CHAPTER 17- The Human Approach

            Rage began to cloud my mind as I looked at the marks upon Ember's arms. She pulled away from me.

            "Lemme alone Ecco, please!" She whimpered, tears falling from her cheeks. "It was an accident, please don't be mad…"

            "Accident?! Ember, he hurt you!" I snapped.

            "No no Ecco, it was an accident… please don't be mad…" she whimpered.

"When I see him next, he will pay for this Ember…" I growled as I stood up, clenching my fists.

"Ecco NO! Don't hurt him!" she pleaded to me. I kept my fists clenched tightly, trying to keep my rage at bay.

"Ember, he deserves to be punished for this!" I looked at her as she shook her head over and over.

"No Ecco… please no… he didn't mean to…promise me you won't hurt him!" she cried. I looked at her, falling silent.

How can she possibly ask this!? After what he has done to her!?

"Ember… I… he must…" I tried to form the words, but my mind was overcome by such burning rage and hatred for the human Mr. Fredrick it was difficult.

"PROMISE ME!" she wailed. I looked at her silently fuming for a moment. As much as my rage wished me to find this human and punish him, I simply could not force myself to go against this small child's wishes.

"I… promise… I will not harm him Ember." I said at last, though it pained me greatly to say it. Ember looked relieved, and then looked up at me.

"Thanks Ecco… he didn't mean to… it just happened…" she lowered her head. "Ecco I wanna go to my treehouse now…"

"I will go with yo…" she suddenly cut me off.

"By myself Ecco. I wanna play by myself today." She looked away from me. Her words stung my heart.

"…very well Ember… but I will check on you, alright?" I said quietly. She nodded.

"Okay Ecco…" with that, she turned, knelt to put on her shoes, and then quietly walked out the door. I stood in place for a few moments, silent. My mind had strangely become still and silent as well, until my rage boiled up again. I suddenly yelled loudly, and swung my fist into the wall, as I had seen the boxers on TV do. To my surprise, my fist went through the wall. I looked at it, finding myself gasping for air. Slowly, I pulled my hand from the hole in the wall I had just created, and looked at it.

By the almighty what have I done? My hand throbbed slightly, but the pain faded quickly. Calm yourself Ecco! Do not let your rage cloud your judgment! Yes, I shall make this human pay for his deeds, but I must think of a way… It is obvious he has forced her to remain silent… but why? What has he done to her that would make her behave so? I must find the answers… but she has made me vow not to harm him! There must be another way… I went and sat down on the couch, trying to think. After a time, and finding no answers, I turned on the TV, and began to watch it, hoping for a possible idea. I watched it for some time, and then a man appeared in strange clothes on it. I recognized these clothes from the 'cops' that had come to the house a few nights ago. I sat up, and watched the TV. The man introduced himself as a 'policeman', and that he was a part of Law Enforcement. The policeman went on to explain that a thing called "911" would aid you if you were in danger, or would be there to assist you in times of need. This interested me. This 911… perhaps this could be of use…I cannot do anything to this human myself… but perhaps… I shall try a different approach to this problem. A ' human' approach. A slight grin spread across my face as I stood up and walked over to the telephone. I studied it for a moment, then picked up the talking end, and mimicked what I had saw Ember do before, and what the TV had shown me. I pressed the buttons, and put the talking end up to my face. After a few seconds of strange noise, a female voice spoke to me.

"911, what is the emergency…?"