Gilly hadn’t slept much through the night, nor the night after that. Instead, he’d just sat up, his mind awash with the memory of darkglass optics, with strange red eyes. From the corner of the room The Watcher had stood, watching as always. Then dawn had filtered through the windows, and before he knew it the sound of trains had once again begun rattling through the city.

It was time for school.

He woke Daisy gently, and for a while his mind was put at rest as he made breakfast. She ate, seemingly unphased by the strange events on the factory floor. She talked of flying kites in the park after school and Gilly agreed that he would no matter what be home early, and that he’d find a kite they could both fly together. She clapped her hands, smiled, and bowed, almost like an oriental monk. Gilly couldn’t help but grin.

***

It was a lovely blue morning, the perfect kind of walk as they made towards school. Daisy’s bag was too big for her, it bounced on her back and made her look even smaller than she already was. Together the two of them hand-in-hand maneuvered the morning traffic, the crosswalks, the cars.

‘I was thinking,’ said Daisy above the sound of the horns. ‘I’d be happy to share you with others if they need a hero too.’

Gilly smiled to hide his pain. He wasn’t sure what kind of hero she was talking about. Whatever she thought she saw it certainly wasn’t the truth. The truth was that Daisy would never have much more than what she had now. He didn’t own the city like Seldom, and he didn’t have money or time. But then Daisy was young. She was only seven. Soon enough there’d come a time when she’d realise just how weak her father was. Soon enough she’d realise just how little he could truly provide. Then she’d probably leave.

Just like his wife.

As they came toward the school gates Miss Velasquez was lining up Daisy’s class. Daisy motioned for Gilly to bend down. Then she gave him three quick kisses and whispered in his ear, ‘Actually… I don’t need a hero. I just need you – oh and a kite. I need the kite too.’

Gilly gave a wide, bright smile. Then he nodded as if to say he understood. His voice came out pitiful and weak, ‘I’ll have it ready.’

Daisy smiled again and kissed him one more time, after which she ran off to join her line, ‘Miss Velasquez! Miss Velasquez! I’m getting a kite!’

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

***

Gilly had sewn like the devil, his eyes fizzing from all the concentration. He knocked meekly at the door of the manager’s office. Looking at his watch it was three o’clock. He still had time to get to school and pick Daisy up. They’d have to find a kite together.

‘Are you crazy?’ said his manager. ‘Do you know how many shipments we just had in. You work until I say so. Otherwise, you can kiss your job goodbye. Do we understand one another Mr. Rivers?’

‘B-but I already–’

‘Listen you grubby little shit. You’re gonna go down there, pull out those extra racks – and finish!’

Gilly felt the man’s finger stabbing him flat against his bony chest.

‘And if I see that you’ve left one second before they’re done I’ll cut your shifts, take your wages, and replace you with someone who fucking cares! Understand?’

Gilly felt his lip quiver.

‘Good. Then fuck off.’

***

Daisy’s lip began to wobble as the other kids left.

Her father was nowhere to be seen.

She turned to Miss Velasquez, and all while trying to keep her face from bursting out into tears. ‘I’m going home alone today, Miss. V.’

‘Actually Daisy, there’s someone here to pick you up.’

Her eyes lit up, only to turn to fear as she saw that same blood-red hair streaming against the crowd.

It was the man from the factory.

She hid behind Miss. Velasquez as the man came to a crouch.

‘Hello there, Daisy.’

‘Daisy’ said Miss Velasquez. ‘This man is one of your father’s friends. He’s going to take you to your father.’

Daisy shook her head, only to be shushed by the man with red-hair.

‘Oh Daisy…’ he said with a sharp, yellow smile, ‘We can go to the park if you want?’

In a second Daisy felt her mind go slack, her head tipping forward towards a nod.

‘Excellent!’ He held his hand out, and Daisy knitted hers through the feeling of misshapen bones and knuckles.

The red-haired man stood, smiled and walked away. Daisy went with him.

Behind Miss Velasquez was approached by a man in a dark suit, a large brown envelope placed within her hands. Daisy looked back, watching from somewhere deep below as Miss Velasquez took out more money than she’d ever seen.

‘Hop in’ said red-hair as they came towards a shiny, black car, ‘After all… I’m sure your father is just dying to see you.’

***

Gilly’s lungs were heaving bright white fire as he ran through the city streets by night. He’d found a kite in a little convenience store. After that he’d ran every step of the way, weaving beneath the streetlights, between the hookers, between the gangs and off-duty police.

By the time he reached Apartment Two-Six-Nine he was practically frothing at the mouth.

Nine o’clock he thought looking at his watch. His lip quivered.

‘Daisy?’ he called opening the door. The apartment was just as they’d left it. He ran into her room switching on the lamp. ‘Daisy I’m so–’

She wasn’t there.

‘Daisy…?’ Immediately he ran back into the front room.

Nothing.

She was nowhere to be seen.

His thoughts began to race, his chest heaving even harder now as a sinking feeling plummeted through his gut. For a minute he stood, leg shaking as he watched the hands of his watch – tick, tick, tick.

Nine o’one.

‘Fuck this.’

He turned marching for the door, dragging it open. Only to find a young man with tired eyes and greasy blonde hair. In one hand he held a police badge.

‘Mr. Rivers…?’

In the other Daisy’s oversized backpack.

‘You’re gonna have to come with me.’