Disclaimer: I don't own Animorphs. I do own Jet. Deal with it.
Chapter 4
I woke to a beam of bright sunlight as the door slid back. Then there was a flood of electric lights. I was glad that my hair hung down over my face and hands to help hide my pale skin in the shadows. A girl about my age walked in. She was pretty enough, but not in a super model kind of way. Hers was a natural, earthy beauty. Her chocolate skin and dark hair and eyes glowed. She looked very happy, I noted with a tinge of bitterness. It was as if she hadn't a care in the world. She went and looked into each cage and stall, tending the animals there. I noticed they were all injured in some way. The largest animal was a deer that looked like it had a broken leg, and the smallest was a raccoon with an injured paw.
"Hi Tobias." she said as a hawk swept in. "I think that guy on the end is about ready to leave. Where should I release him?" Talking to a hawk? Weird chick, but whatever. The bird she indicated did indeed look recovered. He shifted restlessly in his cage and I couldn't tell what had been wrong with it. The red tailed hawk settled on the rafter by my head, and I sincerely hoped it wouldn't decide to attack me or draw the girl's attention to me. I squeezed my eyes shut, lying absolutely still and concentrating on trying to be invisible. It didn't work. When I opened my eyes again she was staring right at me.
"I know you're awake." she stated. "Who are you and why are you in my barn?" She had lost her carefree air and replaced it with one of caution and readiness. Her eyes looked tired and dangerous like a warrior's eyes might. She looked old, and I wondered what had happened to make her like that.
"No one, and I was sleeping. Is that bird gonna attack me?" The hawk's unwavering gaze was starting to unnerve me. As soon as I spoke it fluttered over to a different beam as if it had understood me. I sat up so I could see better than I could lying down with my hair over my eyes. I didn't think she was going to hurt me, and if she was a controller she wasn't going to show any signs of it. I jumped down and pulled my bag after me.
"Please don't tell anyone I've been here. I'll leave now."
"Wait. My name's Cassie. Do you want some breakfast?" I paused, wondering if this could be a trick. She seemed genuine and I was very hungry since I hadn't really eaten since lunch yesterday. Or had it been the day before? A lot had happened between then and now.
"Your parents won't mind?" She shrugged as if to say she didn't know. I nodded. "My name's Jet."
"Jet?" Cassie raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"Short for Jetsam." She shrugged and led me into the house. It was a nice place, clean and functional and well lit. I set my bag by the back door and we walked into a kitchen where a pair of adults stood making pancakes. They were obviously her parents, and seemed just as cheerful and lighthearted as Cassie had appeared at first.
"Mom, I found someone sleeping out in the barn and invited her in for breakfast." The woman looked surprised, but took it all in stride.
"What's your name, child?" The way she talked made me want to trust her. She said it in a concerned, motherly tone. I suppose I rather looked the part of the little lost child, despite my age.
"Sam." I told her quietly. Grown-ups like that name better than Jet. Jet sounds too much like a name a gang member would have or something, and I didn't want this woman to get the wrong idea about me.
"Well Sam, you've got about half an hour before we're all ready if you want to get cleaned up."
"Thank you, ma'am." I retrieved my bag and Cassie showed be where the bathroom was. I showered quickly and changed. Now instead of wearing all black I wore flared blue jeans, a white mock-turtleneck tank top, and a short denim jacket. I figured if I ran low on clean clothes I could stop by a laundromat. I plaited a braid on either side of my head, joining them together in the back so that only one braid hung down over my hair. I wore a round pendant engraved with the Chinese symbol for hope.
It seemed appropriate at the moment. I had enough cash to last me a while; I was getting a good breakfast where I hadn't expected any. Despite the events of last few days my outlook on life was sunny just then. I returned my bag to its spot by the back door and went back to the kitchen. I sat down next to Cassie and answered her parents' questions as truthfully as I could.
"So where do you live?"
"No where just now. I just came in from out of state."
"Won't your folks be worried about you?"
"Don't have any."
"Oh. Is there anyone who's going to be looking for you?"
"Nope." I answered nonchalantly. That was a blatant lie. I knew the Yeerks would be looking for me, but that wasn't something I was going to just bring up in a conversation.
"We should take you down to child services after breakfast." I thought about that one for a moment. Why not? It would get me somewhere to stay and it wasn't like they could make me tell them anything I didn't want to… like where I was from and why I wouldn't go back there. I shrugged.
"Okay."
"You like blueberry or maple syrup?"
"Blueberry, please."
AN: Wow! I've got almost ten reviews. Who's gonna be the lucky tenth reviewer? Well, now I'm going to individually reply to my nine reviews. Why? Because I can and I feel like it tonight.
Chapter 1
Zaron of the Red Moon: First off, cool name. No clue what it's in reference to, but cool nonetheless. I read early too. It's currently 12:39 AM. I'm glad you can see my talent, thank you very much. I'm still mad at Quinton for making my write this.
Chapter 2
Zaron of the Red Moon: Yes, sleep is good, and thanks again.
Wyntre de Romanov: Yet another cool penname. It looks vaguely Russian to me, except that whenever you stick 'de' in the middle of a name/sentence/phrase it automatically looks Spanish to me. Glad you like it and I guess since you're reading this then your wish has been granted.
Keiko: Okay.
Jiana: Okay, okay! So I'm posting already! Quinton wouldn't let Arien hurt me. Besides which, Arien isn't capable of seriously injuring me anyway. Quinton said so. =P
Chapter 3
BOB23: Well, normally in response to a statement such as that I would shout out "IT'S BOB'S BARN!!!" or something similar. However, since your penname is Bob, that would seem a bit odd. But it hardly matters, because anyone who's read Animorphs books even in passing knows the answer.
Jiana: Yeah, well =P to you too.
Jade: Thanks for the encouragement. I'd really rather not continue, but my muse is gonna make me.
Pheona: Yes! I'm interesting and better than average! This is my goal in life. Sorry for the sarcasm. It's very late. Thank you for your review and I'm glad you like it.
Chapter 4
I woke to a beam of bright sunlight as the door slid back. Then there was a flood of electric lights. I was glad that my hair hung down over my face and hands to help hide my pale skin in the shadows. A girl about my age walked in. She was pretty enough, but not in a super model kind of way. Hers was a natural, earthy beauty. Her chocolate skin and dark hair and eyes glowed. She looked very happy, I noted with a tinge of bitterness. It was as if she hadn't a care in the world. She went and looked into each cage and stall, tending the animals there. I noticed they were all injured in some way. The largest animal was a deer that looked like it had a broken leg, and the smallest was a raccoon with an injured paw.
"Hi Tobias." she said as a hawk swept in. "I think that guy on the end is about ready to leave. Where should I release him?" Talking to a hawk? Weird chick, but whatever. The bird she indicated did indeed look recovered. He shifted restlessly in his cage and I couldn't tell what had been wrong with it. The red tailed hawk settled on the rafter by my head, and I sincerely hoped it wouldn't decide to attack me or draw the girl's attention to me. I squeezed my eyes shut, lying absolutely still and concentrating on trying to be invisible. It didn't work. When I opened my eyes again she was staring right at me.
"I know you're awake." she stated. "Who are you and why are you in my barn?" She had lost her carefree air and replaced it with one of caution and readiness. Her eyes looked tired and dangerous like a warrior's eyes might. She looked old, and I wondered what had happened to make her like that.
"No one, and I was sleeping. Is that bird gonna attack me?" The hawk's unwavering gaze was starting to unnerve me. As soon as I spoke it fluttered over to a different beam as if it had understood me. I sat up so I could see better than I could lying down with my hair over my eyes. I didn't think she was going to hurt me, and if she was a controller she wasn't going to show any signs of it. I jumped down and pulled my bag after me.
"Please don't tell anyone I've been here. I'll leave now."
"Wait. My name's Cassie. Do you want some breakfast?" I paused, wondering if this could be a trick. She seemed genuine and I was very hungry since I hadn't really eaten since lunch yesterday. Or had it been the day before? A lot had happened between then and now.
"Your parents won't mind?" She shrugged as if to say she didn't know. I nodded. "My name's Jet."
"Jet?" Cassie raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"Short for Jetsam." She shrugged and led me into the house. It was a nice place, clean and functional and well lit. I set my bag by the back door and we walked into a kitchen where a pair of adults stood making pancakes. They were obviously her parents, and seemed just as cheerful and lighthearted as Cassie had appeared at first.
"Mom, I found someone sleeping out in the barn and invited her in for breakfast." The woman looked surprised, but took it all in stride.
"What's your name, child?" The way she talked made me want to trust her. She said it in a concerned, motherly tone. I suppose I rather looked the part of the little lost child, despite my age.
"Sam." I told her quietly. Grown-ups like that name better than Jet. Jet sounds too much like a name a gang member would have or something, and I didn't want this woman to get the wrong idea about me.
"Well Sam, you've got about half an hour before we're all ready if you want to get cleaned up."
"Thank you, ma'am." I retrieved my bag and Cassie showed be where the bathroom was. I showered quickly and changed. Now instead of wearing all black I wore flared blue jeans, a white mock-turtleneck tank top, and a short denim jacket. I figured if I ran low on clean clothes I could stop by a laundromat. I plaited a braid on either side of my head, joining them together in the back so that only one braid hung down over my hair. I wore a round pendant engraved with the Chinese symbol for hope.
It seemed appropriate at the moment. I had enough cash to last me a while; I was getting a good breakfast where I hadn't expected any. Despite the events of last few days my outlook on life was sunny just then. I returned my bag to its spot by the back door and went back to the kitchen. I sat down next to Cassie and answered her parents' questions as truthfully as I could.
"So where do you live?"
"No where just now. I just came in from out of state."
"Won't your folks be worried about you?"
"Don't have any."
"Oh. Is there anyone who's going to be looking for you?"
"Nope." I answered nonchalantly. That was a blatant lie. I knew the Yeerks would be looking for me, but that wasn't something I was going to just bring up in a conversation.
"We should take you down to child services after breakfast." I thought about that one for a moment. Why not? It would get me somewhere to stay and it wasn't like they could make me tell them anything I didn't want to… like where I was from and why I wouldn't go back there. I shrugged.
"Okay."
"You like blueberry or maple syrup?"
"Blueberry, please."
AN: Wow! I've got almost ten reviews. Who's gonna be the lucky tenth reviewer? Well, now I'm going to individually reply to my nine reviews. Why? Because I can and I feel like it tonight.
Chapter 1
Zaron of the Red Moon: First off, cool name. No clue what it's in reference to, but cool nonetheless. I read early too. It's currently 12:39 AM. I'm glad you can see my talent, thank you very much. I'm still mad at Quinton for making my write this.
Chapter 2
Zaron of the Red Moon: Yes, sleep is good, and thanks again.
Wyntre de Romanov: Yet another cool penname. It looks vaguely Russian to me, except that whenever you stick 'de' in the middle of a name/sentence/phrase it automatically looks Spanish to me. Glad you like it and I guess since you're reading this then your wish has been granted.
Keiko: Okay.
Jiana: Okay, okay! So I'm posting already! Quinton wouldn't let Arien hurt me. Besides which, Arien isn't capable of seriously injuring me anyway. Quinton said so. =P
Chapter 3
BOB23: Well, normally in response to a statement such as that I would shout out "IT'S BOB'S BARN!!!" or something similar. However, since your penname is Bob, that would seem a bit odd. But it hardly matters, because anyone who's read Animorphs books even in passing knows the answer.
Jiana: Yeah, well =P to you too.
Jade: Thanks for the encouragement. I'd really rather not continue, but my muse is gonna make me.
Pheona: Yes! I'm interesting and better than average! This is my goal in life. Sorry for the sarcasm. It's very late. Thank you for your review and I'm glad you like it.
