Figure of Speech

Max reached for the canteen, unscrewed the cap and took a long pull. He wiped his brow with the sleeve of his shirt and then handed the canteen to the kid. Suki waved her hand; she wasn't too thirsty.

"You better take some of this," he told her. He glanced behind them to see if anyone had been following. "Who knows when the next time we'll get an opportunity like this."

She took the canteen and took a tiny sip and then handed it back to Max. He put the cap back onto it and then tossed it into the jeep. He took out a pistol and showed it to the girl.

"You know how to use this?" he asked her. "In the next few hours we are going to be in a whack of trouble."

Suki nodded yes. Max checked to see if it was loaded and saw that it was.

"You don't talk much," said Max as he handed her the gun. As soon as she held the weapon in her hands she seemed like an old vet.

"Talking is just a waste of energy," Suki answered. "My grandfather says energy is useful bottled up and when the time comes to use it, you use it."

"Well, what do you know," Max said with a chuckle. Suki hadn't really said much at all since he had rescued her from a group of Tongs. "She really knows how to say a word."

Suki smiled.