Within the temple of Damascha, there were a multitude of children. These children were often small, young creatures that Amadeus rescued from all over Miganya. The youngest child the hunter rescued was a small boy of only two. The oldest was a girl of eighteen. The children were all orphans, so they were happy to live in the temple where they could be safe. The citizens of Miganya had taken to calling the young ones “the hunter’s children”. Amadeus really did see the children as his own. He knew all their names, their favorite games, even their individual scents.
Because Amadeus could not always look after these children, he had the help of Damascha’s followers. These people pledged themselves to Damascha and by default, to the hunter. They assisted the hunter in any way they could, although they could never hope to help him in his cleansing.
The children would often reside in the temple courtyard, where they could run around, climb trees and play games. The courtyard was a wide open space at the center of the temple. The courtyard was decorated with all sorts of greenery aWithinnd beautiful flowers that brought the temple to life.
Amadeus entered the courtyard and was immediately swarmed by children who demanded hugs, piggyback rides and other things. Amadeus knelt down and embraced as many children as he could fit in his arms. He was then dragged off by several children to a place where they had drawn a hopscotch court on the floor with chalk. The children demanded that the hunter play with them.
After five years on Earth, the hunter still wasn’t used to playing human games. Unsure of what to do, Amadeus looked over at Emily who was playing with some of the other children. Emily gave him a shooing motion and nodded her head.
The hunter bashfully threw the stone that a child gave him onto a square with a three on it. The hunter hopped over the court to the square the stone landed in.
The children laughed and cheered gleefully.
“Again! Again!”
The hunter prepared to throw the stone again, when he looked over to a corner of the courtyard where Mira sat under the shade of a tree, reading a book.
He handed the stone to another child.
“Here, play without me for a while.”
Amadeus strode across the courtyard to where Mira was sitting. Mira looked up at him as he approached and gave a small smile. “Good morning, hunter.”
“Good morning Mira,” The hunter sat down next to her, against the wall. The morning dew made his legs damp.
“Why aren’t you playing with the others?” He asked.
Mira looked back down at her book, “They don’t like me,” she replied flatly.
The hunter furrowed his brow.
“Why not?”
“I don’t know,” Mira shrugged. “They just don’t.”
The hunter was perturbed. The children were usually very friendly, especially to new children.
Amadeus frowned, “Have you tried speaking with them?”
“Yes,” Mira replied. But the hunter could see that she was keeping something secret, she wouldn’t make eye contact with him.
“Have you really?” He berated her.
Mira opened her mouth to say something, but paused.
“No...” She confessed quietly.
“Why?” The hunter asked.
Mira closed the book on her lap and folded her hands. “I prefer being alone,” she said.
“Are you happy this way?”
Mira nodded.
“Very well,” He stood up to go, but Mira grasped his arm tightly.
“Wait,” she pleaded. “Stay.” Despite being an introvert, she was adamant that the hunter stay at her side.
Amadeus sat back down next to Mira. There was a moment of silence before Amadeus asked:
“Have the others tried speaking to you?”
Mira nodded.
“What did you say to them?”
“I wasn’t rude,” Mira said defensively.
“That’s not what I’m asking.”
Mira sighed. “I didn’t talk to them so they wouldn’t want to talk to me.”
The hunter nodded. “I see.” He stood up and suggested that Mira try talking to the other children.
“You might make some friends.”
“Maybe,” Mira said. “I’ll try.”
The hunter exited the courtyard silently. This time, none of the children or Mira tried to stop him. 173Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqQC5lNHzr
