~~Sara~~

It was very scary when Eve made her truck fly, but it was more scary when Stanley made it fly…

Sara had been wondering about Stanley. Everyone acted scared of him just because he got grumpy sometimes, but now she knew why they were scared. Stanley was really strong! Like really, really, strong! When he told her not to fly in the spiderwebs, Sara was sure that she could make him let go. He hadn't been That strong… but now she understood. Stanley was faking being weak the whole time! Though, she still wasn't really sure why he was faking… It was probably a grown-up thing like Mommy always said.

When Stanley made the truck fly, Sara knew that she couldn't stop him. He made everyone fly, and it didn't even feel like flying! The ground just went swoosh, and then they were somewhere else!

Then the strange message appeared in Sara's head. She didn't know what it meant, other than that they would fight monsters! Mommy looked really scared, though, and Caff started growling at the roof. He only growled at bad people; Stanley said so! And Sara could feel something outside; somewhere past the roof was… something strong!

Now Stanley was being very serious. "I have to," he said, and then his cloud went super fast! Sara didn't even blink, and he was gone! Though he did leave a big hole in the side of Eve's truck… she wasn't going to like that. It wasn't nice to break people's things! Mommy taught her that.

Then the loud noises started making everything shake.

Everyone started jumping outside after that, and Sara tried to go with them. She could help fight the monsters now! Not like Stanley, but she could still make monsters die if she tried hard enough. Though, she wasn't sure where the monsters were…

"What's the plan, Zeke?" the fox man said outside. It was hard to hear over the loud noises Stanley was making, though he was going farther away…

"The acid is mostly water," Zeke said. He had a funny name but was a nice man. His pretty light made her feel nice too. It was like cuddling with Mommy under the blankets at night, and it made Mommy happy! "I'm going to purify it!" Sara didn't know what he was talking about, but it sounded exciting!

Walter didn't let her leave to help… he looked like a very old man, but Sara knew that he was too strong. Especially when he moved like Stanley and always got in her way! Adults are cheaters!

"Is that really going to work?" Sara barely heard them as they ran away, and then she couldn't see them anymore.

"I can help!" she insisted to the old man.

"I am quite sure that you can indeed be of great assistance, little Miss," Walter said. He talked funny, but Sara knew where this was going. "I would very much appreciate it if you would remain here and assist in protecting the truck." Yep. He was saying no in a fancy way that adults sometimes did. "You wouldn't want something to happen to your new home, would you?"

Sara paused to think while more Stanley explosions made the truck rattle. He was making a lot of noise, and his cloud was super angry now. So much that Sara could feel it from far away.

Walter was still looking at her and trying to trick her. Sara looked around. This was her home? It was kind of small… but Sara had to admit that it was nice. She really liked the soft seats, and she couldn't wait to sleep on one of the soft beds! Those looked super comfy. Plus, it had a giant door that let her see into the outside! The outside looked super exciting and just a little scary… "I guess I wouldn't want that." Sara didn't want to move back into the dark cave if her new home got broken by monsters.

"Excellent, Miss. Now, how about we…"

Sara felt it coming. Something very bad. It was coming super fast, and it was super strong! Mommy! She had to protect Mommy!

Sara thrust both hands toward the bad thing. "I will stop it!" But she couldn't… "No! Go away!" This was like Stanley. It was too strong! She couldn't stop it! Sara didn't know what to do… she was scared… it was too strong… "Mommy!"

Walter appeared in front of Sara so fast that she couldn't see him moving. His arm looked like he would punch the wall… and then a super bright beam of light shined through the wall… and Walter punched it!

Something splashed on her face, and Sara closed her eyes. When she opened them, Mommy was screaming, and Walter had only one arm… "Where did his arm go?"

Then a new message talked into Sara's head, and Mommy stopped screaming.

Sara couldn't move as she stared at the old man. He smiled at her while he held onto his shoulder. It was all red and bloody… Sara couldn't move.

But Mommy could move, and she grabbed Sara into a too-tight hug.

Sara was strong… she tried to be strong… but couldn't help it; she cried. She wasn't a baby anymore… but she still cried.

"It's okay, baby. We're okay!"

"I couldn't stop it!" Sara sobbed. She felt so small. "I'm sorry!"

"You did great, honey! You did so good! I'm so proud of you!" Mommy was lying to make Sara feel better. That was also something adults did. Sara didn't mind it this time. She hugged Mommy harder!

"You did a fine job, Miss," Walter said later, and Sara pulled her head out from where Mommy held her so good. Walter had stopped the bad light. She should thank him and help him!

Mommy must have had the same idea because she stood up, holding Sara in her arms. "I'm so sorry, Walter! Your arm…"

Walter was on fire now.

"Nonsense, Ma'am. Your child should always be the priority." He glanced at the fire egg. "Besides, I shall be good as new momentarily." His bloody shoulder was regrowing his arm in the fire, it looked really weird, and Mommy set Sara on the seat at the table. It was soft, but she felt cold…

Mommy fussed over him. "Don't look, baby."

"I'm not a baby! I'm three!" Sara protested. It was just blood. Lots of people got bloody from fighting the spiders. But her hands were still shaking… "Mommy almost died! I was supposed to protect her…" Sara felt very small and weak right now. Maybe she was still a baby… "No!"

Sara flew out of the big hole the light had left in the truck while Walter was busy. "Sara!" She was too weak to protect Mommy, and Stanley said he got strong by killing lots of monsters… So Sara would do that too!

"Get back in here this instant!" Mommy was upset.

"Miss…" Walter didn't chase her this time, and Sara felt bad. He must be hurt super bad because she hadn't helped enough. But she would help next time!

"I'm hunting monsters, so I will be stronger!" Sara looked around for a monster to fight and didn't see any…

Mommy was yelling now, but Walter stopped her from running outside. Sara was in big trouble already… so she might as well go hunting! "I'll come back soon."

"No! Baby!"

"I'm not a baby!" Sara yelled and flew away. The outside was sooo… big! Where did she look for monsters? Sara flew higher and saw the golden glow from Zeke. "There! They are fighting monsters, and I can help!" She started flying that way, and Mommy ran out of the truck.

"Sara, wait! Please, bab… Please, Sara, don't go!" She was crying and stumbling as she ran through the big green outside plants.

Sara felt bad. Mommy was scared… and it hurt Sara's chest when she cried like that… so she flew back down. "I want to fight the monsters, Mommy. I can do it!"

"Just wait until the others come back! You can hunt with Stan… with the others! Just please don't run off alone…" Mommy was crying too much, and it made Sara want to cry…

But Sara was strong! Well, she was going to be strong! "I am going to fight with Zeke, Mommy. I want to be strong!" She wanted to be able to protect Mommy, but she couldn't…

Mommy heard the explosions and looked toward the golden light. "Then I'm coming with you!" She grabbed a stick off the ground and started marching to the light.

Sara was shocked! Mommy never fought the monsters… Sara followed, but she stayed in the air in case it was a trick… adults did that sometimes.

Eve was shouting at Zeke when they got to them. "I told you not to kick the fucking thing!"

"I had to try!" Zeke said back, hopping on one foot because his other one was missing… but he was smiling.

Eve responded by shooting a light from her hand that cut a yellow blob thing in half. "Try what?! It's fucking acid! I…" She saw Sara then and closed her mouth before opening it again. "Sara! What are you doing here!"

"I'm going to help!"

"Like hell…" Eve saw Mommy then. "Angelina, why… just look out for the damn oozes, and whatever you do, don't kick them!"

"I need a new shoe," Zeke said, running funny because he had one barefoot and one metal boot.

"Don't even try the stick," Eve said to Mommy, "fire seems to be the only thing that works on them."

Fire… Sara could make fire, right? Her Skill said she could do whatever she wanted… Daryl and his fox were running around, starting lots of fires. There were tons of the blobs everywhere too, but they rolled away from the fires.

Sara flew closer to the jiggly blob that Eve had cut in half. Her flying was only a little wobbly… Sara wasn't scared; she was just… excited! She focused on the blob, like Stanley said, and fell onto her butt in the grass! Oops…

Mommy screamed, but Sara jumped back into the air before the blob could get her! "That was too close!" The problem was that she couldn't focus on two things at once… how did Stanley do it then? What had he said, instictive? Or something like that… Sara tried again, but from farther away and lower to the ground. She still fell, and the blob didn't burn as it rolled closer!

Hands scooped her up from behind! "How about I carry you while you attack?" Zeke said and put her on his shoulders.

That worked better, and Sara focused on making the blob burn while Zeke walked backward beneath her. It still didn't burn…

Mommy put a hand on her leg, and Sara was afraid she would drag her away now that she couldn't do it. She was too weak…

But mommy didn't drag her away… "You can do it, B… Sara. Just focus!"

Wow! Zeke's warm light must be making Mommy feel a lot better. It was making Sara feel better too! Though, Zeke's walking was a bit wobbly. He did need a new boot.

Sara focused. She needed to be strong! She would be strong! She would never let Mommy be that scared again… and deep down, Sara never wanted to be that scared again either… "Burn you monster!"

She focused super hard on what she wanted… and the blob jiggled a little bit, with small bubbles floating inside it… but it didn't burn.

Sara was too weak after all… "I think it might be boiling," Zeke said, and Sara sat up straighter on his shoulders.

"Is that good?"

"I think so," Zeke said, "keep going!"

Sara did, and more bubbles appeared inside the blob as it chased them. Eventually, there were a ton of bubbles, and then the blob fell apart! Splashing into a puddle that didn't move anymore. "Did I do it?"

Zeke stuck his shoeless foot into the puddle. "Yep. It's dead! Great job!"

Sara beamed. She was getting stronger already; she could feel it! But the world was a little wavy for some reason… "Ano… th… er…" Her eyes were tired, so Sara closed them for a moment.

When she opened her eyes back up, her face was in Zeke's hair. He had soft and warm hair. Sometimes it was white, but right now, it was a nice yellow.

Daryl was there, too, and he was talking to Mommy. "He's okay? Are you sure?"

"Well, his arm was gone, but he said it was fine… and the egg was healing…"

"Damn it! Princess?" Daryl's fox ran over then, with fire in her mouth. Sara liked Princess. She was a good dog but got angry if you told her that… "Zeke, can you…"

"I'll go," Zeke said, "don't worry, I'm sure Adrian's got it, but I'll check and fix him up as good as new if I need to. You keep looking. I'm not going to stop until we find the Core!"

"Wait!" Sara flew away from Zeke, and he let go. She didn't want to go back and get in trouble yet. She could still help…

Daryl was looking at Zeke when he ran away, and then he looked at Sara. He had scary eyes, but they were sad too. "You have Stanley's Class. Does that mean you can see the monster Souls?"

Sara wilted under his gaze, but she did think about what he said. Stanley talked about Souls a lot, and her Skill didn't say she couldn't see monster Souls… "Maybe?"

"Try it," Daryl said. "I'm sure there's a piece of the bastard hiding somewhere around here." There were a lot of Daryls walking around, all of them searching for the same monster. It was weird but kind of cool too.

Sara closed her eyes and tried to think about how much she wanted to find the Souls.

"Where is Stanley?" Daryl asked.

"Not here." Eve was a little bit grouchy sometimes.

"He's not dead, right?"

"Doubt it. At this point, I'm not sure if he even can die…"

"He is over there," Sara told them. "His cloud is happy!"

Eve laughed. "See?"

"Any other Souls?" Daryl said.

"I'm trying… but you were asking…"

"Don't worry, Sara. Just let us know if you sense anything."

"It probably got past us and back to the river, or it was never all here, to begin with."

"Shush," Eve whispered. "Give her a chance."

Sara tried so hard… but she couldn't find it. "I'm sorry…"

"To your left!" The voice came from… the sky? It sounded like Stanley…

Eve groaned and covered her face. Daryl turned to his left and started running.

"No, your other left!" The voice came again.

Then Sara felt Stanley's cloud start moving. "I think Stanley's coming…" Sara really hoped he wouldn't be mad that she ran away from Walter… he might take away the Soul Psionic!

Her heart sank when the truck came flying over the trees a little bit later. Walter might be mad too…