"My name is Ben, what's your's?" Ben asks, and Red says nothing.
"Okay, I get'cha, you don't want to talk, you don't have'ta. You must be freezing out here. Do you want to come over to my place. I got a fire place," Ben declares proudly.
Red shakes his head back and forth until he's dizzy, and Ben just stares at him.
"You sure?" Ben asks, and Red doesn't even have to think about it. Humans are awful horrible people, and he knows that if he goes into someones home...well, that will happen, and Red definitely did not want that to happen. He starts to shake and tremble in fear, backing away into a wall, terror emanating from the small boy.
Recognition flashes across Ben's face, and he says, "Oh! No! Not like that! No, I would never."
Not at all convinced, Red starts to hyperventilate when Ben comes closer.
"No...no," Red whispers, as Ben pulls Red towards him.
"Come on, it'll be alright. I won't hurt you. I promise," Ben says, and he pulls Red into a hug.
Red screams in terror at the sudden and strange physical contact. It wasn't contact meant to hurt him, and that scared him. He did not know what this was, and not knowing terrified him.
"Let...go...No...don't..."
"Shh, Red, I am not going to hurt you. I will not ever do that to you, and I will never let anyone do that to you. I promise. You don't need to be afraid. Shh," Ben says, Red starts to hyperventilate again, and Ben has to hold him down to keep him from bolting away.
"Look at me Red. I'll protect you, so come on. You'll freeze if you stay out here any longer."
"No. No. No. No. No! NO!" Red shouts, and he jerks his arm up, striking Ben in the face, causing Ben to release his grip momentarily.
As soon as he can, the small child bolt out of the alley way and into the open street, feeling even more vulnerable out in the open.
