Amaya had been forced to get up and 'go to school'. Then in the basement she was hunched over some algebraic equations. Graphing parabolas was a pain. Her pencil hung from her mouth, and on her face lay a look of confusion.

"Agh! I hate algebra! What do I care what 'X' equals? And why do I always have to isolate it? Can't 'X' have any friends?" Amaya grumbled and complained as she muddled through her work. Bit by bit her eraser became a little nub until the metal holding it in place started to scratch her paper.

She couldn't believe her mother was trying to act as if everything was normal. Her mom had been stuck, as if glue was slathered to her backside, on the couch staring at the TV all day.
Amaya probably could have gotten run over, she wouldn't have noticed. Brutally stabbed to death? Not even batting an eye. Choking right in front of her. Not even an attempt at the Heimlich.

Thinking about that Amaya wondered again, 'why again am I doing this?' She asked herself referring to her work. Coming to the conclusion that it was doing her no real good, she abandoned her work and all thoughts pertaining to it. She could do it later if she felt like it.

Ring! The dusty old landline rattled on it's cradle. She let it ring three times just to see if her mother was going to pick up. Nope.

She walked over and picked up the phone before softly speaking into the receiver. Hints of despair and somber evident in her tone.

"Hello?"

"Hey kiddo," the voice on the other end of the line was none other than her father's. She didn't want to talk to him. Then, or ever.

"Don't you 'kiddo' me. Don't you ever 'kiddo' me. What do you want?" She spat. Her voice was laced with thick venom. She hoped she could hurt him just like he hurt them.

"To talk..." did he really just say he wanted to talk to her? Wow.

She scoffed. "Talk to your new family. I'm sure there are tons of topics you'll be able to think of. Creep." She slammed the phone on the cradle before he could respond to what she had said.

Ring! The phone ring again. This time no one picked up.

Meanwhile in a hospital a few states over...Amaya's dad coughed and sputtered.

The hospital gown he was wearing was chilly, it sent shivers down his spine. He wished there wasn't a huge opening exposing his rear. He put his cellphone down and sighed. "She must hate me now. She probably thinks I'm a monster. Great."

He had checked into the hospital early the day before. He knew he only had a few weeks left. A few months earlier, he was diagnosed with cancer. He had gone to the doctor in secret to ask about aching pains.

He had tumors the size of grapefruits in various places. Instead of doing what a sensible man would do, alerting his family and making plans, he skipped town.

He had driven all the way to Illinois, he didn't know why that was where he stopped out of all places, but it was. The people at the hospital were nice enough.

They kept him fed and he almost always had a bedside nurse, but he was still very unhappy. His family probably thought he abandoned them. He just...didn't want them to worry, he didn't want them to mourn. He thought..he thought  it was better that way.

"It's time for your treatment." The bedside nurse said with a strained smile. She disliked her job. Having to make people think they would get better even though the inevitable would come. It sucked.

"What's the point?" Mr. Grant asked in rebuttal.

"Just come on, Mr. Grant. You got yourself in this mess."

"Oh, I guess I gave myself cancer? Is that it?"

"No, but you decided not to tell your family and now you feel like dirt." The nurse snapped as soon as he had finished his sentence. Contrary to popular belief, words do hurt.

Back at Amaya's home, things were moving lethargically, as if time itself were slowed down.  Amaya, as well as her mother, moped around hardly ever speaking to one another.

Robin and Sparrow had practically commanded Amaya to let them come over, but Amaya refused. She hadn't eaten a thing all day, and not just because there was nothing to eat.

She also couldn't find her way to sleep for a while, even though fatigue pulled at her eyes. Every time she tried to rest them, her mind wandered to their current situation. Not only did she feel betrayed and heartbroken because her father left, but she was also worried. Her father supplied most of the family's income. What were they going to do? Would they lose their house?

Nah, there is no way That could happen. They were going to be fine.

Yep, fine.

She paced, read, and drew the entire day away. Nothing eventful happened. That is until dinnertime.

When her mother accidentally almost killed her. Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration.

They were having a normal, casual dinner. As casual as you could get given the situation. Her mom was drinking white wine quickly while Amaya picked away at her food. When she was finished she striked up a conversation.

Or I guess you could call it a conversation, she was just going to ask for more food. "May I have some ice cream?" She asked with a small voice.

"No, you don't need it." Her mother replied sternly.

"Dad always-" Amaya started again.

That's when it happened. Her mom slammed her wine glass down so hard it shattered sending glass flying. She was left holding a small piece of glass.

"I don't care what he would have done! He's not here is he?"

"But-"

"DO YOU SEE HIM HERE?" Her voice went up to a high pitched, loud yell.

"No I don't..."

"Get out," her mom growled."

She got up from the dinner table and started to head up the stairs. It was then that she noticed a piece of glass that had cut her arm. It wasn't too bad. It was deep enough to leave a small scar though.

She quickly bandaged it and disappeared into her room. He wondered why she had decided to leave her sanctuary in the first place. Or why she had to wake up that morning. Maybe she wouldn't have to the next morning.

Changing into some galaxy patterned pajamas, she turned all the lights off except for her bedside lamp before crawling into the bed. Millions of thoughts we through her head. 'You're a failure', 'you're worthless', 'you're only good for anything when you're asleep'.

And for the first time in a while, she was beginning to agree with those thoughts.

She drifted off to a fitful sleep. She wasn't really in an adventuring mood, but there wasn't really much choice.

~~
Everything was as it was left.

"I'm going to need to take you with me." Said the mystery guard.

"Let's let them off with a warning, Kane." Riz spoke up.

"No. We can't just let every little woodland creature we meet 'off with a warning', Riz. Then where would we be?"

The guard, now identified as Kane, walked over with three sets of futuristic looking handcuffs dangling from his fingertips. He flashed a grin that sent chills through Amaya's spine.

"You three are about to have a lot of fun."