Title: Hide and Seek
Summary: Pre Series. Kid
Mal on Shadow.
Prompt: Write about a
memory of Summer.
Mal crouched down behind the
large bale of hay. He could
still hear Roy counting in
the distance. He stifled a
giggle and dug his fingers
through the hay to make a
large hole big enough for
him to crawl into.
“Ready’r not here I come!”
Roy called out. He’d been
tending the cattle when
little Mal had begged him to
play the game and
succeeded. All of the hands
had adopted Malcolm as their
own and looked over him
protectively.
Mal put some hay over the
hole he’d made and curled
into a ball. The smile that
spread on his lips
threatened to break into a
laugh but he held it back
staying as quiet as
possible.
He wasn’t sure how much time
had passed when one of the
sheep dogs came sniffing at
him. He shooed them away.
“Git… git dog, you’re gonna
show ‘em where I’m at.” He
whispered.
The dog hurried away to the
sounds of an aircraft
overhead. Curiously Mal
poked his head out of the
bale and looked up to the
sky where the familiar sight
of the Alliance aircraft
hovered overhead.
Roy appeared quickly at the
bale. “You stay right
there, little Mal. Got it?
They’ll be gone ‘fore ya
know it. Just a regular
point check is all.”
Mal nodded and curled into a
ball in the bale of hay.
Any fun he’d been having was
replaced by the tense mood
about the ranch that was
almost tangible. The sheep
dog returned to sniff at him
and this time Mal pulled the
dog into the bale with him.
Half an hour later the sound
of the aircraft leaving
prompted Mal to peek out of
the bale. Still he stayed
quiet, scratching at the
ears of the pup he held with
him and waited for Roy to
come tell him that it was
okay.
Day turned to evening and
when his name being called
sounded in the distance, Mal
crawled out of the bale and
started running for the
ranch house at full speed.
“Woah there, little Mal.”
Yule, one of the hands
scooped Mal up in his arms.
“Know we been lookin’ for
you all over? Your Ma’s
worried herself sick.”
“Was playin’ hide an’ seek
with Roy then that ship…”
Mal started, tears running
down his cheeks as Yule
walked back towards the
ranch house with Mal in his
arms.
Yule was quiet for a moment
before replying. “Well you
was hidin’ well. Roy had to
go with them officers that
came.”
“They gonna bring him
back?” Mal asked, watching
Yule simply shake his head.
“I’ll play hide and seek
with ya tomorrow, okay?”
Yule finally said as they
neared the ranch house.
Mal shook his head, burying
it against Yule’s shoulder.
“Ain’t wantin’ to play no
more.”
“Well when you do you let me
know. For now we gotta
explain to your ma where you
was.”
Mal half listened to his
mother’s cries of joy and
Yule’s explanation as he was
passed into her arms. His
gaze went wide-eyed up to
the sky for any more
aircrafts but only found the
peaceful stars. He sent up
a silent prayer that that
was the last they’d see of
the Alliance and that Roy
was okay. Maybe, as he’d
heard his mother say so many
times, God would take care
of it.
