I'm cute, I'm Little, and I'm Humming (Private to first poster)

Caleb saw the whole thing--how the pin transformed into the dagger before his very eyes. He was slightly distracted now, forgetting about the bush for a few moments. "That's... neat," he said slowly. Before he could say anything else, something dark shot out from the bushes and drove itself to Caleb.

The two fell in the creek. Drenched in the creek's cold water, Caleb was wrestling with a full-grown harpy. The harpy had knocked his glasses off his face before they fell, and now it was lying on the creekside...with his dagger beside it. Well, Caleb couldn't use his knife anyway, since the electrifying blade would harm both him and the harpy with the water around them. Unarmed, Caleb pinned the harpy down under the creek, but every now and then he could feel something sharp rake his arms. The creek was no longer clear blue. Instead it was deep red due to Caleb's blood.

He could feel himself losing consciousness with the blood loss. But the adrenaline pumped in his veins and he used all of his effort in trying to restrain the harpy, hoping to drown it. But the harpy stayed strong, and now easily forced him back to the ground. Lying on his back, Caleb threw random punches and kicks with his failing eyesight. What an idiotic way to die, Caleb thought to himself.

"You´re better then the best...
I´m lucky just to linger in your light...
Cooler than the flip side of my pillow that´s right...
Completely unaware...
Nothing can compare to where you send me...
Lets me know that it´s ok...
Yeah it´s ok...
And the moments when my good times start to fade...


~~~~~

~~~~~



You make me dance like a fool...
Forget how to breathe...
Shine like gold...
Buzz like a bee...
Just the thought of you can drive me wild...
Oh, you make me smile."

Caleb felt the weight get off him. He groped around for his glasses and slammed it back to his face. He saw the harpy fall back to the creek, and saw Maddie blindly throw her dagger at it. Then his mouth slightly fell open as he saw Maddie cover her face with her hands. Why did she throw a knife with her eyes closed? What if she missed and hit him instead? A shriek of pain brought Caleb back to his senses, then turned to see that the harpy was now distracted by the dagger lodged in its shoulder.

Caleb spotted his knife nearby and stumbled to retrieve it. Then, with the accuracy of a skilled knife thrower, Caleb hurled the electric knife towards the harpy's chest. The air was filled with zapping noises as the harpy's shrieks grew louder, before it collapsed, half on land and half on water. Caleb dragged himself to where the harpy was and pulled out both daggers from its motionless body, before lying down on his back on the ground. He felt that he was lying on something sticky--probably his own blood.

"Keep your eyes open when you throw knives," he said breathlessly as he closed his eyes. He knew that it was probably Maddie's first time with a weapon, but he couldn't help but comment.

"You´re better then the best...
I´m lucky just to linger in your light...
Cooler than the flip side of my pillow that´s right...
Completely unaware...
Nothing can compare to where you send me...
Lets me know that it´s ok...
Yeah it´s ok...
And the moments when my good times start to fade...


~~~~~

~~~~~



You make me dance like a fool...
Forget how to breathe...
Shine like gold...
Buzz like a bee...
Just the thought of you can drive me wild...
Oh, you make me smile."

"Relax," Caleb said, nearly out of breath. He pushed himself into a sitting position, which took a fair few minutes. "I paid attention in first aid class, you know," he breathed, taking off his vest.

Occasionally wincing from the pain, Caleb slowly wrapped the vest on the arm that seemed to be more injured--his left one. His right one only had some shallow wounds and had already started to stop bleeding. Caleb felt weird giving himself treatment. "Apply some pressure here," he instructed Maddie, pointing to a spot on his left arm. He would do it himself, if only his right arm wasn't hurting badly. Caleb hoped he didn't lose a lot of blood. "You have some ambrosia or nectar on you?" he asked hopefully.

"You´re better then the best...
I´m lucky just to linger in your light...
Cooler than the flip side of my pillow that´s right...
Completely unaware...
Nothing can compare to where you send me...
Lets me know that it´s ok...
Yeah it´s ok...
And the moments when my good times start to fade...


~~~~~

~~~~~



You make me dance like a fool...
Forget how to breathe...
Shine like gold...
Buzz like a bee...
Just the thought of you can drive me wild...
Oh, you make me smile."

Caleb popped the ambrosia in his mouth with his free hand, the god's food tasting like the most delicious pizza he had ever eaten. Slowly he began to recover his strength and his wounds started to close. He felt sleepy, and figured that he would take a nap later. Caleb looked at himself in the reflection of the creek. Blood was on his clothes and arms, but it didn't look like they were coming from him with his wounds already healed.

"Thanks," Caleb said, unwrapping his left arm. "You know, you're pretty handy with a knife," he commented. His comment surprised himself. Did Caleb just hand out a compliment? "Just practice, and you'll be fine."

"You´re better then the best...
I´m lucky just to linger in your light...
Cooler than the flip side of my pillow that´s right...
Completely unaware...
Nothing can compare to where you send me...
Lets me know that it´s ok...
Yeah it´s ok...
And the moments when my good times start to fade...


~~~~~

~~~~~



You make me dance like a fool...
Forget how to breathe...
Shine like gold...
Buzz like a bee...
Just the thought of you can drive me wild...
Oh, you make me smile."

Caleb's ADHD was one of the reasons why he could just detect a small detail in a bigger picture. Such as how Maddie seemed to be slightly distracted when she thanked him. Caleb adjusted his eyeglasses as he squinted at her. "You seem... distracted," Caleb pointed out, staring at her meaningfully. "Aren't you glad that I deemed you worthy of knife-fighting?" he asked, half-joking as a smirk pulled on the corner of his lips.

"You´re better then the best...
I´m lucky just to linger in your light...
Cooler than the flip side of my pillow that´s right...
Completely unaware...
Nothing can compare to where you send me...
Lets me know that it´s ok...
Yeah it´s ok...
And the moments when my good times start to fade...


~~~~~

~~~~~



You make me dance like a fool...
Forget how to breathe...
Shine like gold...
Buzz like a bee...
Just the thought of you can drive me wild...
Oh, you make me smile."

Caleb shrugged before standing up. He figured that Maddie would need some time to think. Well, she was obviously a lot more distracted than he initially thought. Something told Caleb that what Maddie was thinking wasn't exactly like what most eight-year-olds wonder about. Caleb couldn't help but feel curious though. Maddie seemed to be seriously shaken by that scene with the harpy, was that the reason for the distraction?

"What's wrong?" Caleb finally asked, raising his eyebrows at her. He didn't know why, but he felt a little fond of this kid. Not in a romantic sense, but more of a sibling-like sense. Caleb slightly surprised himself. He didn't recall feeling fond of younger kids before. There was always a first time for everything, Caleb thought to himself.

"You´re better then the best...
I´m lucky just to linger in your light...
Cooler than the flip side of my pillow that´s right...
Completely unaware...
Nothing can compare to where you send me...
Lets me know that it´s ok...
Yeah it´s ok...
And the moments when my good times start to fade...


~~~~~

~~~~~



You make me dance like a fool...
Forget how to breathe...
Shine like gold...
Buzz like a bee...
Just the thought of you can drive me wild...
Oh, you make me smile."

Caleb smirked at the response. "And I'm fifteen. Might I ask why you're being bothered by your age?" he began to jest, ruffling his hair so that it looked spiky and slightly messy. Caleb was amused, to say the least. He continued to stare skeptically at Maddie, trying to read her. "Is this about the whole being mature stuff again? You have already proven that you are quite mature for your age," said Caleb.

"You´re better then the best...
I´m lucky just to linger in your light...
Cooler than the flip side of my pillow that´s right...
Completely unaware...
Nothing can compare to where you send me...
Lets me know that it´s ok...
Yeah it´s ok...
And the moments when my good times start to fade...


~~~~~

~~~~~



You make me dance like a fool...
Forget how to breathe...
Shine like gold...
Buzz like a bee...
Just the thought of you can drive me wild...
Oh, you make me smile."

Caleb sighed. "Obviously, since people have no idea who you are at first glance, they would automatically assume that you're an innocent little girl whose mind is limited to dolls and other childish things," Caleb said as he picked up a pebble. He threw the pebble at the creek, where it bounced once before sinking into the water's depths.

"But if you want to be treated like a mature individual, you'd have to earn some respect and break their first impression of you. Like what you did to me, for instance," Caleb chuckled before continuing. "You threw me off-guard when you spoke. It would be safe to say that you're the first eight-year-old whom I have a decent conversation with that already lasted past ten minutes." Caleb smirked at her. It was true. The most interaction he had with someone Maddie's age lasted less than a minute, as he had just ignored the little kid and went back to his business.

"You´re better then the best...
I´m lucky just to linger in your light...
Cooler than the flip side of my pillow that´s right...
Completely unaware...
Nothing can compare to where you send me...
Lets me know that it´s ok...
Yeah it´s ok...
And the moments when my good times start to fade...


~~~~~

~~~~~



You make me dance like a fool...
Forget how to breathe...
Shine like gold...
Buzz like a bee...
Just the thought of you can drive me wild...
Oh, you make me smile."

Caleb turned to look at her. He saw the hopeful twinkle in her eyes, and he thought it made Maddie look more her age--just innocent and carefree. Maybe she was still a child at heart after all. Caleb understood that; he knew that everyone had an inner child in them somewhere deep down in their hearts, even him. He just didn't like to show that very small side of him to other people.

"Yeah," Caleb said softly, picking up one of the rocks by the creek and rolling it around his fingers.

"You´re better then the best...
I´m lucky just to linger in your light...
Cooler than the flip side of my pillow that´s right...
Completely unaware...
Nothing can compare to where you send me...
Lets me know that it´s ok...
Yeah it´s ok...
And the moments when my good times start to fade...


~~~~~

~~~~~



You make me dance like a fool...
Forget how to breathe...
Shine like gold...
Buzz like a bee...
Just the thought of you can drive me wild...
Oh, you make me smile."

Caleb stood up himself. He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he faced the flowing creek. He closed his eyes for a while as he savored the breeze. "Alright," he said as he turned to leave as well. He half-turned to look at her. "Bye, Maddie," he said with a half-wave.