(Untitled)

[goingtodorking]

Karen thinks that if she was made for this much rain, she'd have gills or something. Like a fish. The trouble is, Karen Brockman isn't a fish. She's a grumpy little girl with wet hair and wet leggings and a small wet horse is trailing after her, his little trainers slipping on the wet floor. Karen took off her wellies by the front dor, because

Comments

[blissimmunity]

Joshua has little experience with children especially the young ones. Most of the Live Aboards were teenagers, though there were a few young children selected, likely it was a way to entice the parents. He's had even less experience with horses and miniature ponies. But he is a doctor and helping humanity is what he does. So when he finds a little girl crying on the stairs on his way for dry clothes, what else is there to do except help?

"Hey," he says soothingly. "You're okay. Let me take a look at your cut. I'm Joshua. I work in the clinic." He's just talking in hopes that it'll soothe her or distract her.

[goingtodorking]

At home, you're not supposed to talk to strangers, but the island's different, especially if she's in the compound. And he says he works in the clinic, which means he's a Doctor like Rollie. Karen weeps miserably and looks up at him, tears rolling fat down her cheeks.

"I slipped."

[blissimmunity]

"I'm sorry you slipped," he replies, more emotion in his voice than usual. He inclines her chin slightly to have a look and then examines her hands. "It's just a small cut. We can patch you up. Are you hurt anywhere else?"

[goingtodorking]

Karen sniffs and rubs the end of her nose with one bloody hand as he tips her head. She's going to try and be brave because she's a big girl. Even though her chin hurts.

She holds her hand out, showing him the scuffs on her palm.

"They're okay. Is ShorHor still there?"

[blissimmunity]

"You're very brave," he replies when she shows him his palms. "Are you okay to walk to the clinic? I can carry you if your knee is hurting you."

"What's a shorhor?" he asks.

[goingtodorking]

Still dripping blood, Karen cranes her neck to look up the stairs and there he is: one little worried horse, exactly where he's supposed to.

Karen points with one scuffed up hand.

"That is."

[blissimmunity]

"Aha," he replies. Seeing the horse and hearing the name, it makes sense. It is a short horse.

"Shall we clean you up then?" he asks, offering her his hand.

[goingtodorking]

She reaches up and takes his hand, curling her little fingers around his and squeezing his hand a little.

"Okay," she says. "ShorHor can't really do stairs. He's too little."

[blissimmunity]

He's careful not to walk too fast for her.

"He certainly is little. Where do you get a horse like that?" he asks, continuing to use a cheerful tone with her as they walk to the clinic.