Emma and Miles

Miles pulls at his hair trying to think as he runs. He looks at every place he can think of. Yet there's is nothing, not even a footprint. Miles swallows hard around the forming block that fights to suffocate him.

"Why don't you sit down for a minute?" Emma suggests.

"I have to find him," Comes Miles's frantic reply moving away from the woman.

Emma holds her hands up in defense, "I'm not saying give up. I'm saying you should calm down. It'll be easier to look for him if you aren't panicking."

Miles looks at her in annoyance, "The longer it takes to find him the more time something bad has to happen."

"True but you waste more time in a rushed panic than looking around when you're calm." She counters.

Miles groans and sits, glaring at her all the while.

"So how did you end up with a kid?" Emma asks.

Miles only stares at her.

"Come on Mr. grumpy. Tell me about you and him." Emma says.

Miles turns away, "I rather not."

"Why?"

"I don't want to," Miles rubs his face.

Emma giggles, "Then you think of something to talk about."

"No."

"You are so grumpy," Emma shifts her weight.

"I am not." Miles,s eyes scan the surrounding area.

"You are." Emma points at miles, "So very grumpy."

"Are you going to stand around and waste time?" Miles snaps before standing up.

"Hey, you're not calm!" Emma chases after Miles as he storms away, returning to his search.

"You're being irritating," retorts with a low growl.

Emma rolls her eyes, "Do you think he may have gone to play by the creek?"

"I don't know. If I knew where he was I wouldn't be looking for him." Miles replies as he passes the tree line.

"Sure, but aren't there places he hangs out in or around?" Emma questions.

"We usually stick together." Miles answers.

"Oh." Emma nibbles on her lower lip.

"Are there other kids around? He could have gone to play with a friend." Emma suggests.

"We don't have those," Miles says, his voice flat.

Emma sighs and rubs her face, "Why not?"

"We don't." Miles shrugs, "Why does it matter?"

"Because friends are nice to have," Emma replies.

"Until you find they were never a friend." Miles counters.

They then both go silent. The search continues.

When the air fills with the sound of rolling water Miles goes to the source and takes a few sips from the creek. He then stands and looks around.

"He could have gone back home," Emma suggested.

"Or someone took him," Miles replies.

"Why would someone want to take a child?" Emma crosses her arms.

"Lots of terrible people out there." Miles replies, "There's no way of knowing if someone is good or bad."

"I don't think it's all one side or the other." Emma shifts her weight, "There are gray areas."

"Not when it comes to missing children." Miles states.

Emma sighs.

With no sight of Ezra, Miles turns around and heads back to the house. Emma follows him.

Once there Miles looks around again but the child is nowhere. Miles takes a seat on the steps. He rests his head in his hands.

Emma fidgets, "He could come back on his own."

Miles doesn't respond. After a few minutes, Miles finally stands and goes to the animals. He feeds them and works on making sure their water troughs are full and clean. He also got water for other uses and some extra stored off to the side. With the rising number of people showing up, it wouldn't hurt to have some off to the side.

Once finished he looked in the house and around it. He took another walk in the woods nearby but still did not find the child.

"Miles how about you go eat something. People don't think well when they are hungry."

Miles stands and heads inside. He gathers an easy meal of bread, fruit, and cheese.

Emma joins him and the two eat in silence.

Miles sighs between bites of food.

The sound of a sort of scratching comes from the door. Miles opens it to find Betty.

"Where have you been? Where's Ezra?" Miles asks the cow.

"Mmmmooo." Betty turns around and walks off. She turns back and looks at Miles.

"I'll follow you." Miles heads down the stairs.

The two walk away but before they get to the woods Emma barrels out of the house and after them.

"So... why are we following the cow?" Emma points at the animal in question.

"She's good with directions." Miles answers, "Great at finding the lost too."

"Is that so?" Emma catches up to miles side.

"yes," Miles replies, "She's a good cow."

Emma bites her lip and does her best not to laugh.

Miles looks back at her, "What so funny."

She waves her hands and shakes her head, "Nothing, I never expected you to trust in a cow to lead you around."

Miles shrugs, "It is what it is."

The two fall into silence.

With night drawing closer the heat of the day was still miserable. The breeze that flowed between the trees while pleasant did nothing to soothe anyone from the temperature.

Miles wipes at his forehead, He looks at Emma and wonders how she can wear two layers.

Betty stops and Miles almost walks into her. He looks at her and then around. But he doesn't see Ezra or any sign of the child.

"Where is he?" Miles looks at Betty.

Betty stays still.

"What is it?" Miles questions the animal.

"Does she answer you back?" Emma walks in front of the cow. Her eyes switch between the two as if observing something new and odd.

"I don't know... Sometimes I understand her." Miles shrugs.

"Interesting, how did you get her?" Emma asks.

"We are looking for a child, not figuring out my life history," Miles growls.

Emma turns away from Miles's glare, "Sure, but we can talk while we look."

Miles sighs and rubs his face, "No."

Emma frowns, "You are so grumpy."

Ignoring her comment, Miles looks around in the nearby grass and around trees.

Miles runs his hands through his hair several times and looks at Betty, "Where is he?"

"Mmmooooooo," The cow nibbles the grass before her.

"What did she say this time?" Emma asks with a grin.

"I don't know, You tell me," Miles replies.

"I'm not the one who talks to cows," Emma says pointing at Miles.

Rolling his eyes Miles ignores the woman.

The two spent so much time looking that it became dark before they noticed.

"Miles, We should head back," Emma says after a while.

Miles doesn't respond.

"Miles," she calls.

Without a response, Emma turns to Miles. She takes a hold of Miles and calls out to him again.

He pulls free from her and continues forward. He stumbles and falls into a tree. He rubs his shoulder. He calls for the child and wonders in the woods. He isn't sure when but at some point he left Emma and Betty behind. Now he only has himself, but he doesn't give up. He hears a snapping sound and follows it. Though it doesn't take him far. He listens and waits for it to happen again.

It doesn't come again. When the reality sets in Miles has to stop and sit. He takes a deep breath. Ezra is nowhere to be found and he is lost.