Sakura In Paris 2
Part Twelve: Anxieties

We're camping out just inches away from the Mexican border. Why? Because a 25 mile long and two feet thick barbed-wire fence is between us and freedom.
Raye (playing a harmonica): I've got the inches-away-from-Mexico Blues!
Max: Shaddup! Some people are tyin' to get some sleep!
Ameoba Boy: Yeah! Well, except for Li and Sakura. They're busy making out.
Li and Sakura (from inside their tent): Hey!
Christopher: Ange?
Raye: Yes?
Christopher: What do cobras look like?
Raye: Black snakes with hoods.
Christopher: Oh, good. This snake in front of me is brown and has a rattle.
Raye: CHRISTOPHER! IT'S A RATTLESNAKE!!!


{Disclaimer}
While I'm trying my bit at snake charming, enjoy the next fic part, even though I don't own Cardcaptors' characters. Hey! Maybe I should be the Pied Piper and try to lead some poisonous snakes to Clamp and order them to sell CCS to me!
It could work.
In my dreams, at least.


Sakura knocked at Li's door. "Li! Wake up! I need to talk with you!"
Li opened the door and blinked blearily at his girlfriend, standing in the darkened hall in her pink fluffy robe. He yawned and scratched his head sleepily. "What is it?"
Sakura pushed him in the room and entered herself, shutting the door quickly behind her.
"Wait just a moment! I demand to know what you're doing in here at one in the morning!" Li said in a huffy way as he sat on the bed and yawned again, shading his eyes as Sakura turned on the small bedside lamp.
"I want to talk to you about Madison and Shawn."
"Why? What about them? Is there something wrong?" Li asked apprehensively as he noticed the worried expression on Sakura's usually cheerful face.
"Madison's been telling me some things about Shawn that aren't adding up."
"What?"
"She told me tonight that the night after we went through the maze, she was walking around the mansion when she heard Shawn crying out. When she went to see what was the matter, Shawn seemed to recognize her, but he called her Kanthel. She said he looked different somehow, older and frightened. And he was moaning something about that shadow that he was sure was following us in the Maze."
"Shawn's a nice boy; I don't think he's a few fries short of a Happy Meal, if that's what you're thinking. He's just had a bad past is all."
"That's exactly what Madison told me. But lately, I've been sensing something about Shawn that I can't quite place." Sakura mused as she sat beside Li.
Li studied her for a moment in silence. "Magic?"
"I'm not really sure. Just something strange. I don't think I've ever sensed this before. And Madison also told me that in the maze, before I came for them, Shawn was able to read her thoughts!"
"Really?" Li asked, surprised. "Maybe you're right. It does sound like there's something more to Shawn than meets the eye."
"Madison was about to let slip about the Freeze Card, and she stopped herself before she could. But Shawn still knew what she was about to say, and not only that, he knew she was thinking about me when she said it!"
"Do you sense anything dangerous about Shawn?" Li asked. "If you do, it may not be wise to let him and Madison be together so much."
"That's another thing! Despite everything peculiar about him, and everything that has me on edge about him, I don't sense any danger from him! In fact, he and Madison just feel right together." Sakura paused for a moment, confused. "I can't really describe it, but it's like they're meant to be together."
Li frowned. "So what are you so worried about?"
"Even though Shawn seems perfectly nice and safe, there's something, something very close to him, that I'm not so easy around. It's something clearly evil, with dark intentions. I'm sure of it!"
"But it's not a part of Shawn?" Li questioned in a perplexed way.
"No! But it seems to float around him all the time. Sometimes it's very faint, like it's fading away, but then it returns as strong as ever."
"The shadow that Shawn's always bringing up?"
"I don't know." Sakura said in a hopeless way. "I can never see anything, but I can always sense it."
"You said there was something strange about Shawn. Maybe he's the only one that can see it."
"I'm worried about Madison, Li. The closer she and Shawn get, the stronger the thing gets. And it's as if . . . As if it's one purpose is to destroy them!"


Oooooooh! Suspense!
Raye: DIE! DIE! DIE!
(Max and the others look on, their sweatsdropping very low.)
Max: Raye?
Raye: What?
Max: Are you done beating that garden hose to death with your stick of wood?
Raye: What? (Looks down at the rumpled and dusty piece of green garden hose) Where did the rattlesnake go?
Max: It slithered away about an hour ago.
Raye (grinning nervously): Oh . . . .
Ms. Sinic: Guys, I need some help!
Raye & Max: With what?
Ms. Sinic: I have to fix my shack! The roof fell down!
Psycho: I'm just wondering, who's bright idea was it to make a Hooverville on the Mexican border?
Raye: Mine. I mean, there was plenty of scrap metal and the remains of the Mac 'N Cheeze truck gave us enough building materials.
(Everyone's sweatdrops.)
Everyone: My friends are wak!