Amnesia and Star Child
Afraid
Leila found Mike there, stuffing his face with berries off a shrub - it was bizarre for some reason and she couldn’t work out why it made her feel so worried.
“Mike?” She called hesitantly.
Mike jumped and wheeled - apparently oblivious to her presence for the last two minutes.
“What are you doing?” She asked, taking a step closer to Mike.
“N - nothing...” He stammered.
He goes wide eyed, and for the first time it doesn’t make Leila laugh - she could just tell that something was wrong. It wasn’t, of course, that normal to find a celebrity in a public park garden stuffing their face with berries off a shrub that could possibly be poisonous.
“Mike are you okay?” Leila stepped closer to Mike who’s frozen on the spot, until she could see into his eyes.
“I - I’m fine...” Mike muttered.
Leila blinked but didn’t move - she could just feel that something was wrong.
He was edgy to say the least - he was going pale.
“There’s something wrong isn’t there? Mike, you really don’t look to well...” Leila puts her hand on his quivering shoulder.
She meant it in just a friendly way, but Mike looked almost petrified.
“... Are you sure you are okay?” Leila continued.
Mike blinked rapidly and started breathing faster, choking in panic - his shaking went from simple trembling to utter shuddering - beads of sweat were rolling down his brow.
“Mike - please - are you okay?” Leila repeated desperately.
God she hoped he wasn’t having a reaction to the berries...
“I - I... Just need to... Sit... Down...” Mike staggered to a log and sat down.
Leila sat down next to him, resisting the urge to wrap her arm around his shaking shoulders.
They sit for ages, Leila watching Mike as he began to rock back and forth, back and forth.
He’s scared of being touched.
Leila blinked at the sudden thought that came into her head.
He’s been hurt. Badly. You need to teach him...
“Mike...” Leila began, but couldn’t find the words to ask what she wanted to.
Mike abruptly turned to look at her, his soft brown eyes wide, his breathing shaky.
Suddenly he leant over and hugged her.
Leila squeaked in surprise but returned the hug, running her hand up and down his back like she would for one of her siblings when they had had a nightmare or something.
Mike, though not a sibling - was plainly terrified of something, so petrified that - all of a sudden - he was in tears.
“Shhh... It’s okay... It’s okay...” Leila soothed, even though she had absolutely no idea whether it was okay - let alone what was bothering him so badly.
She tightened her grip on him, racking her brains for anything that could possibly explain why a fully grown man was sobbing so gut wrenchingly into her polo jumper.
But nothing could explain it.