15 The Little Girl (1/2)
Five days passed, since the demise of the bandits. The two, Leo and Solomon, rode on Martha together. They would pass the occasional caravan and merchant group, along the way as well. They bought food and water from the merchants, and they exchanged pleasantries with the travelers caravans. Some of the caravans were gypsies, and some of the caravans were more destitute... One caravan, in particular, shocked Leo to the depths of of his wire-wrapped heart. He saw the poor, the ragged, the helpless, some without arms or legs, and he saw a group of them in a cart, while a wagon pulled them.
Leo's heart hurt in that moment.
He said, ”How horrible.”
Leo's hand clutched his leather clothes, and he even felt a tear well up at the corner of his right eye.
”That's what we call a good dose of empathy my boy,” said Solomon in a gruff solemn voice, ”Remember it. Don't lose it. It'll keep you human in Ahab's wretched city...”
Leo nodded his head, while Martha, which was clearly a faster horse than the one horse pulling the wagon full of people, passed the haggard group, passed them like the clouds moving through the sky.
The next day, Leo and Solomon were moving, and they talked.
Solomon said, ”Now Leo, there's something I need to tell you, and it's important.”
”Okay,” Leo said, ”What is it?”
Solomon was about to speak when Leo cried out.
”A girl!”
”What girl?” said Solomon, who was clearly frustrated.
”That girl!” said Leo, ”The little one next to the woman lying on the side of the road.”
Leo said, ”We have to help them!”
Leo jumped down from the horse and sprinted to the side of the woman and the girl kneeling next to her. Solomon rubbed his temples. He didn't know what he was going to do with this erratic young man he picked up. In fact, he didn't know whether he still wanted to tell Leo about the test he was about to give him--the test to see if Leo is worthy of knowing Musashi's insigths, knowing great and terrible power. Solomon began to doubt his judgement, doubt his judgement of Leo.
Leo arrived by the side of the girl. She looked terrified and moved to protect her the woman lying by the side of the road. The face of the woman was pale. Her green skin had flies crawling on the side of her face. Leo couldn't help but grimace. 'She's dead,' he thought. Leo sighed.
Solomon arrived at the scene in the next few moments. He looked at the little girl and frowned.
Solomon said, ”Leo, get over here. We're almost at Ahab's city.”
”But,” said Leo, ”The girl... We can take her with us.”
”What?” said Solomon in disbelief, ”I didn't take you for the caring type.”
”Even so,” Leo said, ”We have to help her!”
Solomon said, ”No.”
”Why!?” Leo said.
”You know why,” said Solomon, ”Don't make me spell it out.”
”But-” Leo started to talk, but Solomon interrupted and said, ”I don't know what you're playing at Leo, but we're almost there. We can't allow for anything to get in the way.”
Leo made a desperate grab at the girl. He wanted to take her with them.
He said, ”Come with us! Let the dead rest... They've had enough of this tiresome world! Live a new life with us... with me at the very least! It's not too late.”
The girl lay limp in his arms. She was dead.