"Doesn't she never talk?" Taylor whispered loudly, as he looked on the scene with definite unease.
    Alys made him nervous and uncomfortable with her deep but expressionless eyes. It was like she had the ability to see right through you…
    Zac shrugged carelessly, "Dunno. From what I know, she don't."
    Grinning, he handed Alys another army man, and watched gleefully as she struggled to put the little soldier alongside the others. Instead of sticking it in her mouth again.
    They watched the struggle; Taylor, Tristan, and Zac, watched as Alys would lean over and the army man would be raised up halfway before she would lean over some more.
    Tristan's face was unusually somber yet fierce, "Daddy done it to her." He muttered sagely. "Not our new daddy, but our old one. He hurted her real bad one day, and she's been like this ever since." His head shook. "Mama still cries over it sometimes."
    Zac's face showed the anger he felt towards Alys' really daddy for hurting her.
    Looking up proudly from her crooked line of green men, Alys flinched at the look on his face and she started whimpering and scooting back awkwardly. Her eyes widening in fear.
    Seeing her reaction, he relaxed automatically and smiled brightly at her. Handing another army man over.
    Tentatively, she reached her hand out and snatched it back quickly. Cradling it against her before popping it into her mouth, then as if suddenly remembering what she was supposed to do with it, put the wet soldier into the same line.

    The incessant jarring of his bed forced Zac awake. "Zac? Zac? Zac? Zac?"
    "Jeez, shut up!" He groaned, pulling the pillow out from under his head and covering it to block out the broken record voice.
    "Zac?" The voice came again, pulling the pillow away and then tried grabbing at the blankets he started to replace the pillow with. "It's time to go home!"
    That had him jumping out of bed and rushing around the room. Home! Alys! Yea!