Things in italics are flashbacks.
In this Hannibal is about 15, Murdock is 10, BA is 8 and Face is 5.
Chapter 7
General POV
"Eat up." Hannibal was the first to get out of the daze he had been in. He was hungry and judging by the paleness of the other three boys it looked like they needed the sugar rush. It'd make them all feel better, having some food on their stomachs.
BA eagerly bit into his burger but Hannibal could sense a change from the older boy. He wanted to help him get his payback and the guy that had killed BA's Father and by the looks of it, this man wasn't the only one BA wanted payback on.
Murdock started to chat happily about his dog Billy as he ate the burger. Hannibal was worried about the boy as just a moment he had been crying and now he was all happy. Maybe the crazy act was actually Murdock being crazy. Wouldn't surprise him of course.
Face, on the other hand, just sat, picking at the chips. Hannibal hadn't wanted the kid to get more ill so hadn't gotten him a burger but after hearing what he had he was starting to think the kid never ate all that much. Didn't surprise him as the kid was skinny. Too skinny.
"Can we go look see if my Mummy's come back, Hannibal?" Face asked, with a look in his eyes that was just begging Hannibal to let that happen.
"Sure kid, but first you gotta eat." Hannibal said, pushing the food closer to the little boy. Honestly, he didn't think she'd be there but how to tell Face that was another matter. He didn't want to have to be the one to break the kid's heart.
"I ain't hungry." Face mumbled. What he was was lonely. He missed his Mummy. Wanted to see her. He could go and look. Maybe she would be sat there waiting for him. That'd be nice.
"How 'bout I take Facey and go have a look, Hannibal. If she ain't there I'll take him and get something else." Murdock bounced on his seat, looking like a hyper kid on a sugar rush which was probably exactly what he was.
"Alright." Hannibal frowned. "Look after the kid and be back outside here in an hour. Me and BA'll go see if we can find somewhere to stay the night. Okay?" Murdock nodded as he led the small boy out of the café.
"She ain't gonna be there." BA stated as soon as the other two had gone.
"I know. But the kid doesn't." And the was the worst bit as far as Hannibal was concerned.
"Ain't right what's happened to the kid and the crazy fool." Hannibal nodded his agreement. No it wasn't.
"It isn't right what's happened to any of us but I'm not about to sit here and throw myself a pity party so let's go find somewhere we can stay."
"Soon as I get payback for what he did, I'm gonna go home to my Mama." BA stated as the two walked down the street. Hannibal merely nodded as reply. "If you don't wanna go home you can come back with me."
It was a kind gesture. One that he hadn't considered. Sure BA's Mama sounded nice but it wasn't what Hannibal wanted. "I'll think 'bout it."
"The fool and Face can come to if they want." Hannibal chuckled at, seeing an image of the bulky boy and the crazy boy living under the same roof. Chances where they'd probably kill each other.
"I think Murdock has a home to get to just doesn't know where it is and Face. Well, I think all that kid wants is his Mother." BA grunted.
"Well, I'll help the kid find his Mama and the fool get home too." Hannibal nodded his agreement.
LINE BREAK
"Facey?" Murdock looked at the younger boy, whose head had dropped when he realised his Mother wasn't there. The mid afternoon sun starting to get lower. Soon it'd be dark.
The little boy looked up Murdock, questioningly. "If your Mummy doesn't come back, do you wanna come live with me and Billy?"
"Why wouldn't Mummy come back?" Face asked, angrily. His Mummy would come back. She had to. She'd promised.
"I didn't say she wouldn't." Murdock hastily told the little boy. "I just meant theoretically." When the little boy didn't reply, Murdock continued to speak. "You know what that means don't ya' Facey." After what Face had told the three boys Murdock had to wonder if he had ever got taught anything like that.
"Course I do, Murdock. And I'd love to. But my Mummy's gonna come back. Maybe she'll let me visit though." Murdock nodded, doubting what the youngest had said very much. "You should ask Hannibal but I don't think BA will. He'll wanna get back to his Mama." For a 5 year old Face was sure good at spotting things, Murdock thought.
"I was gonna ask 'em. But I gotta figure out where home is first."
"Are you lost?" Face asked, worriedly. He hated being lost. It was scary but at least Murdock had friends to help him. "We'll help you get home. I be Hannibal knows where you home is. Ask him." Murdock simply smiled at the youngest boy. How could Hannibal know when he didn't?
"We'll all help each other, Facey." Murdock said, meaning it fully. They'd all help each other get home and with their families. "Wanna play a game Facey?"
LINE BREAK
"What is that crazy fool doin'?" BA growled as he watched Murdock and Face walking backwards along the pavement.
"Playing by the sounds of it." Hannibal replied as the two boys started to laugh uncontrollably. Hannibal felt himself start to smile too. It was good. Laughter. Yeah, laughter was always good.
"C'mon guys. I think we've found someplace we can stay for a while without getting found out." Hannibal told the two when they finally reached BA and Hannibal.
"Then what we gonna do?" Face asked. Hannibal noticed that now he and Murdock had stopped laughing a sadness had come over his eyes. Kid hid it well though. To well in Hannibal's opinion. It looked like the kid was denying the fact that his Mother was never gonna come back. Well, hopefully they'd be able to find her for him.
"We're gonna sort out our problems, kiddo." Face grinned happily at Hannibal's answer.
"Shut up fool!" BA shouted as Murdock said something. This was gonna take a while by the looks of it Hannibal thought, especially if Murdock kept aggravating the younger boy.
