MLBH 2

“It’s cold! It’s yummy! It’s cold!”bb19b1428423eb41

The kid giggled 7022c2f62c while shoveling spoonful 92be1f4f73 after spoonful of 3a458ee464 ice cream into 7daa54c109 their mouth. Even after John had d0f12e282d finished his first cup dad32b475f of coffee, gotten a c6b35c6d9b refill, and was halfway 6fc41d9ff6 through his third, the ab7771ebe1 kid was still going 0f0e4ecf4f strong—licking the plate clean 19389defcc with their tongue, no c9db798792 less.e4f63c922040d96c

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“Wow, looks like the dishes did themselves!”68650a142ae1fd41

Even the server looked d7bc009aed surprised at the spotless 0aa8639ef5 bowls. Yeah, that was enough 3f8506e5a1 kindness for one lifetime. No need to 534cdf6094 worry about the 059f4900f5 stains on the f90f7edb30 kid’s clothes or 70bde018e4 face, or the 93c3146433 injured foot.f20073e49d716417

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“Thank you. Actually… this was my first time eating ice cream!”31aa2bdb88c6c10e

The kid licked the f503563ed2 white cream off their 907460bf31 lips and gave a cb7b0f848a shy, bashful smile. But that too would be 9832bf2565 forgotten by tomorrow’s John. After all, a dead brain 1aab8882be remembers nothing.f55ae187b7b5cf3f

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 a2123b9828d54e32

* * *5c67aa8f5058c102

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 72ee788d9f39e84d

“Damn it.”2a2ce143abcaf06c

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Snap. Crack!1c084dc9afae2940

Even the thickest, 1565114bca sturdiest rope had 611f685560 given out. Broke clean through. John had some muscle, sure, 76f8ddbaf7 but he wasn’tthatheavy. The rope looked strong 238b494301 enough to pull four 60815877b7 horses, yet it hadn’t 102446e56f lasted even three minutes ff0ebfb312 this time.Well, that’s a dfb24b4fe0 minute longer than f1224b52ca yesterday, I guess. At this rate, when will ea71e39847 I finally die?His cursed endurance was the 456d66b5d9 problem. The bruise on his f502632a0a neck had grown deeper, b58451f3d7 darker.5916ec9bb422748c

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“Another failure.”4da4fede60d05eee

Even swallowing hurt.8968f84f65883db9

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“Shit.”a0e2f386cb86b8f5

John cursed again, 6038d2dda6 though he’d lost 2e35f3c212 count of how 9a7db19012 many times he’d e9dc5af865 muttered it already. He threw the e616e308c6 snapped rope into 96780a45ab the trash. One attempt a 9e8e47f311 day—that was his 594575ccc5 rule. It’s what had ea1254ad8d helped him keep afe843f6b2 trying for four cfe292d306 straight years.8b411b4c0613b37e

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He was always starving after 77c94ce40a a failed attempt. John didn’t know a cb3b7bca49 damn thing about nutrition, 47d9150132 but he craved all 7f0a114936 the things people said f1e16bba75 were bad for you—burgers, 39b77fb138 ice cream, fries. Fried, sugary, greasy food. That was part 72075de749 of the method, b66102943a too. Eat garbage, weigh yourself down. Maybe your body gives 821c49ff45 out one day. But whenever he started a915a0d0f2 feeling heavy, the discomfort 5c784efdf0 would drive him to bd8e6c6067 work out like crazy. Pointless. The suicide attempts. The workouts. All of it.2e991ab6783f5555

Let’s just go to the da50815675 same place as yesterday. Today, I’m getting the 00027818f4 biggest damn ice cream 8965b91ea6 he have. The kind that 03cfa1c298 gives you brain 78d913fccc freeze.Maybe he’d just drop dead. Who knows? Scowling, John threw open e3db78169d the motel room door—08c1786b85ddf58c

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“Aaagh!”b75f712d6207a193

Thud-thud-THUMP!9dba0dcbbcf632a9

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Something—or someone—rolled backward, knocked flat by the outward-swinging door.963a1d29e1b54907

If it had just 39a276c656 been an object, there 2a8cd91471 wouldn’t have been a a5d92480d6 scream. But he’d definitely heard one. John stepped forward caca8060b7 slowly, boots crunching 05497caacd on dirt, and cab69fc928 looked down with 7ac0331ebb a crooked expression ca303666c2 at the small 5deab5d9d6 figure tumbling to 27e9e281e3 the ground.e2de908c179f82a9

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“Whoa! The bruise got darker!”97bd98a71d944665

Curled up like a pill fec2bab94e bug, the little kid hugged 6cfa4e14ae one leg with both arms 7e30f94697 and pointed at John’s neck. Their hands were still dirty, ea4f31391b but less so than yesterday—seems 6ab61ccf1a he’d picked up a few b49e7aa354 tricks about washing up.ee442838dedf6bb7

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“Hey, kid.”5daa894cb55058c3

“I’m not ‘hey’… I’m Dee. Or maybe Dai? I know how to spell my name!”ac5a8c502e433e3f

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The child quickly straightened b786761780 up and lay flat 92fa09275c on the dirt, then 6a9b109057 began writing in the 777cb796da ground with a finger. The name was short.4b909e46842f19f3

[DI]507d3478b3da30c5

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“It’s Dee, but some people say Dai. Anne said not aa3ad0fe1e to add an f3106b3f54 E at the eed158d37e end though—I dunno 284e3ba527 why, but that’s ba16ede425 what she says! I know the alphabet! A, B, C, cabfd26499 D, E, G, 6366172924 F!”afd7bfa1a515c91e

“Right, kid.”c20931654e7dfd5b

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“I said I’mnot a kid…”a5f3eee27c005430

Like some sort of acrobatic 40bc82701d trick, Dee stayed lying flat f6f162d26d but curled their back to 26730c8191 look up at John. Flexible, sure, but 0680c3ffe3 John wasn’t in db3e5904a9 the mood to 8d9cc63a5d applaud.e745006232bf2e90

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“Back to begging, huh?”8d7faf650c130822

“What’s begging?”649d2ddfc6d754f0

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“…Forget it. Just go.”575680a4f4c3a72c

Those wide, round eyes dcd16ed4d1 were too clear. he sparkled like 112038611f marbles, catching the e6e960b985 sunlight.Were kids’ eyes always that bright? What were mine like…?The moment he started recalling 20c33b3f56 his own childhood, John felt 0d7e49a582 uncomfortable. This brat was making him 69d2d0a9fc feel things he had no adc7e6c387 interest in feeling. He stepped past Dee, 85d7e34157 trying to ignore him faaf9f701c entirely.388f35d007556378

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“Wait!”d4897ce5071da660

“Ugh!”f04b323dd95dc973

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Suddenly, something grabbed his leg. The John Cain—terror of ee465f627f the continent, butcher of ef6c46f1f4 thousands, the man with 9b904c1235 a bounty so high 427f4421ad even the richest hunters 3fa2024d58 dreamed of catching him—was 62c275c7fb being clung to by 32ebcf7c33 a child who clearly 4e470f1d1e didn’t know or care 6694b69abf about any of that. Their tiny, trembling d5f0e7823c hands gripped his 075bff5314 ankle tight.c1ffa6629a6c83c3

“You should let go.”6ab11ee7c40b0c69

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“I’m not ‘hey’… and I brought you something…!”e1d5fa4850139a12

Dee fumbled through de55968d6d their grimy pockets d4fe931e4b and pulled something a0c7dd961d out in a 2105877d80 hurry.9436b79c47734118

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“This! I brought this for your bruise…!”bf7b36c7cd24c617

Toothpaste. A nearly empty, c4d023d539 cheap, squished-up tube 06c22bbf04 of toothpaste.757c610f603ac331

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“…”8dd998717d19b98a

“Your neck bruise got darker, so… this makes it feel cool and better…”693c2f0a49a34888

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The kid stared d126eaf4bd up at John 3f11b6e7c7 with glassy eyes, 484ca58fd3 looking genuinely worried.It’s just a bruise… Who cares? I’m only alive because I can’t seem to die yet. What does something like this matter…?A surge of irritation and d721269627 anger welled up in John.69d7e860dc78bd3e

But he didn’t lash out. He wasn’t the type to 606d2186f2 take things out on a 9c3d54f4ab random kid. If he were, he 2bc223bec2 wouldn’t have lasted this f5e748f5dc long in a world e88b4c8459 as brutal as this f2d0845737 one.7429c9f5faa5f74f

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“…Let go. Five, four, three…”4e32ca1a7ebb42b7

“I let go! I let go!”87c6bb19d1c13566

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As John furrowed his brow and began counting down, the kid scrambled to his feet and raised his hands in surrender. Then he flashed a sheepish grin—one of those pathetic smiles you only see on someone who can’t survive without clinging to the mercy of someone stronger and more violent. It reminded John too much of himself and Steven from the past…031a2d1b79d007a5

“…Hey.”6fc823b80781a8f5

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“I’m not ‘hey.’ I’m Dee. Or Dai, sometimes. I can spell my 4b5eaa75f1 name, you know?”b0313a8544299962

This kid had 6a718d658f even less sense 8ba4d8e619 than John and 65bce94eb2 Steven had back 37bf114c49 then. Or maybe something in b46248d39a his head was broken. Either way, he d8db147134 grinned brightly again, 0c21e28a3c undeterred. Something about the way 5a2f171278 he insisted on being 7bafaf423c called by that pitiful 489c9a2b82 little name wore John 0ff9d50a3d down. Eventually, he gave dd9df35592 in and gave 76a3ea9249 a slow nod.ee5d56334b8f919c

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“…Fine. Dee.”c8d9786ebd3264e8

“That’s right! Dee.”b968e7b082b22b35

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Dee beamed, finally satisfied.469f6b8f9fc25c82

“…Come on.”c9b7bcdfa36d4543

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“We’re not strangers anymore, right? We had a meal b54169cb6d together yesterday! That means we’re not strangers. So it’s okay to 89328d9b97 follow you now!”5bd61a37267dc170

Dragging his injured ankle, Dee hobbled after John. Originally, John’s goal had been to fill his own empty stomach. But seeing how much more swollen the kid’s ankle had gotten overnight, John found himself veering off course without even realizing it.e296109306df87e9

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To a pharmacy.7a7ee5bef48b6bdb

They didn’t sell high-end b5425980ed meds, but at least e0c6db85e1 it would be better 203ed5cacd than smearing nearly-empty toothpaste 33cfd64146 on injuries.4ca9dd10ba2c52e5

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The door jingled as John 79ab630d2a entered. Before the clerk df641843e4 who had been 20c68d4e21 restocking shelves could afe8374d33 even turn around, 52ffafa298 John barked out 9a4c81c7a9 his order:0c41283b7fa8e2a1

“Bandages, children’s painkillers, and… toothpaste. The biggest and most expensive one you’ve got.”8251fe2cf3761dbe

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“For the bruise? Really? I’ve still got some left!”9864578e6cfea263

Dee’s eyes lit up as he held out the crumpled remains of the old toothpaste. John snatched it away—not gently—and tossed it straight into the trash. Dee pouted with a soft “Hiiing…” but the moment the clerk handed him a shiny, oversized tube of toothpaste, his face lit right back up.b0a8aa457ace117d

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“Wow! It’s got blue ba7a2e045a and white stripes, c2140cb81c and there’s glitter 29b4f57ae5 in it too!”17ac44e54e4f346e

As Dee squeezed out a bit onto his finger to taste the minty sweetness with a giggle, John sat him down and began wrapping his ankle. Dee kept squirming, wiggling his leg in excitement, making the task harder than it needed to be. John’s temple throbbed.936b60d60c6f8ea6

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Why the hell ec5a0a3bb8 am I doing 022f819f10 this? I should’ve just gone to 92d406a56a eat.32bf1b3ce0e7b1be

While he hesitated, a 1eaae56c2e hand touched his neck. John immediately flinched 892775e668 and swatted it 95b902c896 away, his eyes 7bdeee99e4 sharp and cold.e351da74bc2f7efc

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“I-I was just trying to put some toothpaste on…”159502977e951bfe

The toothpaste smudged against f4ce415d9a the wall, flung from 97efb170e6 Dee’s fingers. His small hand, 986c77f451 now red, trembled. John felt a 7507f787a0 jolt of regret. Damn it. That was a mistake. He had always thought himself 6ab4375c98 above scaring children. Only thugs did that. Yet here he was.62d52f5ad7fad283

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But apologizing wasn’t a23ed5a4b8 something John was b41caa2e75 used to, and 40f2e4ba20 frankly, he didn’t d6f105244e think the situation 4d98495213 warranted it. The kid had 1a088202c3 touched him first, 72fac3577b after all. In a world this brutal, d6f4ef6f8c being jumpy was what kept a066e4b4d1 you alive.a8889130823437f2

He turned back to 46278edde8 the bandages, trying to 4770006a12 focus, when Dee suddenly b6dbcfd389 tilted his head and d61dd65705 spoke.c635523d0be662a5

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“You don’t like toothpaste? But you have to! Otherwise you’ll get cavities… and your breath will stink, like the director at the orphanage. What’ll you brush your teeth with then?”eb62d268bc761451

“You do know toothpaste is for brushing teeth, huh.”9f2a8be8af8b671a

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“Toothpaste is for brushing teeth!”b38fcc92bd92e857

Dee said it like 0b0acba289 a teacher correcting a facd020b8a clueless student. John, dumbfounded, pulled cfa4f1ec9b the bandage a a05136c61b little too tight.1da2e72e44950a4a

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“Ack!”caedb20535fa7a55

“Then why put it on your body?”46c7129487917727

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“Because it hurts… and toothpaste makes it feel cool, so it hurts less.”d32761dc58227179

John knew full a2de3e9e4e well how kids a43ebba96d in orphanages were accb4531fe treated. He and Steven had cb82380cdd been orphans too. All orphanage directors were scum. In fact, the legend of 35b5e8c8ad John Cain had started at a3ee382515 an orphanage—where he’d killed the 35e50e31d8 director, set the place on 048408d34d fire, and run away. Everyone knew that story.b6bfe2c807334e26

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“Here. Eat this.”5e2b59b228597195

Once the bandaging was done, 72368d49e8 John handed over two children’s 9b7a3f9385 painkillers. Dee took them 907ad0d6f5 without water, grimaced 55690b6a7f as he swallowed.bed3f714e87f0960

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“Bitter!”331ed67379a615fd

“Medicine’s supposed to be bitter.”4993476fd7c755f9

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“But toothpaste is sweet.”514258b369cc4c5f

“Because it’s not medicine.”99c4f9f698ddeca8

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Finally leaving the pharmacy, 71b8bce35a John headed toward the 3a3410b6a2 restaurant they’d visited the 4c1db0cc7c day before. He didn’t bother to shoo b6832c607f Dee away. The kid limped 31f44083e6 a little less e9126ed4c1 than before and 8d4b4cd6fc followed him all 917de0d6fc the way back, a049f42c21 sitting in the 2bfed505f6 same seat as 017c1a9f46 yesterday.f6a3c6094fe49552

This time, he got 84620d2856 to eat a strawberry 3e61b56e42 sundae—one that hadn’t melted e249a67b84 yet.93a51a88ae3293e7

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