Somewhere I Belong

Notes: Thank you so much, Finnigan Irish, for reviewing, but it would be advisable, er…NOT, to kiss me. :) Thanks.

Disclaimer: Charlie Bone is not mine, altho I wish Asa was. I've got this thing with animal eyes…

Chapter 2.

Father,

I have already gone by the time you read this letter. Asa Pike accompanies me. Do not bother to send anyone after us. By tomorrow we will no longer be in the country.

Since you cannot accept who I am, and who I want to be with, I disown myself from you.

Fare well.

Signed,

Your former son.

:P

The night stood before them like a great new wilderness. The only luggage carried was a single back pack each. Now, standing at the edge of the school's massive drive, Asa stopped. Turned back around. "So this is it. After this…we're gone."

"Yes." Manfred reached over and gave his hand a comforting squeeze. "Let's get going."

:P

"Is it possible to disown yourself from someone?"

"I would guess so. Otherwise, I wouldn't have written it."

Asa's eyebrows furrowed. "But you've still got the same name."

"Not anymore." Manfred's smile was smugly triumphant.

"What do you mean?"

"I'll change it. Once we leave the country, we'll have to register in the one we're going to be living in. I'll make up one or something." By now there was a cheerful bounce in his step and Asa had to up his speed or risk falling behind. "We'll make it."

Asa stared around at the falling snow as they ran. It was the end of November now, and –"We should probably hurry, Manfred. I don't know how far it is to the station yet."

"I'm sure we've got at least another mile."

"And we're running the whole way?"

"Even if I have to carry you." Asa shook his head and kept running.

They didn't know that they were being followed.

:P

"Manfred, wait!" The older boy trotted a few more frustrated steps and spun 'round.

"What is it, Asa?" The yellow slitted eyes looked around hopelessly as he bit his lip.

"Manfred, we've been in this clearing before." Manfred rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come on. Every clearing looks the same. A bunch of snow, trees all around…"

"But there was a pattern to the mushrooms, red, white, yellow, and so forth. Look!"

In dawning horror, Manfred panned the mushrooms, half dishes growing straight out of the trees. Red, white, yellow, red, white, yellow, red…… "Are you sure?"

"Well, I was beginning to get bored with all the running so I memorized the mushroom patterns. Do you have any idea where we are?"

"I ken well where ye are, on me private property! Ye just stay put or I'll shoot." Slowly, Asa and Manfred swung their gazes around to where a short fat man was aiming a musket at them from behind a tree.

"I'm sorry. We were lost. We didn't know this was anyone's private land," Asa explained. "Could you please help us?"

The man rolled his eyes and put down the gun. "Ah'right, ah'right… keep going east…no, ye idiot…that way… 'til ye've come to a tree marked on both sides with white mushrooms. Take a left and keep going in that direction until ye come to a road. But once ye take that turn, ye canna' look back for any reason."

"Well, why not?" demanded Manfred.

"The last person who looked back disappeared with a scream like a banshee. No body or nothin'. I'm not sayin' he was eated by banshees… I's jus' not a good idee." The man tipped his hat and turned back into the woods. "Fare well…"

Once he was gone, Asa and Manfred exchanged skeptical looks.

"Wait, I know that look."

"Well, there's not any other living person in this god-forsaken forest that knows the way out. Let's shove all the chips in that direction. What do we have to lose?"

"I could lose you." Asa smiled and grabbed Manfred's hand.

"Not if I'm holding on to you. Let's go."

"No turning back, huh?"

"Shut up and keep moving. We're going to miss the train."

The fat man with the musket rolled his eyes as the loud argument rang through the trees, growing fainter. "Almos' wish they would turn back…"

"Surely you don't mean that, sir."

The man growled at the insolent squirrel staring down the barrel of his gun and nibbling curiously at it like it was a harmless trumpet.

"I damn well meant what I said, Feldsborogh. Ye get yer bushy tail back at yer post."

The squirrel saluted and scampered back up its tree.

"Aiaiai…" Shaking his head, the man disappeared back into the trees.

:P

"All aboard!"

"Asa, hurry!"

"I'm trying! Wait! Please! Tickets? Manfred, you didn't lose them, did you? Oh, for God's sake…"

"I didn't lose them. Here."

"Hurry and board. Thirty seconds before we start moving."

"Dear God…"

"I thought you were an atheist."

"Agnostic. There's a difference."

"Oh."

"Crap. Split up or ask someone to move?"

"Make 'em move."

"Excuse me, ma'am? Oh, thank you. Uh…sure. Yeah. You too."

"I've just decided I don't like people."

"Really? What about me?"

"You're half-wolf. There's a difference."

"Did you see that boy?"

"Yellow eyes, honestly."

"Could be contact lenses. You can get 'em like that, you know."

"There's something completely wolfish about him, though."

"Umm… that's more than I needed to see."

"I knew there was something wrong with them."

"What's wrong with them, Mama?"

"Nothing. Just read your book."

"Ewww…That's gross. Kissin's gross."

"We should have a gimungous snog session just to gross the fuck out of everyone on this blasted train."

"Mmmm… (Yawwwwwwn)How about a nap first?"

"….alright."

:P

End chapter 2.

:P

Buahaha. Dialogue sessions are so much fun.

….Well? Comments? PLEASE! Hm… train… funny. I just got home from the theatre a bit ago, we saw The Polar Express. Beautiful movie. All computer animated. I was so impressed. :) Anyway… drop me a line.