"Whoa! Kid! Calm down…" he said as he processed what the kid was saying " Ok, so you're NOT ok…" he saw that the kid was shivering. "So, you don't want to go back to your folks… what do you want to do? We gotta get you outta these woods at least" his voice finally softened. He was genuinely worried for this kid.
“Don't have any.” he admitted, whimpering again. “Can’t go back…” He looked up, drying his eyes as he tried to figure out how to answer the last question. He wanted to be safe and not think about those men or that place anymore. “I don't wanna be hurt anymore.”
"I get it kid. But we really gotta get outta these woods if you don't want to get hurt." He looked at the sky "It's getting dark, and there's scary stuff in these woods at night" he looked back at the kid. He looked… tired. He also looked pretty dirty. Like he'd been running through the woods for a while. "Alright kid, I can carry you outta these woods if ya want. But we can't stay here." Maybe he could get the kid to a police station or something and they'd be able to help. He sighed once more and put his hand out again.
Peter nodded, feeling the exhaustion from the day catching up to his small body as he hesitantly let go of the tree and accepted the offer. “I’m not scared.” he whispered. And it was partly true. He wasn't scared of the things the man warned him about… He had seen and been through worse.
Chester picked the kid up and put him on his back. "You're braver than me then kid." He answered "Is that good? Comfortable?" He asked. He had never had a kid on his back. He never really liked children all that much. It was weird. "Ready to get outta here?"
Peter gave a small squeak of surprise at being carried on the man’s back but figured he was small and light enough that it didn't bother the other man. “I’m ok.” he nodded, holding back a yawn.
Chester walked back up the lath slowly. It was getting dark, and he was carrying a random kid he didn't know. Chester was pretty sure the kid was nodding off. It didn't help that they looked nothing like eachother. He didn't wanna be accused of kidnapping. He heard something coming from behind him though. Voices. Adult voices. He looked back and saw dim flashlight beams on the forest floor behind him. They were still far, but they were catching up. "Those people wouldn't have anything to do with you kid, would they?"
Peter had indeed been drifting in and out of awareness but he refused to let himself fall asleep yet. For one thing, he would lose his grip if he did… Secondly, he wasn't entirely sure he could trust this man yet. He hummed softly at the question and looked back at where the man was looking. He let out a breathless gasp and held on to the man tighter. “Run. Please, run.” he begged, burying his face against the man’s neck. “I can’t go back.”
(bump)
(Oh shoot, I thought I was the last person to respond to this lol)
(it's ok. I’ve done that too.)
This kid had some audacity to ask him to run while carrying an entire other person after having hiked halfway into the forest. "Wh- alright" he didn't want to involve himself too much in this kids life by asking too many questions, so he just started running. Unfortunately, running in the woods makes a lot of noise, and before long, the scientists flashlights were facing one solid direction. Damn.
Peter flinched when the flashlights all turned on them. He really didn't want to do this… But he knew that they wouldn't see him or the man carrying him if he did. So he took a deep breath and reached one hand behind him. His eyes darkened as the shadows behind them formed a shield, hiding them completely from the men. But Peter was careful not to let the man carrying him see it.
Chester sped up when the flashlights pointed at them, and made sure not to make too much noise, taking note of his surroundings as he looked down. He heard the kid on his back take a breath and shift his body around, but he decided to pay it no mind. He just needed to make sure he kept moving. Soon enough, he stopped hearing the voices behind them. Good thing, cause he was getting tired. Eventually, he found the parking lot for the hiking trail, and headed to his car. "Hey kid, we're outta the woods" he called, making sure the kid was awake, although he was fairly sure he was.
Peter kept his shadow shield up until they were no longer surrounded by trees. At the man’s confirmation, he dropped his arm and turned back to rest against him. “Where are we?” he asked as he looked around, not remembering the last time he's seen a setting like this.
"A uh… parking lot…" he looked at the kid behind him, finally letting him down on to the ground, and relaxing his tensed shoulders " We're in Tsisquoga park (fictional), in Thomasine city (also fictional)" he looked at the kid closely now. He didn't look like he was at the park on purpose, which probably ruled out that he was running away from his parents. His clothes actually looked… medical? Like he was running away from a hospital. That'd make sense. Chester also hated doctors. "Hey kid, where exactly are you from?" Maybe that'd clear some things up without going to in depth on the situation.
Peter looked around at the park and the clear open sky. It was so much more space than he remembered seeing before. When the man asked his question, he buried his head against the man’s back and shook his head. “Don't know. Somewhere… bad. It hurt.” he answered softly, using the only words he knew to explain that place. None of the people there ever actually said the name in front of him. Whether that was on purpose or not was also hard for him to say.
"Oh." Maybe the hospital, though the way the kid makes it sound… "Well, let's go see if we can find your parents alright? I'm going to take you somewhere where you won't be hurt." At least he hoped. The police station wasn't exactly a safe haven, but they'd probably have compassion for a kid without his parents right? He began walking to his car, hoping the kid would follow, and he unlocked the doors. "I'd say 'hop in the car' but that sounds like something a kidnapper would say…" he rubbed his neck and looked at the kid awkwardly "Listen, I'll just get you somewhere safe and then you never have to get in this car again" he laughed a bit awkwardly.
Peter stumbled tiredly as he was put back on the ground and followed the man. Using his shadows on top of all the running earlier had worn him out. “I… What parents?” he asked timidly. He felt like he should have known that word but so many of his memories consisted of that place that if he had any good ones before, they were buried deep. “You… You promise. Somewhere safe?” he almost begged, not quite understanding what was so funny about “getting in a car”.
"You… do have parents right?" He was concerned, he really thought the kid was being facetious the first time he said he had no parents, but he seems serious" So…" Bad place… where IS this kid from?! "What's your name kid?" He probably should have asked that a long time ago, if he wanted to find… whoever had to take care of him "Imma need to know if we're gonna get you to the safe place"
Peter shrugged at the first question since he genuinely didn't remember his parents or if he had any. “My name's Peter. But people call me Pip, or Pipsqueak sometimes.” he admitted, remembering that much as he looked at the rough ground beneath his bare feet. He didn't always mind those names but most of the people who called him anything weren't very nice people. In the actual light of the parking lot his skinny frame was more apparent as were some small scars on his arms and neck. The one's one his face were even smaller and where hardly noticeable anymore unless you were really looking for them.
" Alright then Peter," Chester said, swatting gnats from his face "I'm Chester, and I'm gonna ask you a few questions" he said, his heart was racing. This poor kid has no parents, and looking at him closely in the light of the parking lot, he had quite a few scars on him. He picked him up and sat him on the hood of the car, so they could be eye level. "First off, do you know what West Virginia is?"
“Ok.” Peter nodded, letting out a small squeak as he was picked up but didn't fight when he was set back down on the hood. Seemed like he was used to being lifted like that. “No.” he answered honestly, shaking his head slightly.
"God," Chester whispered "West Virginia is the state we're in. Do you know what a state is? Do you know what the United States are?" He was almost frantic in his questioning. Probably not the best idea to freak out like that in front of a kid, but that didn't even cross his mind.
Peter pulled his legs up to his chest, hoping his answers hadn't upset Chester. “Uhh… No. But I think I heard those people mention the United States.” he admitted. “That's where we are, right?”