I felt at a loss for words as I looked down at this tiny human that popped out of the candy red plane, I felt even more at a loss for words when a rat was next to show herself. At first I had wondered if this were a mouse and not a rat, but after a second glance, I was 90% sure it was a rat. The tiny human looked almost frantic but his frantic face turned to confusion once he noticed Sheldon and I. "Who-" The voice told me that he was a male meaning he must be 'Twigleg' and the rat was 'Lola'. (I'm assuming)
"New friends, long story, what did you find?" Guinevere hurriedly cut him off. I just wiggled my fingers at him in an awkward attempt to wave. Twigleg quickly gave me a nod before focusing on Guinevere.
"We found a Kikimora!" Twigleg excitedly filled us in. He was practically bouncing on his heels.
"That's great!" Guinevere clapped her hands happily. She practically had tears in her eyes at this news making me narrow mine in curiosity.
"Let me guess-" Sheldon was the one to speak his mind this time around. "-They're incredibly hard to find?"
"Almost extinct!" Lola spoke suddenly her little nose and whiskers twitching wildly about. I rubbed my nose with my thumb before just nodding at her in understanding.
"I take it was too much for Ben to need a potion with common ingredients, huh?" Sheldon kind of laughed making me give him a pity chuckle in response but didn't say anything about it. It was obvious (painfully obvious) that Ben wouldn't be dying right now if this potion needed normal ingredients.
"Just who are you two anyway?" Twigleg was the one to finally ask.
"Oh! I'm Tammy." I greeted. I brought my hand out for a handshake but quickly just gave him my index finger to shake.
"Twigleg. I'm a homunculus."
And when he said that… I don't know why but my mind just went to Trevor from the book I was currently reading. A little person who stood up against his abuser for the greater good in the end. Tyler was also called such, it was the first time I've ever heard of such a thing, to be honest, and just hearing it again now mixed with what Guinevere had told me earlier… This was becoming a little strange.
'Well… go figure.' Something about Guinevere's voice from earlier today made me feel like she obviously knew something.
"Is she okay?" Twigleg asked because it's been a few seconds and not only have not responded back to him but I was still shaking his tiny hand.
"She blue screens sometimes, this is one of them." Sheldon gently pushed my hand away from Twigleg. I think my eyebrows must have still been knitted up in confusion, but it went ignored as Sheldon went on to introduce himself now. "I'm Sheldon, I'm a satyr." He shook Twigleg's little hand the same way I had (just not for as long).
"So-" I looked at Lola. "I have a couple of pet hamsters- had… had a couple of pet hamsters, do I need to apologize for keeping them locked up the way I did?" I asked her.
"Had?" Lola asked at my sudden tense change.
"Well, yeah. They both died. Hamsters only live to be about a year or two. In fact, if I'm right that's the deal with most if not all rodents-"
"I'll have you know, I am in the prime of my life, thank you!" Lola took great offense to that almost immediately.
"Ah, I'm sorry-"
"But!" Guinevere was the one to cut in quickly. "In Tammy's defense, Lola, you are getting a little… old. I mean you aren't as young as you once were-"
"Who is the one that called me up here?!" Lola steamed in anger.
My hands went up in defense and I took a few startled steps away from this now. I feared this was going to go into a full blown screaming match and… I've never been comfortable with things like that. Yes, I've yelled and fought as well (look back at Sheldon and I) but even still I can't stand fighting it makes me…- growing up I've been a witness to my own fair share of arguments between my mom and dad, my dad and my sister, my grandparents and my dad…
"And I'm grateful that you came, I really am, but I think, after this is all over, it's time you put your plane in a hangar."
"Hey!-" I quickly brought attention to myself. This was my usual tactic for when people fight. I say something and hopefully, it'll stop the fight. "I-I-I-I- AH!- I! Thought you said Lola was looking for the white apple!" I finally butted in, my face probably turning red as everyone was now focusing on me.
"Ha!" Lola huffed in what I could only say was just… rage. She was pissed.
'I made things worse! Abort! Abort!' My mind screamed at me once I saw that I did indeed make things worse now.
"Henrick-" Lola seemed to get ready to scream at me but, thank the lord, for little Twigleg.
"-Is a very sensitive subject to bring up right now! Isn't that right Lola?" Twigleg gently pulled the rat back. "Please calm down before you make yourself sick." He urged her.
"Who is Henrick?" I asked Guinevere in a soft whisper.
"Her son. Again, sensitive subject, just don't bring him up again." She warned in me in a whisper.
"Gotcha."
Lola's fur was bristling up but she was taking several deep breaths to try and calm herself and it was that moment I've decided to make my leave from the group. I took a couple of steps back and once the coast was clear I turned and hustled away for the time being. I don't know why I wanted to get away from the group, but I got away. Now alone, I sat down on the beach and just watched the river again. I had my legs criss crossed, my right elbow propped up on my right knee and my head was resting on the open palm of my hand.
"Are you still sad?" It was Firedrake that suddenly spoke to me. I didn't hear it at all. Again, for a massive dragon he's so quiet, yet, he didn't scare me when he spoke up not this time anyways.
I just chuckled. "Who said I was sad?" I asked him as I brought my hand away from my face.
"Sheldon. When you ran off in Greece. He said you get melancholy and that you get angry or upset because of it."
"I… don't know what melancholy is." I shamefully admitted to Firedrake, no joke I had no idea what that word means. "But… I do get sad and sometimes I just want to be alone, but you know it's odd-" I actually laughed a little. "Recently I've been… happy! Even with the guy holding a gun to me, I haven't been feeling as sad or anything like that. Firedrake, I think since meeting you this is the first time I've felt…" I paused for a moment and twisted my hands in circles as I tried to think of a word for it until it finally clicked and it made me feel so dumbfounded. "Alive! You don't understand Firedrake!"
I stood up and actually smiled at him. "I'm doing something that makes me happy! I'm not working at some gas station job having people yell at me because I made their stupid sandwich wrong, I'm not sitting at home listening to my sister bitch and moan about how horrible I am because I won't give her twenty more dollars to feed into her addiction! I'm not crying to daddy about what horrible thing my sister did to me this week, I'm not living paycheck to paycheck, I'm doing something that I want! And it makes me happy! I am am… mostly in control! Mostly! The only downside is that I wish I had my phone so I could tell… so I could tell Candace that I'm okay… god, she must be worried sick about me this last week. It's like I dropped off the face of the earth and left her behind." I mumbled a little sadly before rubbing the back of my head.
That was when, from behind, a cell phone was placed into my hands. "God?" I asked again as I looked up. I heard Firedrake snicker at me in response.
"Will you stop that?" Guinevere tsked in annoyance. "I figured...we're going to Russia which will prove dangerous, if you wanted to call anyone you should do it now before we leave." She told me. 'At least she's not telling me to google myself.' I thought before looking down at her cellphone. I opened it and immediately went to the call button. The recents calls that Guinevere made were brought up. I was, of course, met with the usual.
Dad.
Mom.
A Random 239 area code number that she called yesterday- Wait a fucking minute. I know that number!
"... You tried to call my dad?" I asked Guinevere after a few seconds. I wasn't mad, just bewildered by this odd action she decided to take. I think she was going to try to play it off, but in the end, she just shrugged.
"Look, I was just… I don't know, okay. Besides it's not like he picked up anyway." Guinevere told me with a shrug. "I didn't mean any harm by it. I just wanted to-"
"Nah, I get it. It's fine." I quickly de-escalated the situation with a shrug. I believe her, she means nothing bad by it I mean what was she going to do? What was she going to tell him? 'Hi, I, a complete stranger with a british phone number, am in Pakistan and your daughter is here safe with us. Wanna pick her up?' might as well tell him the whole truth about dragons. I almost wanted to call him myself, but… I didn't. Instead, I went to the phone number pad and started to put in Candace's number, but I decided I didn't want to call her. No, I wanted to text her. So, in maybe my most stupid/brilliant idea yet. I brought the camera up and snapped a picture of me. Don't worry, Firedrake wasn't in the picture.
"What are you doing?" Firedrake asked me as he leaned in.
"Are you texting?" Guinevere asked as she leaned in as well. "Why not call?"
"Because they won't answer." I informed her. "I know my dad, stepmom, and bestfriend. They won't answer and I don't want to log into facebook. God knows what will greet me if I do." So, I made a group chat involving Candace, my dad, and stepmom and I sent them all a text. It was a simple text. With my picture attached to tell them it was indeed me. What I sent was:
I'm okay, I'm alive. I don't have much time to talk but know I love you all.
It was rushed and probably stupid, but it was done. I tossed Guinevere her phone back.
"Why didn't you just skype them?" She asked me once she put her phone away in her back pocket. "I know you have a skype and I have skype on my own phone."
I thought about it for a second before ultimately shaking my head. "Candace only has skype on her computer and she doesn't use that too often, my dad also has a skype but doesn't use it, the only person I would/could skype is Leon." I shrugged in response, I started to feel better now though, now that my friend and loved ones knew I was okay and alive. "Now…" I looked at her. "I'm itchy, my hair is greasy, and I would love a shower before we go anywhere." I almost begged her. She actually laughed, it wasn't a 'haha loser' laugh I'm kinda use to, but an actual genuine laugh that made me give her a bit of a chuckle in response. 'Okay… she's not so bad.' I found myself thinking as for the first time it seemed like we weren't at ends with each other. Of course, we both just had a common goal which was to save her brother.
"Yeah, I think Zubeida will let you use hers." Guinevere told me with a smile. I thanked her and quickly made my way to Zubeida. Hopefully, she won't be too annoyed that I asked to use her shower.
"God!" My own muffled voice greeted me through the silence of the steamy bathroom I was in. Turns out Zubeida didn't have a shower but a tub, I didn't care. I was clean and happy. I let the tub drain out now as I was currently trying to fight with my khaki pants. Turns out the stupid pants didn't want to slide on to my still damp legs. I was jumping up and down doing my best to just get my doughy body into the pants. Fat water droplets dripped from my soaked hair and splattered onto the floor around me with every jump I made.
"Is everything alright?" I heard Zubeida asked as she rapped her knuckles against the bathroom door.
"Perfectly fine!" I called back to her once I finally managed to button up my pants. I sighed out heavily before grabbing my bra and putting that on next, and finally, I put on the long shirt Zubeida gifted me earlier. I hung the towel back up on the towel rack, made sure the floor was dry, and made sure the tub was clean before finally leaving the bathroom. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." I thanked Zubeida who was waiting for me outside of the door. "I couldn't stand being that dirty."
"Ah… I understand you are from America correct?" Her questioning almost made my blood run a little cold.
"Uh, Y-Y-Yes." I looked to her as she was double checking her bathroom.
"I wouldn't expect anything less, then."
"Come again?"
"Well, you grew up with running water and obviously looking at you I could tell you didn't exactly grow up poor."
'Don't get offended.' I reminded myself. "No, middle class, not counting these last four years, why?"
"It's just that most americans can't stand filth."
"Well, obviously you can't either as you have a tub." I don't like fighting but sometimes my mouth just beats me to the punch.
"Ah, but I am a doctor, young one. I can afford such a luxury." She made sure put a lot of emphasis on that word. "In fact I am the only one to have this. The other villagers do not! Yes, I will be nice and allow the children and others to bathe in it, but those who are too proud to ask will bathe in lake. Some can't even afford soap so by the end of it they still smell like… well…"
I felt a frown tug at my lips before I asked. "Like?"
"What else? Fish."
"Wow… that must suck…"
"Just count how blessed you really are is all I'm telling you."
"Right, of course. Thanks for the advice."
"No problem. Now, I believe everyone is waiting for you."
"-I'm telling you it's more than a coincidence at this point!" I heard Guinevere try (and fail) to argue quietly with someone in the group. I had both of my hands in my pockets as I just casually sauntered up to the small group now. Firedrake and Sorrel, who were facing Guinevere (who had her back to me) were the first two to notice my presence. "I mean-" before she could get another word in Firedrake, yes Firedrake, was the one to nudge her quiet and point her attention my way.
"What's going on?" I asked the group partly in curiosity and partly in slight annoyance that they were talking about me behind my back. (Obviously, they weren't exactly subtle about it.) It almost seemed like Guinevere was going to speak, but Sheldon was the first one to speak and very quickly change the subject.
"Tammy, honestly are you trying to get sick? We're going to be flying, it's going to be freezing, your hair is completely soaked!" Sheldon scolded me like a worried mother.
"Oh? I'm sure I'll be fine." I tried to shrug it off but Sheldon wasn't having it.
"No, you won't be fine. At the high altitude, Firedrake is probably going to be at, and the high wind speeds your hair might literally turn into ice. We are in the middle of winter, in case you've forgotten."
"Well… I didn't think to bring a hairdryer with me." I just shrugged at him again.
"Will you stop being so dismissive?" It was Guinevere to speak up this time. Suddenly she took off her coat and threw it over my head.
"You know, most romantic moments have the person wrap the coat around the others shoulders." I almost laughed.
"Whatever. It works. Also, this isn't a romantic moment. It's a 'we have to leave and you're holding us back. Now please get on the dragon's back." She ushered me forward. I just accepted it and did as I was told. So, in order, it was Guinevere at the front with a map in her hand, Sorrel behind her, Me behind Sorrel and Sheldon behind me. I still wasn't quite use to the cold winds, high speed, and height as I decided to, once again, focus down at Firedrake's spine. Thank god I was no longer the navigator! Besides, I don't think I could ever lead them to Russia anyways.
"You okay?" Sheldon asked me after a few moments of me just staying huddled the way I was.
"Mm-hm."I obviously lied.
"Tammy, look at me."
"I'm good."
"Tam." Sheldon placed a hand on my shoulder and leaned forward a bit so I would have no choice but to turn my attention towards him. "What's wrong?" He gave me a sympathetic look that just made me grimace at my own fears before I finally just looked away from him back down at Firedrake's scales.
"Sheldon…" I told him before bringing him close so I could whisper my secret into his ear. "I'm afraid of heights."
I expected a harsh laugh followed by a boisterous "You're flying on a dragon!" but to my surprise, I just got a soft chuckle. "Oh, I see." Sheldon tried to hide his obvious laughing and was doing a pretty good job at it… but he was still obviously laughing. "It's a… pretty common fear. Also, you aren't afraid of heights, Tam, you're afraid of falling."
I covered my eyes to avoid looking down at the ground. "If I don't look I'm fine."
"If you're afraid of heights then why did you agree to help Firedrake and Sorrel?"
"Because they needed help? Obviously. Also because-"
The winter snow was lightly falling around Candace and I as we sat next to one another on the swings, the chains lightly jingling with our slight movements as we lazily swung back and forth. I was off visiting her. It's kinda funny, we met in my last year of high school (she was a junior, I had to retake a class) in Florida, then through some turn of events we both moved up to Illinois we talk every day on the phone through texts. Since we're in the same state I visit her (sometimes she visits me). I take the trains as I can't drive. Yes, trains. I happily take two different trains to see her and get away from my sister. It's kind of funny when I first met her I still remember thinking 'She'd never be my friend.' almost five years later here we our through our bonding over video games and (some) anime.
Today was one of those days, I had the next three days with Candace and I couldn't be happier. I had just spent the last fifteen minutes telling her about all the awful things my sister had done. Finishing with:
"I can't believe she stole Forty dollars out of my wallet! I'm so mad!'
"I don't get it… why don't you kick her ass out? It's your apartment not hers!"
"It'll lead to fighting and she'll bitch and play the victim card and in the end I'll just fold like the house of cards that I am!" I almost cried to Candace. "I feel like I'm at the end of my rope, Candace." I buried my face into my hands as tears threatened to spill out of my eyes. I felt Candace lightly pat my back comfortingly. "She has me on a leash and it's just gotten to the point that I physically can't say 'no' to her anymore. I'm just-"
"-A battered housewife almost." Candace finished my sentence before pulling me into an awkward hug between the two swings. "You just let her do what she wants because you're afraid of what she'll do if she says 'no'. I mean… god, she attacked her own mother-"
"-Everyday I'm there I feel like she's gonna attack me soon… You know she wanted me to go to the doctor and lie about my own anxiety so I could get stronger medication for her?" I sniffled before lifting my glasses off of my face to wipe my tears away before they could crystallize on my face from the cold.
"God, honey…"
"That's not the worse part. She's leaving needles everywhere now! I'm just constantly throwing them away. I'm afraid one day I'm going to get stuck, I think my dad said she has hepatitis!"
"Yeah… sharing needles will do that. Tammy… why don't you-" Just then my phone started ringing in my pocket.
"Three guesses…" I half chuckled before wiping my tears away again before pulling my phone out of my pocket and just nodding. "Yep." I showed Candace the caller idea showing it was indeed my sister. "Can't go a fucking day."
"Let it go to voicemail-"
"No good, she'll just keep calling. I better answer." I sighed heavily before jumping off of the swing. "I'm sorry, after this we can…. I don't know go to the arcade or something, okay?" I didn't wait for an answer, instead I pressed 'answer' and put my phone to my ear.
"Yes, Julia?"
"You left me with no money!" She started bitching right away.
"Well, I needed money for my trip."
"What am I supposed to eat or do while you're gone, Tam?!"
"You could look for a job and eat the food in the fridge." I shot back in the same snippy voice she gave me.
"I am looking for a job! You don't understand how hard it is to find one!"
"Yeah, okay. Look, I'm not fighting with you, okay? I saved up for the trip, it's my money! Why can't I have fun for once!?"
"You saved up?" Oh, the tone in her voice told me I had fucked up royally. "You kept money hidden from me? Just so you could could hang out with your friend? Are you fucking kidding me Tammy! Sisters aren't suppose to hide things like that from one another!-" I had enough and rudely hung up on her.
"Fuck you. Fuck you!" I spoke through gritted teeth before mock throwing my phone. Candace looked at me with concern and I just gave her a breathy uneasy chuckle. "I'd never throw my phone." I told her. "I'm just so sick of her, Candace! I just… I just need to get away from her. Heh." I felt my phone vibrate and when I looked at my new notification it was, what else? My sister. She had texted me.
"Fucking rude! I can't believe you!" I mimicked the text message in a squeaky voice trying to lighten the mood, but Candace wasn't having it right off the bat.
"Are you sure you're okay, Tam?"
"Tam?"
"Tam?" Sheldon waved his hand in front of my face gaining my attention back. He actually snapped his fingers in front of my eyes to get me to look at him. "Where'da go this time?" He asked me.
I frowned, I was missing my best friend, and I'm sure she was missing me as well. I wanted to be there for her and tell her that I'm alright in person, not through some dumb text. I then felt a harsh cold wind chill me to bone causing me to huddle up a little closer to Sheldon for much needed warmth. So close that my head was practically against his chest. "I'm cold." I spoke mainly to myself as I realized my hands where absolutely freezing at this point. My fingers weren't numb but they were getting there.
"I believe- ah!" Without waiting for him to finish I planted my hands firmly against his face. This caused his immediate reaction of him trying to push my hands away. "Stop- what are you- Tammy!" I giggled and started to squish his face inwards with my cold hand. "Stop it." He ordered, but his lips were puckered so it just came out as a hilarious: "shtop it!" I just couldn't help but laugh. Sheldon went to throw my hand off of his face by sharply bringing his arm up, this caused me to move back a little out of reflex, then suddenly I realized I moved back just a little too late as my back had nothing to rest against and I just felt my whole body slip from Firedrake's back. I remember letting out a startled scream before feeling my arms being grabbed and being pulled in Sheldon's own arms.
"Is everything okay?!" I heard Firedrake question. My heart was beating a mile per minute as I just did everything I could to focus on slowing my breathing while Sheldon held me.
"Yeah!... perfectly fine." Sheldon finally answered, he too let out a shaky breath.
"Sorrel and Guinevere are looking, aren't they?" I asked him in a whisper.
"Yeah." He responded.
"Okay." I swallowed a lump in my throat before finally pulling myself out of his hug. "Thanks for saving my ass again." I tried to laugh it off, but I just… I was scared now.
"Of course, let's just stop messing around and be a little more careful."
"Agreed."
It was honestly at that moment when I turned around from Sheldon that I realized two things. One: He never blamed me for what just happened, even though it was my fault. I shouldn't have been touching his face with my cold hands when I knew he didn't like it and he told me to stop. That alone made me was just a nice change from… well everything where every time something happens I always get a "Well, it was your fault in the first place, was it not?" From my mom or sister.
Not to go too far off topic, but this does need to be said. Once I decided to take up jogging and the very first day I did this… well, I got chased by a creepy guy on a bike. I spoke to him for a few minutes, just to be nice (he was also super insistent that I talk to him). The man had expressed wanting to date me. He looked to be in his late forties and I was only twenty at the time. I don't know why but I lied to him, telling him that I was only in high school hoping that would get him to leave me alone. It didn't, in fact, he wanted to date me more it seemed. Creepy. So, I excused myself and left. As I was jogging away, I turned my head over my should to see the guy following me on his bike. I booked it. I ran as fast I could, making sure to take twists and turns to lose him. Eventually, I did. I ran into the local IGA out of breath. I hid in there for about five to ten minutes before finally going home. Now, this was a time I lived with my mom. When I came home and explained the situation she fully placed all the blame on my shoulders for talking to to the man. She would just say things like "Why did you talk to him? Huh? Huh? Why did you do it? Tell me! Why!" I just finally screamed at her that I was stupid. And…. she dropped it saying one of the more hurtful things I've heard. "Thank you. That's all I wanted." Yeah, needless to say, it hurt.
So, needless to say, it's nice that not all of the blame was placed on me for once because trust me, I have a lot more stories like that one.
But no, the second thing I was just starting to notice that was honestly making me blush the more I think about it and kinda makes me question even more things about myself is… well… I think I'm… starting to like Sheldon. Like… I think i'm growing attracted to Sheldon.
Which is weird. Very weird. I mean… he's half animal. I don't think I'm a furry, does he count as a furry? This is weird and I'm so confused.
Happy holidays to all reading this