“Thank you again, Rick." Abbey smiled as she stepped foot into her home.
"No need to thank me, just tell Sena I said hi." He smiled.
"Goodnight." She said, shutting the door.
*
"Hey, kiddo, I'm home!" Rick called up as he was walking up the steps.
Maru quickly rushed over to greet him at the door.
"What took you so long?" She huffed.
Rick laughed and then realized he hadn't gotten the groceries.
"Uh," Rick began as he scratched his head.
"I forgot." He chuckled.
Maru looked at him, confused.
"You forgot?" She questioned.
Rick sighed.
"It stopped raining; if you want to come, we can go now."
Maru's eyes twinkled. She grabbed his arm, not realizing her own strength, as she pulled him down the steps.
"Wait!" Rick cried.
"You need a coat!" He exclaimed.
*
"Ready now?" Rick asked, fixing her coat.
"Mm!" Maru smiled excitedly.
"Can we go to the park?" She questioned as they walked out the door.
"We can't go now; it's going to get dark soon."
Maru frowned.
"Plus," Rick added.
“Everything will be wet; you don't want that."
Maru nodded her head.
"Don't want that!" She repeated.
*
As they left the market, Rick had an uneasy feeling. He couldn't make sense of it either.
"Oi, Maru," he began.
"Hold my hand."
Maru looked up at him.
"Are you scared?" She questioned.
Rick looked down.
"Huh!?" He cried, offended.
"Are you scared of the dark?" Maru repeated innocently.
"No, don't be silly!" Rick huffed.
As he was busy ranting about how people his age shouldn't fear something as silly as the dark, a group of men walked over.
Rick quickly looked up.
"Found you…" one of the men smirked.
A bunch of men suddenly surrounded the two. Cornered, Rick gripped Maru tightly.
Maru looked pale as if the color in her face had drained.
"Rick..." she whimpered.
"Oi." The men and Rick whipped their heads around.
"Do you have them?" A man questioned.
"Yes, Mr. Huser, sir."
The man grinned.
"Excellent, let’s get this game of manhunt over with then, shall we?"
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