David found them on the path between town and the caves. He ignored Molly, brushing her aside to embrace Veronica. "Becky? What the hell happened?" he asked. Now he turned to Molly. "What did you do, you little brat?"
"She didn't do anything," Veronica answered before Molly could say anything. "She saved my life."
"I don't understand. What happened to you?"
"I went to the cave to meet you and I must have left the door open, because some kind of wild creature-a wolf, maybe-came running in after me and I fell into the fountain. I would have died in there, but Molly had followed me and pulled me out." Veronica's eyes teared up as she told this lie. "I'm so lucky she disobeyed me. If she hadn't, I wouldn't be here."
David took Veronica's chin in his hand to inspect her. "How old are you now?" he asked.
"Five," she said.
"Five," David repeated. "Jesus Christ, Becky, how could you let this happen?"
"What difference does it make how old I am on the outside? It's what's on the inside that counts," Veronica said.
"It matters. Look at you, you're a little girl. You're practically a toddler. How can we be together now?"
"If it bothers you that much, go jump in the fountain yourself," Veronica said. Molly snickered at this.
"You think this is funny?" he said, glaring at Molly. His face turned red to the point where Molly expected steam to shoot out of his ears. Instead, he said calmly, "You want to be a little girl, fine. You'll live like a little girl. We're going back to the cabin to pick up your clothes and then the two of you are moving into the dormitory with the others."
"Dormitory?" Veronica said.
"I'm not going to have two five-year-olds living alone out there," he said.
"I've been taking care of her in this condition for years," Veronica said. "You can't tell me what to do."
"Oh no?" David seized Veronica by the ear. She slapped at his hand, but he refused to let go. "Samantha put us both in charge, but seeing as how you're unable to handle your responsibilities, that means I'm the boss and you'll do what I say. The same for you," he said, glaring at Molly again. He shoved Veronica to the ground, where she lay rubbing her ear. "Now the two of you come along or I'll drag you back."
"Who does he think he is?" Veronica asked as they trudged along behind David back to town. "He thinks he can treat me this way because he's bigger. I'll show him."