The boy full out refused to let go of Rosalie.
Both of his small arms were tightly wrapped around her waist as the pair were sat on the sofa. Carlisle was knelt on the floor with some wipes cleaning up the scrapes on the boys knees along with some water to get the mud off. Rosalie had one arm sat on the boys head, with her other arm holding the apple juice carton ,that Emmet bought, with the straw to his mouth, her deciding to do this as she knew that the boy probably wasn't going to let go of her. The boy not wanting to move his head from her chest. Luckily he was drinking the juice, he must have been very thirsty he had gotten through 3 cartons of the 6 pack Emmet brought back with him.
Alice and Jasper were stood together off to the side, the boys bag still safely in Alice's arms. Edward being sat on the far side of the sofa allowing the boy room and space, with Emmet standing behind the two and the sofa he had returned shortly after the lot moved to siting on the sofa. Esme had managed to find bits and bobs within the kitchen from past cookouts to try and cook something for the child to eat, as it was quite obvious he was very hungry. His stomach rumbling definitely was a clear indication to the vampires.
"Do you remember how you got all of these?" Carlisle asked the boy, making sure to look up to him assuring that the boy knew that he was being spoken too.
The boy hesitated for a moment before pulling away from the straw and snuggling his face further into Rosalie,
"I fell" he quietly stated his voice still slightly wobbly, his mind going back to how much it hurt when he did tumble over causing his nose to scrunch up.
"Where did you fall?"Carlisle asked wanting to keep a conversation flowing with the boy. Carlisle changing now to an alcoholic wipe to get into the cuts, to ensure that they are clean and not likely to become infected. The boy seemed to allow his voice to raise slightly as this conversation was going along.
"Outside the cave" he responded quite simply, snuggling back into Rosalie, whimpering slightly at the alcohol coming in contact with his cuts. Rosalie increasing her firmness on their hold.
"Cave? What cave?" This definitely caught the lots attention, also pausing Carlisle in his cleaning, so this had to be addressed. He made sure to keep his tone light to encourage the boy and reassure him that telling them this was the right thing to do.
"The cave I woke up in". The boy said this so easily, which showed a great contrast to the rest of the people in the room who had their mouthes dropped in shock.
"You woke up in a cave?" Rosalie could barely speak out her brain not creating a conception how on earth someone could leave a child in a cave on their own.
The boy just looked up to her and nodding before cuddling back into her, him clearly taking a primary liking to Rosalie and the hold she brought him. Him having a small smile on his face as the contact.
"Were you living in that cave?" Alice asked wanting to get a better understanding of how long the boy was in the woods. Alice now moving to sit on the other side of the boy placing her cold hand on his back, yet still keeping a distance away from him.
"Yeah, it, it was scary in the dark" the boy spoke out, turning his face slightly to see Alice. "But I was brave, and.. and it turn day" he spoken slightly broken up, smiling slightly at the end with his little accomplishment pulling slightly back from Rosalie's hug.
"Yeah the darks scary isn't it"Emmet said grinning to the boy walking over to crouch down in front of the child next to Carlisle, the boy nodding and smiling back.
"Yeah it is, I was brave" he said smiling brightly happy with the affirmation.
"Very brave" the older parroted petting his head and ears slightly.
"All done, and I well go check to see how far your dinner is off" Carlisle said as he had finished up cleaning the scrapes on the child's knees. Packing up his small first aid kit Carlisle started walking towards the stairs listening out for Esme to see how she was with the boys dinner.
"Thank you" the boy said quietly looking down at his knees and how muddless they now are.
"You'll really like Esmes cooking" Emmet whispered out to the boy still crouched in front of him. Him grinning at the boy, sparking him to grow one his face in return.
The boy nodded before pointing at Alice and asking, "what's your name?"
Alice looked slightly taken aback, before coming out with a big smile.
"My names Alice, this is Jasper, and over there is Edward and Emmet in front of you, and the one you're hugging is Rosalie."
The boy looked to each of them when Alice had told him their names, finally looking up when Rosalie's name was mentioned giving her another hug.
"Dinners ready" Esme said after walking towards the boy. His eyes lighting up as his tummy rumbled with the thought of food, Esme smiling slightly at the noise.
The boy looked up to Rosalie then back to Esme, who was now holding her hand out for the boy to take. Hesitantly the boy withdrew his arms from Rosalie and took hold of Esme's hand as he slowly got up from the sofa.
Esme slowly walked with the boy down the stairs into the kitchen telling him along the way what she had made for him. The boy just nodding along with what she was saying him not fully paying attention. Carlisle already being down in the kitchen dishing the boys meal up onto a plate.
As soon as the boy was out of ears hearing the 'teens' started talking.
"I think he may have a crush" Alice started giggling out seeing how he did glance back to look at Rosalie as he was walking with Esme. Rosalie snapping to look at her for this comment.
"From what I heard he definitely doesn't think of her that way"Edward said still looking towards where the pair went off too.
"What did you hear?" Rosalie demanded instantly turning towards him ,starting to glare as he wasn't responding fast enough for her.
"There anything in there?" Emmet asked referring to the backpack in Alice's hands, cutting Rosalie's and Edward's "conversation" off whilst he moved to sit next to his wife wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
Alice looked down in her lap to the small backpack, for it being a child's backpack it did look to be made out of some really nice quality materials which did match what the boy was wearing. It did have a weight to it so there was definitely something inside.
Taking a glance to the stairs, to make sure the boy wasn't coming back up, Alice opened the bag.
Eyes widening slightly Alice pulled out a slightly dirty carrot.
"I don't know if thats a coincidence or a really harsh joke" Jasper commented walking over to stand by Alice as she went through the child's bag.
"Is that all he's been eating?" Rosalie said not in any sort of joking mood, her heart clenching at how hungry he must have been, or for how long that he has been out in the elements alone.
The rest of the bags contents was a small brown bear and empty bottle.
As Alice was putting the carrot back into the bag she noticed a pocket that she could tell something was in.
Reaching back her fingers came in contact with a piece of paper.
Pulling the yellowed paper the rest of the lot in the room pulled their focus straight to what it might say.
"Whoever finds him" Alice spoke out from the front of the folded piece of paper. This first line made the lost stomachs drop. Someone had left him there purposefully, and nobody was looking for him. He was alone.
Unfolding the paper Alice got to the main letter.
"His name is Silas and he is seven years of age, born the 23rd day of October. He constitutes as part of a small community of people alike to him and myself in a village in the North. Upon recent developments it is no longer safe for him to be around the people in the village, for his safety his memory's had to be removed and I have had to hide him from them. I beg of you please take care of him, he is all I have left of my wife and he can't come to an end like she did. Please take care of him.
Signed, Silas' Fathers."Alice spoke. The air was thick,
"We will discuss this later after he falls asleep" Carlisle said, him and Esme still being in the kitchen with the now named Silas. They both were able to hear the letters contents and both had the same dread feeling fill them.
"Silas" Rosalie said, trying out his name in her mouth. Her visibly being the most effected by the letter, which did catch some of her siblings interest. Emmet pulling her into his hold more as a way to comfort her.
"Haven't heard that name in a while" Jasper spoke out thinking when was the last time he had heard that name. The name quite an old styled name, and very uncommon to hear nowadays.
"It's cute" Alice chips in smiling slightly at the thought of the small child.
"Suits him"Edward said him being the farthest away from the group crossing his leg on top of the other.
"At least we know his name now"Emmet said, him not liking having to refer to him as the kid, him finding Silas quite cute, yet confusing if his ears are real or not.
"Yeah"
Soon enough footsteps were making their way back upstairs. The 'teens' looked to the staircase to see Silas holding Esme's hand with Carlisle close behind the two.
As soon as the first two reached the top of the stairs Silas detached from Esme and quickly made his way back over to Rosalie.
Rosalie sitting up and inviting him to return to hugging her.
Silas running and hugging her, Rosalie side-eying Emmet to move to allow Silas his seat back. Emmet pulling his lips back before standing and walking to sit next to Edward seen as that was the only space that there was room, only for Edward to mutter out, "already being replaced" Emmet turning to glance quickly at him, then back to his wife and Silas hugging where he once sat, Esme now sitting in between Silas and Alice stoking the boys head and ears. 'I'm not being replaced this quickly' Emmet thought delusionaly with a smile on his face. Edward chuckling at his brothers thought.
27th October 2023
1879 words
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