both children ran into the kitchen.

"Mom, Holly and I are going to camp in the backyard tonight, okay?" Greg grinned over at his mother.

"Only if your father says it's okay, Holly," Brenda told them both.

"He won't mind, him and my mommy are going to the talking doctor," Holly grinned right back, despite Brenda's frown.

"Well, okay, but I'm going to put some extra blankets in the living room incase you guys get scared and need to come inside like last time," Brenda chuckled, smirking at them both.

Later that night, the two children were eating snacks and talking in the tent. Although not as peaceful as the wilderness, the simple act of being outside the house excited them.

"I like your mom," Holly smiled to Greg who was eating two s'mores at once.

"Me too," Greg replied, a bit muffled. "She says she is my dad's better half."

"I like your dad too," Holly continued, watching Greg as he munched away on their snacks and grabbed a handful of chips.

"Me too, I guess," Greg shrugged. "Hey, Holly?"

"Yeah?"

"Why don't we ever see your mom anymore?" Greg asked, making Holly look down at her s'mores covered in chips.

"I don't know. My daddy says it's because she likes this special candy a lot and she wants it so bad that she wants it more than see wants us," she explained sadly.

"That must be really good candy!" Greg exclaimed, his eyes wide. "I wanna try some!"

"Hey!" Holly huffed as Greg happily kicked and knocked the bag of chips over. "You don't need anymore candy! You're too fat!"

Laughing carelessly, Holly teased the other boy and started to throw chips at him.

"Am not!" Greg pouted, throwing some back.

That's when they both heard a cracking noise close by.

"Wha... What's that?" Holly whispered, her voice trembling.

"Pr-Probably nothing," Greg reassured, but when the noise sounded again they both bolted inside

Not too long after falling asleep inside, the children were stirred awake by Brenda.

"Come on, kids, let's go sleep in my room," she spoke softly, ushering them upstairs. The children were too groggy to hear the urgency in her voice and obeyed without question.

As Greg fell back asleep, he heard his mother on the phone.

"I know... I think I do... Hurry, Jack."

Just when Greg lost consciousness, he swore he heard the back door open, too.

The next morning Greg woke up to the sight of a man in the room watching Holly sleep. In his tired, young mind, all he could think to do was let out a short cry before he realized who it was.

"O-Oh... Hi, Mr. Jackson," he said softly, rubbing at his eyes with his tiny hands.

"Daddy!" Holly cried happily as Jack burst through the door.

"Greg?!" he exclaimed, hearing his son's startled cry.

"It's nothing, Dad," Greg said. "I just got a little freaked seeing Holly's dad all of a sudden."