Hey, IU got a few reviews, so I figured I'd post another chapter. Glad you
all liked it! I'm enjoying writing it! (
Ima_Super_Mute_Ant: LOVE the username, first of all. Excellent choice. Very original! Thanks for revieing! Glad you're enjoying it so far!
Demiducky25: LOL, Glad you're intrigued! I hope I can keep you that way! ;- )
Rogue151: HEY! Glad you like the story. You don't think Mystique's out of character? Oh, good. I was a little worried about that. You should definitely start reading the Mystique comics. They're SO cool! By the way, I LOVE your fanfics!
Pendragon, ol' buddy, ol' pal! How are you? So sweet of you to review! Considering I'll be murdered in my sleep if I don't update this, I've decided to post this chappy for you! Aren't I sweet? (
Enjoy, ya'll!
Chapter 2
I hate guns.
They're so bad.
All they do is hurt and kill.
And I have one pointed at me right now.
I'm scooting against the other door, shaking cuz I'm so scared, and I'm crying, 'begging' the lady not to hurt me.
I really didn't mean to make her angry.
I was only trying to go to sleep somewhere safe.
I didn't wake up on time, is all.
The lady looks really surprised, like something scary just popped out and said, "BOO!"
I'm not THAT scary, am I?
She just stares at me like I'm an alien or something, and after a while, I stop crying, cuz I see she's not gonna hurt me.
She and I just look at each other for a minute, and then this guy in an ugly brown truck stops by us and yells, "HEY LADY! YOU GONNA MOVE YER FREAKIN' CAR OR WHAT?"
The man behind me has a loud and arrogant voice, one that makes me clench my teeth in irritation.
I snap out of my stunned daze and turn to him, my eyes regarding him coldly; I don't even have to say anything before he moves on nervously.
Good. Now that's over, back to business.
I turn around and see the girl still backed up against the other door.
She's still trembling, but at least she's stopped crying.
I slowly lower my gun to my waistband and slide it in, crossing my arms over my chest as I think for the right words. Finally, I demand, "Didn't your mom ever teach you not to play around cars?"
She hesitantly swallows and then whispers, "I don't have a mommy. She died."
I feel a sharp prick of sympathy at first, but brush it away, "Ok, fine. Then what about your dad?"
She shook her head, "He died too."
I gaze at her, my eyes slowly taking in her jean shorts and light blouse.
Realization hits pretty quickly.
"You're Meghan Carnelle, aren't you?"
She slowly nods, and tears fill her eyes again, "Are you gonna kill me?"
I scoff slightly and shake my head, "No. I'm not gonna kill you."
"Are you gonna take me back to THEM?"
Her voice breaks and she sobs.
I frown slightly and shake my head in confusion, "Huh?"
"Them," she explains tearfully, "Are you going to take me back?"
"What? To the police?"
"No. To THEM."
She seems pretty darn emphatic on this 'THEM' thing, so I change the subject, "How old are you?"
"Six..."
"Six. Great."
I run my hands through my hair and sigh; this day is just getting better and better.
Finally, I look at her and say, "Look, Kid. I'd really like to listen to your whole story about 'them' and all, and I'd like to return you home—really, I would—but I can't. I'm on VACATION, and...well...I don't like cops much."
Meghan tilts her head slightly and whispers, "How come?"
I scowl, "Personal matters, Kid."
She drops her head and stares at her hands, "Oh."
I hear another car pull up behind me and this time a loud and shrill woman's voice calls out, "Can't you get control of your kid, lady?"
I roll my eyes as she pulls away; MY kid?
Meghan looks NOTHING like me.
How could someone mistake her for MY kid?
She's small and horribly skinny with very plain, straight blonde hair and freckles dancing across the bridge of her nose and almost up to her dark blue eyes.
She doesn't look like ME at all.
"...are you takin' me home?"
I start slightly, realizing that she was talking to me.
"Home?"
"Uh huh. Are you gonna bring me back?"
"Where do you live?"
"In Cal-ee-for-nee-uh."
I blink at her, and then ask, "California?"
She nods.
That about tears it.
"Ok. Out. C'mon."
I grab the kid's wrist and drag her out, "I can't get caught up in this."
It kind of hurts when the lady pulls me out of the car, but I don't say anything as she closes the door and says, "I'm in enough trouble as it is without getting involved in some kidnapping case."
I'm kind of confused by that, but I just kind of blink and stare at her while she stands with her hands on her hips and looks at me.
After a while, she reaches out and turns me around and says, "Ok. Town's that way, only about a mile away. You're young, you can do it. Nearest cop there'll help you. Good luck."
Then she turns around to get into her car.
I'm really confused now, but I don't have any time to ask her about it, because she's closed herself into her car and is starting it.
I run up to her window and grip the edge of it, "Are you leavin'?"
She jumps when I speak and turns around to look at me; she sounds a little bit annoyed, "Wha-? YES! I'm leaving. I said I can't get involved in this. Last tim4e I tried to save a kidnapped kid...it just wasn't pretty, ok? Besides, you don't want to hang with me, trust me. I'm not nice."
I just kind of look at her wh9ile she turns her radio up, "Just keep walking down the street. Someone else'll pick you up...or maybe you'll walk all the way to the cops, who knows? All I know is that I am NOT going all the way to California. And I'm NOT getting all involved with you."
"How come?"
"Because, you're kidnapped! The police will think I took you! Or the people who DID take you will come and strangle me—or try to."
"Strangle?"
She uses really weird words.
She kind of stares at me like I'm dumb and rolls her eyes, "Look, Kid-"
"My name's Meghan."
"Fine. Meghan, I don't have time or money or KINDNESS enough to take you in and drive you to the police. I hate cops. They just...I don't like them."
"How come?"
"Because I DON'T."
I'm starting to feel like crying again; I don't want to be left alone on this street.
I don't know where I am.
"Can't you just drive me to da cops and I'LL tell dem?"
"No. No, no, no, no, no!"
She's started the car now and is reaching over to roll the window up, "You're tough, Kid. Just go find someone else to help you. I WON'T."
Then she pulls away from me.
Good riddance.
I turn the radio up even more and sigh, agitated; why do things like thisd have to happen tome?
All I wanted was a stinkin' vacation!
Ok, I didn't want one at first, but now I do.
In any event, I do NOT want to get caught up in some kidnapping case.
Definitely not.
No way.
Just forget it, I'm finding a good hotel in Las Vegas.
Gambling, late night clubs, drinking?
Yes.
Babysitting, potty training, baby talk?
NO!
Infinite times NO!
I glance in the rearview mirror and see her sitting on the ground with her face buried in her hands.
She's crying.
Great.
Just great.
The little girl is crying.
With a very furious and exaggerated sigh, I jerk the steering wheel over to the vurb and switch to reverse.
Curses on rearview mirrors!
I can hear a car backing up somewhere ahead and I look up just in time to see the layd's car stop inches in front of my face.
I can feel my heart in my throat; I thought she was gonna hit me!
I watch as she kicks the door open and comes over to me, not looking very happy at all.
"Kid, you're pathetic!"
Ouch. That hurt.
What's pathetic?
She roughly pulls me up by my arms and dusts my shorts off, "You can't just live like this? Just dropping dead every time someone refuses to help? You have to FIGHT!"
"Fight?" I ask softly as she brushes tears from my cheeks.
"Yea. Fight."
"Like punching?"
"No! Like...well, sure. Like punching. Quit giving up so easily. You're going to get yourself killed!"
She pauses for a second and looks at me, and then she shakes her head, "You're not gonna make it in this world if you continue on like this?"
I tilt my head to the side, confused, "Like what?"
"Like...this!"
She's waving at me, like it's obvious.
I don't get it, but oh well.
I guess it's an adult thing.
"You're going to get pushed around by everyone," she says, and then she stands up and crosses her arms.
I kind of just stare at her, and then I whisper, "I'm hungry."
Figures.
Speak a load of wisdom to a kid, and all they have to say back is, "I'm hungry."
Why do I even try?
"You're hungry?"
She nods, and when I look at her, I do think she looks a little pale form undernourishment.
Why didn't I keep anything in my CAR?
I look around, like maybe some blasted angel from above will drop down and take her away, but instead all that happens is she reaches out and grabs my hand.
That shocks me and I almost pull away, but somehow stop myself.
I glance down at her indifferently, "What do you eat?"
"Food."
"Food?"
I realize then how hungry I am; I haven't eaten a decent meal in days.
I look over to my car, at Meghan, and then down the road to the town behind me.
"Well...I guess I can help you out with this ONE thing..."
I bite my lips slightly as I ponder my choices carefully.
Why is this decision so hard to make?
She's old enough to walk a mile down the road and ask for help!
But there's just something about leaving her by herself that makes me feel...dare I say it, guilty.
Guilty.
Great, now I have a conscience.
"What the heck," I mutter, leading the girl hesitantly over to my car, "What's the harm in one stupid lunch?"
So much for not getting involved.
Ima_Super_Mute_Ant: LOVE the username, first of all. Excellent choice. Very original! Thanks for revieing! Glad you're enjoying it so far!
Demiducky25: LOL, Glad you're intrigued! I hope I can keep you that way! ;- )
Rogue151: HEY! Glad you like the story. You don't think Mystique's out of character? Oh, good. I was a little worried about that. You should definitely start reading the Mystique comics. They're SO cool! By the way, I LOVE your fanfics!
Pendragon, ol' buddy, ol' pal! How are you? So sweet of you to review! Considering I'll be murdered in my sleep if I don't update this, I've decided to post this chappy for you! Aren't I sweet? (
Enjoy, ya'll!
Chapter 2
I hate guns.
They're so bad.
All they do is hurt and kill.
And I have one pointed at me right now.
I'm scooting against the other door, shaking cuz I'm so scared, and I'm crying, 'begging' the lady not to hurt me.
I really didn't mean to make her angry.
I was only trying to go to sleep somewhere safe.
I didn't wake up on time, is all.
The lady looks really surprised, like something scary just popped out and said, "BOO!"
I'm not THAT scary, am I?
She just stares at me like I'm an alien or something, and after a while, I stop crying, cuz I see she's not gonna hurt me.
She and I just look at each other for a minute, and then this guy in an ugly brown truck stops by us and yells, "HEY LADY! YOU GONNA MOVE YER FREAKIN' CAR OR WHAT?"
The man behind me has a loud and arrogant voice, one that makes me clench my teeth in irritation.
I snap out of my stunned daze and turn to him, my eyes regarding him coldly; I don't even have to say anything before he moves on nervously.
Good. Now that's over, back to business.
I turn around and see the girl still backed up against the other door.
She's still trembling, but at least she's stopped crying.
I slowly lower my gun to my waistband and slide it in, crossing my arms over my chest as I think for the right words. Finally, I demand, "Didn't your mom ever teach you not to play around cars?"
She hesitantly swallows and then whispers, "I don't have a mommy. She died."
I feel a sharp prick of sympathy at first, but brush it away, "Ok, fine. Then what about your dad?"
She shook her head, "He died too."
I gaze at her, my eyes slowly taking in her jean shorts and light blouse.
Realization hits pretty quickly.
"You're Meghan Carnelle, aren't you?"
She slowly nods, and tears fill her eyes again, "Are you gonna kill me?"
I scoff slightly and shake my head, "No. I'm not gonna kill you."
"Are you gonna take me back to THEM?"
Her voice breaks and she sobs.
I frown slightly and shake my head in confusion, "Huh?"
"Them," she explains tearfully, "Are you going to take me back?"
"What? To the police?"
"No. To THEM."
She seems pretty darn emphatic on this 'THEM' thing, so I change the subject, "How old are you?"
"Six..."
"Six. Great."
I run my hands through my hair and sigh; this day is just getting better and better.
Finally, I look at her and say, "Look, Kid. I'd really like to listen to your whole story about 'them' and all, and I'd like to return you home—really, I would—but I can't. I'm on VACATION, and...well...I don't like cops much."
Meghan tilts her head slightly and whispers, "How come?"
I scowl, "Personal matters, Kid."
She drops her head and stares at her hands, "Oh."
I hear another car pull up behind me and this time a loud and shrill woman's voice calls out, "Can't you get control of your kid, lady?"
I roll my eyes as she pulls away; MY kid?
Meghan looks NOTHING like me.
How could someone mistake her for MY kid?
She's small and horribly skinny with very plain, straight blonde hair and freckles dancing across the bridge of her nose and almost up to her dark blue eyes.
She doesn't look like ME at all.
"...are you takin' me home?"
I start slightly, realizing that she was talking to me.
"Home?"
"Uh huh. Are you gonna bring me back?"
"Where do you live?"
"In Cal-ee-for-nee-uh."
I blink at her, and then ask, "California?"
She nods.
That about tears it.
"Ok. Out. C'mon."
I grab the kid's wrist and drag her out, "I can't get caught up in this."
It kind of hurts when the lady pulls me out of the car, but I don't say anything as she closes the door and says, "I'm in enough trouble as it is without getting involved in some kidnapping case."
I'm kind of confused by that, but I just kind of blink and stare at her while she stands with her hands on her hips and looks at me.
After a while, she reaches out and turns me around and says, "Ok. Town's that way, only about a mile away. You're young, you can do it. Nearest cop there'll help you. Good luck."
Then she turns around to get into her car.
I'm really confused now, but I don't have any time to ask her about it, because she's closed herself into her car and is starting it.
I run up to her window and grip the edge of it, "Are you leavin'?"
She jumps when I speak and turns around to look at me; she sounds a little bit annoyed, "Wha-? YES! I'm leaving. I said I can't get involved in this. Last tim4e I tried to save a kidnapped kid...it just wasn't pretty, ok? Besides, you don't want to hang with me, trust me. I'm not nice."
I just kind of look at her wh9ile she turns her radio up, "Just keep walking down the street. Someone else'll pick you up...or maybe you'll walk all the way to the cops, who knows? All I know is that I am NOT going all the way to California. And I'm NOT getting all involved with you."
"How come?"
"Because, you're kidnapped! The police will think I took you! Or the people who DID take you will come and strangle me—or try to."
"Strangle?"
She uses really weird words.
She kind of stares at me like I'm dumb and rolls her eyes, "Look, Kid-"
"My name's Meghan."
"Fine. Meghan, I don't have time or money or KINDNESS enough to take you in and drive you to the police. I hate cops. They just...I don't like them."
"How come?"
"Because I DON'T."
I'm starting to feel like crying again; I don't want to be left alone on this street.
I don't know where I am.
"Can't you just drive me to da cops and I'LL tell dem?"
"No. No, no, no, no, no!"
She's started the car now and is reaching over to roll the window up, "You're tough, Kid. Just go find someone else to help you. I WON'T."
Then she pulls away from me.
Good riddance.
I turn the radio up even more and sigh, agitated; why do things like thisd have to happen tome?
All I wanted was a stinkin' vacation!
Ok, I didn't want one at first, but now I do.
In any event, I do NOT want to get caught up in some kidnapping case.
Definitely not.
No way.
Just forget it, I'm finding a good hotel in Las Vegas.
Gambling, late night clubs, drinking?
Yes.
Babysitting, potty training, baby talk?
NO!
Infinite times NO!
I glance in the rearview mirror and see her sitting on the ground with her face buried in her hands.
She's crying.
Great.
Just great.
The little girl is crying.
With a very furious and exaggerated sigh, I jerk the steering wheel over to the vurb and switch to reverse.
Curses on rearview mirrors!
I can hear a car backing up somewhere ahead and I look up just in time to see the layd's car stop inches in front of my face.
I can feel my heart in my throat; I thought she was gonna hit me!
I watch as she kicks the door open and comes over to me, not looking very happy at all.
"Kid, you're pathetic!"
Ouch. That hurt.
What's pathetic?
She roughly pulls me up by my arms and dusts my shorts off, "You can't just live like this? Just dropping dead every time someone refuses to help? You have to FIGHT!"
"Fight?" I ask softly as she brushes tears from my cheeks.
"Yea. Fight."
"Like punching?"
"No! Like...well, sure. Like punching. Quit giving up so easily. You're going to get yourself killed!"
She pauses for a second and looks at me, and then she shakes her head, "You're not gonna make it in this world if you continue on like this?"
I tilt my head to the side, confused, "Like what?"
"Like...this!"
She's waving at me, like it's obvious.
I don't get it, but oh well.
I guess it's an adult thing.
"You're going to get pushed around by everyone," she says, and then she stands up and crosses her arms.
I kind of just stare at her, and then I whisper, "I'm hungry."
Figures.
Speak a load of wisdom to a kid, and all they have to say back is, "I'm hungry."
Why do I even try?
"You're hungry?"
She nods, and when I look at her, I do think she looks a little pale form undernourishment.
Why didn't I keep anything in my CAR?
I look around, like maybe some blasted angel from above will drop down and take her away, but instead all that happens is she reaches out and grabs my hand.
That shocks me and I almost pull away, but somehow stop myself.
I glance down at her indifferently, "What do you eat?"
"Food."
"Food?"
I realize then how hungry I am; I haven't eaten a decent meal in days.
I look over to my car, at Meghan, and then down the road to the town behind me.
"Well...I guess I can help you out with this ONE thing..."
I bite my lips slightly as I ponder my choices carefully.
Why is this decision so hard to make?
She's old enough to walk a mile down the road and ask for help!
But there's just something about leaving her by herself that makes me feel...dare I say it, guilty.
Guilty.
Great, now I have a conscience.
"What the heck," I mutter, leading the girl hesitantly over to my car, "What's the harm in one stupid lunch?"
So much for not getting involved.