Disclaimer: Mine is mine, while Marvel's is Marvel's!

The stars shone overhead, sparkling in the heavens like diamonds. The grassy field stretched out all around the solitary figure that stood in the exact center. Wind blew through fourteen year old Sam Guthrie's short blond locks, and he reached up a hand to brush one away.

A single tear slid down his cheek, hot against the chill the breeze had brought to his skin. He swallowed against a sob, and crossed his arms over his chest. Bowing his head, he sank to his knees in the waving grass. He was a head taller then the long stalks of green hay, and the branches tickled at his bare arms and legs.

The dew from the grass soaked into his knees, creating wet patches. The damp fabric was cold against his knobby knees, and he shivered slightly before beginning to speak.

"God? Why---why did you take daddy? Ah know you must have wanted him-b-ut we need him. Ah need him. Ah know…Ah know you have a reason for it, but….Ah was just wonderin'. How is Momma gonna take care of all of us now?"

The wind sand in the trees, and the air suddenly turned slightly warmer, and it caressed his face like his mother's hand. Sam sniffed softly, and closed his eyes, and tilted his head to the left, listening for something he couldn't hear. Nothing reached his ears, and he sighed softly, opening his blood shot red eyes.

Sam swallowed hard, and brushed another stray tear away. Taking a deep breath, he continued.

"Ah know how. Ah've gotta help mah Momma and brothers and sisters. But---Ah'm scared. Ah wish daddy was here to tell me everything was going to be alright." Sam whispered, looking into the starlit sky. "What if Momma gets sick? What then?"

The young man shook his head, and squeezed his eyes shut, his gut suddenly on fire. He doubled over and gasped, the fire searing through him.

Then the gentle breeze came again, and Sam realized that the pain had stopped. Swallowing again, he looked around, confused.

"What was that?" He asked out loud, looking around. Of course, no answer came, and Sam shook his head. "Weird."

Suddenly, the sensation of being watched overcame him. He looked around, his eyes wide, but saw no one. Taking a calming breath, he called "Hello?"

No answer came, and Sam shook his head at his own foolishness. No one knew he was here, and no one knew to look for him here.

Out of the blue, words burst from his lips, words he hadn't realized that he wanted to say.

"Ah'm afraid to be alone."

Why had he said that? He wasn't afraid to be alone…he was alone right now. So what had possessed him to say that he was afraid to be alone?

You'll never be alone.

The voice rang in his head and his ears. He opened his eyes and looked around, wondering who had said that. No one was in sight, at least no one that he could see.

Sam suddenly stopped, realizing the effect the words had had on him. He hadn't even thought about it; he was afraid to be alone.

But now he knew he wasn't. Darkchilde's Stories