Reluctance. 

Reluctance.

My eyebrows arched at the man as he looked down straight at me boldly. Tearing my gaze from the road, I inched my head up, in his direction, slowly. My eyes held my afflictions and pains, along with my tears of suffering. I peered at him.

Maybe pleadingly.

Hoping against hope, I pleaded through my raw, croaked voice:

"Please, sir, don't do this to me. It is only he who has been left behind by my parents; if anything happens to him, I can't afford it," I croaked up at him. "I just can't."

"I don't desire that either. I don't want that to happen.” His eyes held nothing. “Don't force me to do something I don't intend to.”

He's going to hurt Shur if I don't listen to him.

“Just come with me, and you both will be safe and secure under my supervision, and your brother will be in your hands in no time. I can guarantee you that."

He nodded at one of the men that was standing near him and very gently handed my baby brother to him, who took him in his awaiting bulky arms g