The Cats
This is a story by Brynn, who you can reach at ldykier@aol.com
Here ya go!
~Cassie~
Imagine this: You're riding in a truck with your best friends. You're jamming to the BareNaked Ladies. Something goes wrong....
"Hurry up, Cassie!" I heard Rachel yell.
"Yes, or we will turn Jake into a sausage McMuffin."
"Ax, pumpkin. It's 'hurry up, or Jake will turn into a pumpkin.' Not a McMuffin. Geez," Marco correceted.
"Remind me again why I'm turning into a pumpkin."
I ran down the stairs and collided with my mom. "Cassie, don't run," she said, handing me a load of dirty laundry. "Can you put this in the wash?"
"Mo-om!"
"Ca-as!"
"Not funny."
"I know 16-year-olds hate their parents, but it would help so much if you would. You know Gloria's coming.
"Alright, fine," I replied, taking the basket. "You win, this time." I went to the garage, threw the clothes in, dumped some detergent in to follow and closed the lid. I walks over to everyone. Jake wrapped him arms around my waist. All of a sudden, a knock came from the door. "Let me, will you? I'm tired of being outside."
"Hahaha. Leave him out. He's late. He's always late," Marco said, grinning and flopped over on the couch.
"I'm NOT late."
"Your watch is wrong."
"It broke."
"Hey... you don't have a watch!"
"Exactly!"
"Let him in, already. This arguing-through-the-door thing is a pain in the butt," Rachel said.
I opened the door and Tobias casually walked in, as if nothing had happened. I noticed he was in a bit of a predicament with his hair hanging so low over his eyes.
"Can you see?" Marco asked, flicking a rubber-band in Tobias' general direction.
"Sort of."
"Dork."
"Freak."
Rachel smacked Marco on the back of the head.
"Ok people, be nice. Let's go," Jake interupted.
"I wanna drive! I wanna drive! PLEASE, let me drive! If you don't, you'll buy me a car!" Marco yelled as he practicly jumped off the couch.
"Ok, Marco," Jake said, "but if you wreck my new truck, I have permission to kill you."
Marco ran outside. "I GET TO DRIVE! I'M SO HAPPY!"
Jake rolled his eyes, took my hand and led me outside.
Marco jumped into Jake's truck. "Wait.... keys... I need keys..."
"I wondered when he'd figure that out."
I laughed.
Finally, we were on our way. Marco was driving, I was beside him, Ax beside me, Rachel, Tobias and Jake in the back. "Marco, we're going the wrong way."
"It's a short-cut."
"He's lost," Rachel interupted.
"I am not! My cousin taught me this way."
"Liar."
"Am not."
"What's that?" I almost yelled as something ran out in front of the truck. Marco slammed the brakes. We stopped sharp and thudded against something. Someone outside screamed. "What was THAT?" Tobias asked, his arms around Rachel in a protective fashion.
"I dunno," Marco said, unfastening his seat-belt,"but I'm gonna find out."
"Me too," I said, pushing Ax out of the way as I scrambled to the door. Ax fell out, I fell on top of him, Rachel opened the door and tripped on us, Tobias on top of her, his arms still around her waist.
Jake looked for another exit.
"Hey! You! All of you! Who taught you to drive?" came a voice from the front of the truck. Then I swear I heard a slap. "Cripes! I thought Luis taught you better than that!"
"Some one get in the truck. Back it up."
Jake poked his head through the window. "Marco, I thought you were a better driver than that! Running over people! Geez!"
"I know. Jake, can you back the truck up?"
"Yeah. Who's over there?"
"Paul."
"Oh, fun."
"Get me out from under this truck before I have to hurt you!"
Jake backed up the truck, slowly, carefully. Finally the front tires bounced slightly and Paul was free.
I walked over to Paul. Marco stood up and offered him a hand, which was taken and Marco pulled him up. Paul leaned over on him. "This is fun..."
"It's really starting to swell too," Rachel pointed out.
"Yeah. It's probably broken," I said.
"Well this is great," Marco replied.
"Broken? Br-ok-en? Brow. Ken. What is brow ken?"
"That was different," Paul said.
Everyone laughed.
"There he is!" came a new voice from an alley way. 6 people ran out from the alley, a short girl in front, 5 taller, more muscular guys behind her. "Get him!" she ordered. "Get the traitor! We can let a leak get out!"
"Crap, you guys gotta get outta here," Paul said, putting a free hand on the nearest wall. "Go."
"I'm not leaving until I know you'll be alright." Marco told him.
"I'll be alright. Now leave!"
"No."
"Marco, they have guns. You have a truck. Hmm, I wonder."
"I won't leave. Get in the truck."
"They'll kill us all if you keep this up."
Jake had gotten out of the truck by this time. He walked over to me. "Marco won't leave," he whispered in my ear. "You and Ax go get the cops and an ambulance. I'm going to stay here."
"Jake, I want to stay with you."
"Not a chance, Cass. Go. You'll be better off. I've got to keep an eye on Marco. He'll get himself killed one way or another if I don't."
"Jake, I'm not leaving."
He grabbed my arm and pushed me toward the truck. "Jake!"
"Shh! Cassie, please."
"Jake, you'll get hurt."
"I'll survive. You go get the cops. The faster you get help, the safer everyone will be. Please, Cassie go."
I kissed him gently. "Alright, but I'll be back."
He smiled. "Go."
I ran down the alley, Ax close behind.
I watched Cassie run. I grabbed Paul's arm just as they started shooting. Jake and I helped him into the truck. Tobias and Rachel scrambled in and Jake slammed the back shut. All five of us crouched down like scared cockroaches. "This is fun," Rachel complained,"Remind me to do this more often. I've been missing out."
"Who are those guys?" Tobias asked, holding Rachel close.
"Crows," Paul answered. I looked him over, the dark hair, the green eyes, the pierced ear. Tough-guy hair cut. Not someone you'd want to tangle with. "I was one of them."
"Crows?" Rachel asked.
"It's a... well... umm... see, it's this..." he mumbled something that I couldn't hear.
"What?" I asked, squinting at him. I've always looked up to Paul. I wanted being a Crow to be something good. Something he could be proud of. But by the way those Crows acted and the way he seemed to think of himself now, I could tell he wasn't.
"A gang."
"What?!" I nearly exploded as I lashed out at him.
Rachel put a finger to her lip.
"Look, these guys are the most dangerous gang in the state. Not someone you'll want to tango with. If you--"
"We,"Jake corrected.
"Fine 'we.' If 'we' don't get out of here now, we're dogfood."
"I couldn't have put it better," Rachel said with a grin.
By this time, I was fuming. Jake grabbed my arms and held them behind my back. I kept struggling, but Jake wasn't letting up.
"All we want are the traitors. Give 'em up 'fore we shoot y'all to pieces."
"Now what?" Rachel hissed.
"You give me up, or we all get killed."
"My favorite part of the game, sudden death."
"We're not leaving you here," Tobias said, almost bravely.
"Real heroic, kid, but this is the part where we turn into purified string beans."
"No one's getting killed," I said, finally freeing myself from Jake's "grasp of death."
As we continued to run, I was constantly tripping over small, unnamed objects.
"Ax! Come on!"
I nodded and we jogged on. Cassie sqeaked and fell. Something-- or someone-- had her ankle. "Let me go!"
"Who are you? State your business, Crow."
"I'm not a bird, now let me go!" Cassie yelled at him, kicking and struggling in vain to be freed. "My name's Cassie!"
A young man with "bleached" hair removes himself from the shadows. He relased Cassie's foot and took her wrist, standing and forcing her up with him. He was taller than Marco or Prince Jake. In a way, he reminded me of Tobias. Perhaps it was the cut of his hair. "What are you running from?"
"Some people. I need to call the police!"
His eyes widened and then shrunk to slits in suspician. "You know Paul?"
"Yes. I know him and he and a group of my friends are in big trouble."
"The fuzz cannot stop the Crows, sinoreta."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Trust me. What you need, is a cat or two."
"What? A cat?"
He sighed. "You got no idea what I'm talkin' bout, do ya?"
"Not a clue."
"Where do you get your pizza?"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"It's a simple question. Answer it."
"The Anchovie. What does that have to do with anything?"
"Good. Go there. Ask for Guido."
"I know Guido. Why should I do what you say?"
"Do you really have any other choices? Do what I've told you. Tell him the number of Crows and where they're attacking. That is clear, si?"
"Alright, fine," Cassie said, taking her arm away. "Let's go Ax."
We backed away from him slowly, and only when he was out of sight did we turn and run.
Rachel glanced over the side of the truck. "Our happy little group is growing."
"Great. they were dangerous enough at 6."
"About how many are there now?" Marco asked, holding on top Paul's shoulder.
"About 17. Not that many."
"Can they shoot?" Tobias asked.
"Depends. If they're mad, they couldn't shoot the side of a barn with their eyes open. Except Alex. He's always got it." Paul looked over the side. "Oh, there he is."
A gunshot fire and knicked the side of my truck, not 3 inches from Paul's hand. "See what I mean?" he asked and withdrew his hand.
"So, gun-boy is waiting for us. We're gonna get killed." Marco complained.
"How many times do I have to say that?"
"No will die. Cassie's gonnaget help. I hope she's called already."
"You know, I've always said crows are trouble." Tobias put it.
"You've heard of the Crows?"
"I meant the birds."
"I knew that."
"Uh-huh."
"Even with a busted leg, I can kick your butt, so shut your mouth."
"Yes sir."
Rachel looked totally annoyed. "Can anyone go anyhwere without getting into a fight anymore?"
Paul shook his head and smiled.
Marco looked a bit spaced out, so I tapped him on the shoulder. "Hello?"
"Huh?"
I smirked.
Marco smiled. At least he was smiling. I tried to think of what we could do. We couldn't morph in front of Paul and we had no weapons. Our only hope... was Cassie.
I gave my undivided attention to the road in front of me. I was tired of running, but it was too far to walk. Ax was having a very difficult time keeping up with me.
"Casse," Ax said, puffing behind me. "Why is it so far?"
"I don't know. We... we have to get help. We have to... to get help."
I ran into someone. We both fell backwards. "Oh, man, I'm so sorry," he said, picking up a pizza box. He looked at me. "Cassie! Oh, geez. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to run into you."
"It's alright. In fact... in fact, I was... was..." I panted uncontrolably.
"You were what?" Guido asked, checking the pizza to see if it was deliver-able.
"Looking for you."
"Lil' ol' me?" he asked, standing and picking up the box. He offered me a hand up. "Are you alright?"
I took his hand and pulled. In a minute I was up. I nodded, still out of breath. Guido gave me his sweet smile. If I didn't love Jake so much, Guido would be my second choice. I sighed and looked at the ground.
"So, Cassie, why were you looking for me?"
"Crows," I mumbled and looked up at him. Guido's gentle face had grown hard and his deep eyes stopped shining. He said a few 4-letter words quietly. "How many?"
"About 6 or 7."
"Alright," Guido said, pausing a moment and then disposing of the pizza. "Show me."
"By yourself?"
"I don't have time to get anyone else. Not to mention that those guys are a lot weaker than they appear. It's all in the way you attack."
I stared at him.
"Show me where they are."
We started out on the way to the alley.
I'd been rather quiet. I really wasn't sure what to do. I wanted to protect Rachel, but at the same time, I wanted to run away, screaming like an idiot. I thought about objective number 2 a while and figured against it. Yeah, right, run away, look like a wuss, get shot, etc, etc, etc.
"This is so not a good thing," Marco said.
"Well, duh."
"Shut up, Rachel." Marco said coldly.
"Make me!" Rachel retorted.
"I'm glad you two are being so mature," Jake interupted, looking Paul's leg over. Another round of bullets floated innocently over our heads.
"Give up, now! Or we'll come in there and get ya!" the girl in front yelled.
"I've got an idea," Jake told us, quietly. "But it's risky. Really risky."
"What is it?" Rachel asked, taking my hand.
"I'm going to sneak around the truck, get in and drive us out of here."
"What?!" for the second time that night, Marco was heard half-way around the nation. "No way! No way, Jake. You stay here. I'll do it."
"Marco--"
"Shut up, Jake. You've got Cassie and your parents and Tom. I'd be less of a loss. Besides, if you got hurt now, I'd never be able to forgive myself. And what would Cassie think? If you got hurt? Or killed!"
"No way. There is no way in the world I am going to send my best friend out into this situation."
Marco and Paul exchanged glances. Paul nodded and Marco crossed his arms. Jake started to get out, but in a flash, Paul grabbed his knee and forced him back in.
Marco climbed out.
"Damnitt!" Jake roared, watching Marco dissapear over the side of the truck.
At the sight of an easy target, Alex reloaded his gun quickly.
"Marco! Hurry!" I hissed.
A shot. It narrowly missed Marco's foot.
Another shot blasted into a rock about 3 inches away. Alex was playing games. But 3 strikes and you're out and Alex wanted a homerun. Marco was on the other side of the truck and was a harder target than say, me, with my head sticking up out of the truck. "Rachel! Get down!" Tobias yelled and pulled me back into a safer region. I heard another gunshot, but it didn't rocochet. I bit into my lip and looked at Tobias. He gave me a worried, yet small shrug.
Marco opened the door and climbed in. This was the hard part. If Alex was as good a shot as Paul had said, Marco was sure to get a bullet in the head. Marco knew it and ducked to turn the key.
All of a sudden, a few trash cans crashed over. I stole a glance at the Crows-- they were staring too. Three figures quietly walked into the light. "Cassie!" I sqeaked.
"Watch out!" Cassie yelled in return, pointing to the Crows. Gun-shot. Air hissed. We now had a flat tire.
I shook my head. "Cassie," I whispered to her. "Get back."
She nodded and I advanced. I knew Cassie had never seen me like this. I sighed and continued my gradual advance. "I thought you said there were six!" I hissed at her.
"Sorry!" she explained. "I was gone for a while."
"Geez, this is a suiside mission. Do me a favor. Go to Polly's house. Get her. I need her now."
"Got it!" Cassie said and ran back to where we had just come.
"Awww. Did the wittle kitty wose his way home?" B.B. mimicked.
"No, we cats know our way around the city," I retorted, dropping my pack and drawing one of the stupidest weapons in the world. An umbrella. Go figure. With a wave of her hand, B.B. sent 4 Crows coming at me. With a jump in the air, they attacked. Why they always attack with that stupid jump, I'll never know. I hit the first two on the leg, the second I downed with a roundhouse. The last guy was only about 3 feet taller than me, so I bashed his temple with my umbrella. And he's down! That ticked B.B. off. What could she do now? Shoot me, what else? And who to do it? Alex, well duh. I hate that guy. Sent me backflipping into the alley. Not that backflips are hard. Another 6 advanced. I put my umbrella back and scaled a wall. They shot at me and knicked my foot. "That wasn't nice," I told them, continuing my upward climb. "Of all the buildings in the world, I had to get a tall one." For now, all I could do was climbed. That is one of the most vounerable positions a cat can be in. Especially me. I have no sheild like Speedy and no darts like Polly. What do I have? An UMBRELLA. Geez.
I was running again. I hate running. I'm no good at it. But I had put yet another person in danger. "There!" I yelled at Ax and we turned a corner, finding ourselves in front of a street full of small houses.
"Which one?" Ax asked, turning around.
I shrugged, panting. "How much time.. do you have left?"
"About one of your Earth hours."
I turned around to look at al the houses. A guy walked out of a two story one. Short, with brown hair and white spots,and green-grey eyes. He looked about my age.
"Hey!" I yelled at him. "Do you know a girl named Polly?"
He blinked a few times and nodded.
"Which house?"
He pointed behind him to the house he had only moments before stepped out of.
"Oh, great! You must be... Logan?"
He blinked.
"Phillip?"
He shook his head.
"Joey?"
"Gen."
"Oh."
"Polly not heawr."
I tried to think back to what Polly had told us about her brothers, especially about what she said about Gen. She'd really only explained what all of her brothers looked like, so I was out on a limb; I didn't know her little brother was retarded. "Where is she?'' I asked him gently.
"At the orthidonit."
"What?"
"Getting hewr bwaces tighten."
"Oh, the orthidontist."
"Dath what I shaid!"
"Sorry."
"Jus' a thecond, I get Desse."
"Jesse?"
He nodded and retreated back into the house. I couldn't just stand there, but what other option did I have?
I wanted to scream like a little baby. My foot ached where the bullet had entered it. In fact, it hurt all over.
"Marco?" Jake asked through the window. "You ok?"
"I'm... I'm alright."
"Not hit are you?"
"No... no... just shaken."
"Ok, good," he said, and I could hear the worry in his voice. I wondered if it was about Cassie. I nodded to myself, meekly and hoped he could't see the blood-- my blood that had spilled from the gross wound on the inner side of my right foot. I was constantly reminding myself to keep my head down, though I would sneek a peek at Guido's progress on the wall. He was about half way up and the Crows were knipping his body everywhere. Gut when you thought his shot, he'd wait a moment to keep the suspence and then climb somemore. A question started floating through my head. Why was he climbing the wall? A distraction? I looked to the other side. That was no good, too many guys on the other side. I felt like I was David Crocett at the Alamo, definding its great walls, but soon I would surrender and be executed.
A large man walked out of the house. Gen tugged his sleeve, pointed to me and then to the garage. Jesse thought about it a moment , nodded and becond me toward him. I walked over.
"Hey," he said, walking to the garage, keys in hand. He opened the door and pulled it up, revealing a motorcycle and two cars; one looked like it would never run again, the other relitivly new. "Gen," he said, tying his long hair back. "I'll get Polly. If you need a ride to get back to your friends," Jesse said, turning to me. "I'm afraid I can't help you. Isacc's the only one inside who can drive and I know he's not up to it. You'll have to walk back," he pulled a helmet on,"or get Mom's old car running." With that, Jess stradled the bike, sighed and revved up, driving off.
Gen nodded and once again retreated inside. Ax and I sat down on the curb. "Ax, what are we going to do?"
"I don't know, Cassie."
"This is terrible.."
Ax nodded, looking back at the house. I closed my eyes and stood, looking at the house. Then something happened that I never thought would. Isacc, leaning heavily on a crutch, exited the house and limped over to me. I'd met him before, when there wasn't so much pain in his green eyes and he had wolf-grey hair. He was still extremely handsom, I had to admit, even with no hair. As he approached, he offered me his tired and worried smile. I never knew so much emotion could go into one little smile until I met him. I nearly threw myself at him in a hug, but held back. He looked so fragile, like a China doll; like he would shatter into a million pieces if I so muched as touched him. He looked so weak, but he was too stubborn to stay home. "Hey, Cass," he said, weakly, but I could still find the warmth in his voice. He stumbled and fell, but I was there to catch him. I was amazed by the light weight in my arms. "Thanks," he said, pulling himself to a standing position again.
"Are you alright?"
"I'll be fine, once I know you and your friends are safe," he said, taking a few deep breaths while his face grew lighter.
"You shouldn't do this. You'll kill yourself."
"Ha," he replied, a smile once again his face. "Let's go."
"You're nuts."
"I know. Ain't it cool?"
"No. Now if you're sure you want--"
"I want to Cassie. Don't make me argue with you. We have to get going."
I nodded.
"Let's go," he said, limping over to the car. "Wait a sec. Can't you drive?"
"No, I'm 15."
"Oh, well.," he climbed into the driver-side door and I got in beside him. Ax climbed throught the back door. "Hang on," he said, backing up into the street.
''Ahhh! Ugh. Mom! Don't! NO!"
"Polly,stop acting like a 3-year-old."
"I like being a 3-year-old! Don't do this!"
"Polly!" she yanked my arm. "Let's go!"
"But Mom!"
"But Mom nothing!"
"Ugh!" I sighed and walked inside.
"I LOVE this!" Jan said, practicly jumping off the walls.
"Stop it, Jan," I said, kicking her on the shin.
"Ow! Mom!"
"Polly!"
"What?"
"Mean little brat!"
"Shut up, Jan!" I jumped at my older sister. Nathan stuck out his hand and send me rolling. The receptionist looked horrified.
Jan laughed and wrapped her arms around Nathan, who gave me a little-bitty-"sorry-I-did-that-to-you" smile. I growled at them and picked myself up. This was not fair. I was getting my braces tighted and Jan was getting hers off. Unfair!
"Alright ladies, who's first?"
"Me!" I yelled, jumping toward the orthidontist.
"Alright, come on in."
"Argh! Polly!" Jan screamed after me.
I laughed all the way down the hall.
"We're all gonna die," I said, struggling to keep myself conscious. "This is nuts. Will you kids just leave?"
"Get a life," Marco told me.
"I have one."
"Yes, and this is YOUR life."
"Shut up."
"Yeah right. Hey! Look at Guido!"
"Oh my gosh... he's gonna fall!" the blond yelled.
"Don't fall, Cat," I thought, the blackness surrounding me fully. "Just don't fall."
