***
{Inside The Projection}
The carriage rocked gently as it rolled along, the occasional bump filling the silence.
Malik sat in the corner, the little girl resting against his chest.
She was tiny, barely breathing a sound since she got healed.
It seemed that she somewhat acknowledged her parents' death. Yet, she didn't cry. Didn't scream. Just clung to his shirt like he was the only thing keeping her tethered to the world.
Ali Baba sat across from them, arms resting on his knees, watching the kid with careful eyes.
Layla, beside him, did the same, her fingers fidgeting with the ends of her purple hair, twisting, before she finally spoke up:
"She's got a name, yeah? We should ask."
Ali Baba nodded.
"Right."
"..."
Malik said nothing.
Layla leaned forward, her voice softer than usual, like she didn't want to startle the girl.
"Hey, um... cutie, do you have a name?"
The girl's grip on Malik's shirt tightened.
