Synlet

Chapter 1

After the accident Mirages last good will was to put Buddy into a very private, very well funded hospital on an island off the coast of France. They were partly a testing and research facility as well. When Buddy woke up 2 and a half years later he found a little girl hiding in his room she was maybe 2 or three perhaps closer to three. She was hiding under a desk with her eyes tightly closed.

"What are you doing little girl?" Buddy asked after he became aware of the situation.

"Shh! I'm hiding" she whispered.

"Are you playing hide and go seek?"

"More hiding than seeking." She admitted, she sounded sad.

"Who are you hiding from?" He asked in a whisper.

"The doctors- they want to see my eyes and it hurts so much..." She said her voice indicating she wanted to cry.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." His heart suddenly being pulled by this tiny little girl. Then there was an awkward silence and Buddy couldn't take it anymore.

"Well my name is Buddy, what's yours?"

"Lorili." Then he felt almost like a wave of pressure came across him. She came out of her hiding spot, and stood, eyes still shut but as if 'looking' at him and Buddy felt another wave of pressure.

"What happened to your arm Buddy?"

He looked at her stunned and then looked down to see that he did indeed no longer have a right arm. It wouldn't impede him much anyway since he was ambidextrous but favored his left hand for writing anyway.

Then it all came back to him, the jet engine, the crash, the horrible things he did...he instantly regretted it all. She walked a little closer and her face changed to show she wanted an answer.

"Well Lorili I was in a very bad accident..." He looked on the walls and saw a calender and after doing some simple math he realized how long he was 'out' for.

"Oh..." was her only reply, then her ears pricked up and she turned toward the door and started walking backwards toward Buddy.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Sh..someone's coming.." Then she froze for a second and then turned around looking relieved.

"So where are you from?" She asked.

"The United States." was his simple answer, for being a little girl she sure was smart and talked like she was at least 6.

"I don't know where I'm from..." she admitted then shivered to show she was cold.

"Where are your parents?" He asked inquisitively.

"I don't have any.." She 'looked' down toward the floor and tears started to roll down her face. Buddy never felt like such a tool in his life as he did then.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.." Buddy tried to apologize. He instinctively held out his arm to her. He felt another wave of pressure as he saw what looked like her hiccuping. She came over and held out her arms, she was so small, he easily picked her up with his arm and sat her down on his lap facing him. And took a blanket off the stand next to him and draped it over her. She covered up and then held out her little hands and reached for his face. He froze as the little girl explored his face with her hands, she paused at every scar and made a face of being in pain as she did so. She was already showing more empathy than anyone had ever shown Buddy. When she got to his hair she stopped and put her hands down and made a face like she was in deep thought. Then she took a deep breath in opened her eyes for just a moment, Buddy was stunned. She had gold eyes. Not yellow or brown but honest to goodness true 24k gold.

"Wow" He half whispered. She half smiled.

"Everyone says that the first time they see my eyes."

"Why do your eyes hurt?"
"Because they only focus for a second and then it starts to really hurt."

"Oh." Then she jerked her head to the door again and tried to hide on his other side while whimpering. A nurse came in. She looked young. Maybe in her mid twenties.
"Oh, mister Pine, nice to have you with us...you wouldn't by any chance have seen a small child perhaps? She's blonde, curly hair?" Then they both felt another wave of pressure. And the nurse huffed and walked around the bed.

"There you are! Lorili! Why are you in here?" She asked as she tried to pick up the little girl from the bed but Lorili was practically imbedded into Buddy's side. The nurse turned to Buddy.

"I am so sorry Mr. Pine..." As she tried to reach for Lorili to try and pick her up again and Lorili started crying and grabbing at Buddy.

"Hey!" Buddy yelled at the nurse. The nurse shot strait up with eyes wide.

"If she doesn't want to leave, not you or anyone else will make her leave. She is welcome to stay as long as she wants." He said with the biggest papa bear voice he could muster. If he had had his right arm he would have been holding her with it. The nurse stammered but got the hint.

"Of course Mr. Pine..." Then she left.

"You ok there?" Buddy asked looking down and the small child who was now holding on to him as if her life depended on it.

"Yeah, she's one of the nicer ones...but she was going to take me back to my room where the doctors are..."

"Well you're safe now..."

"Thank you." She said, her words still muffled from her head being nuzzled into his side. She had his hospital gown tightly within her little hands gripped tightly. He gently stroked the back of her little hand. That was just the beginning...