Thoughts of Obsidian
by Visler
Chapter 7
Left Behind
* * * * *
It's amazing how differednt Son-- no... Shadow acts now that he's transformed.
When he was a normal hedgehog, he was wild and uncontrollable. Now, he's shy
and well behaved. It makes me worry. Could the radiation he was exposed to have
a negative effect on him? What kind of radiation was it? Only my Grandfather
and his coleague knew, and they wouldn't tell me anything.
"Mommy no noisy?" Shadow asked, stuffing a ranch-covered carrot into his mouth.
I smile as his face contorts in disgust. He's not a vegetarian, but Grandpa
wants him to eat them to stay healthy. He looks at me as he crunches away.
"I'm just thinking about you." I answer, scooping pudding into my own mouth.
Shadow cocks his head as he drowns another carrot in ranch dressing-- the
only way he'll eat them.
"Why?" He pops the carrot in his mouth and grimmaces again. I laugh.
"Because I can." I wipe the corner of his mouth as he chews. His ruby eyes
focuss on something behind me and spark in excitement.
"Grampy come." Shadow says happily as I look behind me. Sure enough, Grandpa
was making his way towards our table, a little jump in his step. I had to
wonder what he was excited about. "Grampy noisy too."
"Hello, my little ones." Grandpa smiles as he sets his tray down beside me.
"You look happy about something, Grandpa." I comment, trying to get him to tell
me why. He's quick to notice my direction.
"I'm ahead of schedule, and our grants have doubled because of it." He answers
quickly before taking a bite of his lunch.
"Shadow Shadow now, Grampy." Shadow smiles broadly before sucking the ranch
off his fingers. Grandpa's eyebrow twitches; humored.
"You're being silly again, little one." Grandpa chuckles, stroking Shadow's
ear. Grandpa then turns to me as if something just came into his head. "Excited
for school to start, Maria?"
"Oh no! I can't go back to school! I have to take care of Shadow!" I exclaim,
a sudden chill of fear and worry grasping my heart. I couldn't belive I had
forgotten all about school, and now I felt guilty. Guilty that I knew Grandpa
would make me go and leave Shadow here. I couldn't bear the thought of leaving
my baby here alone with Grandpa and Professor James.
"What school?" Shadow asked drowning another carrot. My grandfather smiled as
he leaned over the table to explain.
"School is a fun place kids go to learn, make friends, and play." I watched
the young hedgehog's reaction. He actually looked excited about the idea.
"Shadow go school! Shadow go school!" He bounced up and down on the chair as
he clapped his hands together, splattering ranch dressing all over the place.
I would have laughed if my heart weren't breaking. I knew Grandpa wouldn't
let him come with me.
"You could be taught here, on the ARK. But Maria has to go to a school on
Earth." Grandpa said, looking at me over the rim of his glasses.
"Mommy leave Shadow?" My baby looked upset now. I couldn't stand that look.
"I'm not leaving forever, Shadow. I can come see you during vacations." I
answer grabbing his tiny black hand; Our link. . . Our promice.
A week later, I found myself aboard and Earth-bound shuttle. His face and his
last words kept repeating themselves in my mind...
"Shadow wait..."
* * * * *
Author's note: Maria's going to school the same day I returned. That sucks!
I'm sorry, Shadow! *sniffle*
by Visler
Chapter 7
Left Behind
* * * * *
It's amazing how differednt Son-- no... Shadow acts now that he's transformed.
When he was a normal hedgehog, he was wild and uncontrollable. Now, he's shy
and well behaved. It makes me worry. Could the radiation he was exposed to have
a negative effect on him? What kind of radiation was it? Only my Grandfather
and his coleague knew, and they wouldn't tell me anything.
"Mommy no noisy?" Shadow asked, stuffing a ranch-covered carrot into his mouth.
I smile as his face contorts in disgust. He's not a vegetarian, but Grandpa
wants him to eat them to stay healthy. He looks at me as he crunches away.
"I'm just thinking about you." I answer, scooping pudding into my own mouth.
Shadow cocks his head as he drowns another carrot in ranch dressing-- the
only way he'll eat them.
"Why?" He pops the carrot in his mouth and grimmaces again. I laugh.
"Because I can." I wipe the corner of his mouth as he chews. His ruby eyes
focuss on something behind me and spark in excitement.
"Grampy come." Shadow says happily as I look behind me. Sure enough, Grandpa
was making his way towards our table, a little jump in his step. I had to
wonder what he was excited about. "Grampy noisy too."
"Hello, my little ones." Grandpa smiles as he sets his tray down beside me.
"You look happy about something, Grandpa." I comment, trying to get him to tell
me why. He's quick to notice my direction.
"I'm ahead of schedule, and our grants have doubled because of it." He answers
quickly before taking a bite of his lunch.
"Shadow Shadow now, Grampy." Shadow smiles broadly before sucking the ranch
off his fingers. Grandpa's eyebrow twitches; humored.
"You're being silly again, little one." Grandpa chuckles, stroking Shadow's
ear. Grandpa then turns to me as if something just came into his head. "Excited
for school to start, Maria?"
"Oh no! I can't go back to school! I have to take care of Shadow!" I exclaim,
a sudden chill of fear and worry grasping my heart. I couldn't belive I had
forgotten all about school, and now I felt guilty. Guilty that I knew Grandpa
would make me go and leave Shadow here. I couldn't bear the thought of leaving
my baby here alone with Grandpa and Professor James.
"What school?" Shadow asked drowning another carrot. My grandfather smiled as
he leaned over the table to explain.
"School is a fun place kids go to learn, make friends, and play." I watched
the young hedgehog's reaction. He actually looked excited about the idea.
"Shadow go school! Shadow go school!" He bounced up and down on the chair as
he clapped his hands together, splattering ranch dressing all over the place.
I would have laughed if my heart weren't breaking. I knew Grandpa wouldn't
let him come with me.
"You could be taught here, on the ARK. But Maria has to go to a school on
Earth." Grandpa said, looking at me over the rim of his glasses.
"Mommy leave Shadow?" My baby looked upset now. I couldn't stand that look.
"I'm not leaving forever, Shadow. I can come see you during vacations." I
answer grabbing his tiny black hand; Our link. . . Our promice.
A week later, I found myself aboard and Earth-bound shuttle. His face and his
last words kept repeating themselves in my mind...
"Shadow wait..."
* * * * *
Author's note: Maria's going to school the same day I returned. That sucks!
I'm sorry, Shadow! *sniffle*