Well, it has been a very long time. But I have an update. Things should get a little more interesting.
Several months passed and Moon gained an adequate understanding of English that enabled her to function independently in society, though she rarely did so. Her grades in school were just as dismal as Danny's, except for art, which she excelled in. Nothing interesting happened in the intervening months until early March, when Tucker's family had surprise visitors.
Tucker and Danny were on the way to Tucker's house to play Doomed on the new consol that Sam had intended to give to him for Christmas. (He only got it recently because the package had gotten so lost in the mail that it was sent to Australia by accident, then Japan, then assorted European countries, before it finally arrived in the USA. Three more weeks were wasted when the thing was sent from coast to coast twice before reaching Amity Park.) Sam and Moon were trailing behind the two boys because Sam was trying to get Moon interested in her favorite music by having Moon listen to her iPod. Moon was only mildly interested because all the music just blended together into the background.
An extra car was parked in the driveway, something only Sam noticed upon arrival at Tucker's house. As soon as Tucker opened the door, his mother reprimanded him for being late.
"I told you we would be having visitors, I told you a week ago!"
"But mom, you didn't tell me anything about visitors." (She actually had forgotten to tell him this time instead of the usual case where Tucker isn't paying attention and doesn't listen, remember, or notice.)
"Oh, you brought your little Russian friend along?" she said, just noticing Moon in the doorway behind her son. "That's good."
"Why is that good? Not that it would be bad, but…"
"Our visitors are the Chenkovs, of course!" (The 'v' at the end is pronounced as 'ff'.)
"Aren't you going to let them in, honey?" Tuck's father said from within the sitting room.
"Of course, come in, come in!" she said with a shooing motion. The five of them went to the sitting room.
Upon Moon's entrance, the Chenkovs looked at her curiously.
"Hello, Tucker. And Sam and Daniel, yes?" Tucker's two friends had met the Russian couple once before.
"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Chenkov," the trio said almost simultaneously. Tucker introduced Moon. "This is Moon, a Russian exchange student."
"Hello, Moon."
"Hello, Chenkovs." Moon said shyly, caught off-guard at meeting other Russian speakers.
"This is quite a coincidence. Where in Russia did you live?"
"The North."
Moon became very obviously uncomfortable and, though no one else knew what was being said, an interruption was in order.
"So, have you heard any more interesting stories from traveling?" Tucker asked. The Chenkovs are travelers and they always have a few new interesting stories to tell, if not old favorites.
There was a beep from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready!" Tucker's mom reacted. "Would any of you like refreshments? Water, milk, root beer, orange juice?" Moon opted for the juice, the three others for soda, and the Chenkovs already had drinks.
"Son, if you'd come help me please..." Tucker followed his mother obediently into the kitchen.
Moon wanted to hide. Or leave the house. Or at least leave the room. The Chenkovs were watching her. Like the whitecoats did almost. They had that same look in their eyes, though it was gone whenever they looked at anyone else.
After the dinner, which was more of in informal snack-fest with numerous good side dishes, Sam managed to get Moon alone and ask what was wrong with her and why she looked so nervous.
"They watch. Like hungry wolf at small rabbit. Like I be food." Moon's expression was one of nearing panic. "Please us leave soon?" Moon's communication skills aren't as good as normal when she gets really stressed like this. Sam hadn't noticed any looks on the part of the Chenkovs, but she promised Moon anyway that they'd leave soon anyway and then they returned to the main room.
Only a few minutes passed, enough to be inconspicuous, and Sam noticed the hungry looks that the Chenkovs had whenever they looked at Moon. Everyone was as oblivious as Sam had been before Moon brought it to her attention.
Sam stood from her seat on the couch next to Moon and announced, "We should probably be leaving now. We have a book report to finish for school tomorrow." Moon stood also. Danny freaked. (There really was a book report.)
"I completely forgot! Tucker?"
"I kinda did it already, actually..."
"Well, we're sorry to see you leave so soon, but since you have work to do," Tucker's dad said, also standing up.
Danny, Sam, and Moon all rushed out with Tucker, who wanted to say goodbye before they left. He couldn't leave with them after all, not while guests were over. Sam told him quickly, "Something's weird with them, Tucker. They kept watching Moon like predators. Be careful."
"Bye guys!" Tucker waved them off, acting normal and thinking about the goth's words.
Sam also told Danny as they walked quickly towards Sam's house.
"Why do you think they'd be doing that?" Danny asked once Sam had finished.
"It's too extreme for her just being a fellow Russian. Moon, what'd they ask you at the beginning that made you so uncomfortable?"
"Where I came from. I said the North because not know anything else."
"Is that all?"
"They ask nothing else."
Danny and Sam both got a bad feeling about the whole situation. It just seemed wrong, though they couldn't get any more specific than the predatory watching.
Moon couldn't sleep that night and ended up listening to Sam's iPod, only falling asleep once the sun had come up.
Review please! I'm sorry for taking so long. May testing is evil. Reviews are good!