Hey everyone. Randall here. Sorry if it seemed like I scared you last chapter with my....uh...."deletion". Just to keep you all tied to your seats to see what made me do that AND how I survived.

Kinda hard to do this chapter. Sick and, thanks to Sean's nephew, tired out. But luckily, I had already written this before today. But you won't expect Sean and me to be loading chapters by the bucket since we're both sick and tired this weekend.

ANYWAY, this chapter is pretty predictable, thank you title. But I will be getting into my kind's prejudice, which you will hear about in this chapter and the next, seeing as everyone is starting to do that.

Enjoy and Review! Helps my cold heh.

Chapter 10 The Next Morning

I didn't dream that night. I couldn't, as anything I imagine would just be a dream.

I stirred in bed a bit, I always did. I was completely oblivious to what time it was. I don't have an alarm yet. However, thanks to a crow from a wild Cockatrice, I stirred enough to get awake. My eyes opened, but I quickly turned over, as they were currently taking in the sun's wraith.

My eye's always didn't like the light. Ever since middle school I had to squint most of the time. Bright lights and the sun usually do that to me. That's one of the reasons I was the great scarer, I could see great in the dark.

Taking a blink or two, I rose up. Stretching my arms with a yawn, you could tell I was right to sleep early. I hopped, well more like crawled, out of bed and got to my feet. I gave a short yawn as I woke up my muscles from sleep.

I got onto two feet and stretched my first set, letting my second set of feet to stretch. I almost fell over actually, heh. I straightened my body so I could stretch my tail and my back. I usually did this everyday before I headed to work.

Finally feeling ready, I headed over to the door, moving my head side to side to make sure my neck was okay. "Ok ok....time be with me..." I whispered, heading out.

*

Surprisingly enough everyone, well ok not everyone, was in their rooms. A couple of them were standing outside the bathroom door, which was in the between the kitchen and the living room. "Ben's shaver......Carlson's mouse....and Turner's hair...." I mumbled, heading down the stairs. They were busy getting ready for this day. The second day was just a as important as the first....I guess. I then notice that it really was early enough. Dilfert was currently away, as I could see that his car was gone, looking through the window of the exit door. As said, I don't have good eyes but I could see that the car was gone. Bellfree was currently in the kitchen, getting the plates ready for breakfast. She didn't mind me......hmph...yeah right....

"What are you doing up early scales!?" she asked, demandingly with her morning moan. I REALLY hate it when she calls me that! I've been called so many things just because of my species. Lizard Boy, scale sack, scaly, scalies. Thinks like that, just to tenses me off just so they don't have to say my right name. Of course, at that time, I wanted to sock her right in the jaw, but instead....

"I went to bed early..." I replied, hoping she would not take it as a smart gesture, which I actually tried to make it. "Hmph....well sit down and shut up" she said. Honestly, who wouldn't like a crack at her?

I notice her grab the plate she had just washed and gave it to me. Actually, she kinda thrusted it right into my ribs. Of course it hurt. Like I've heard, I haven't eaten well in the past. So I was actually quite thin, which helped with my speed, but probably not my health.

She backed off to check what was cooking at the time. My tongue slipped out to quickly find out what it was. I could make pretty good guesses.

Yale sausage....and....Yppotryll bacon. You may have heard of these types of creatures. If not, don't worry, the two still taste like your human bacon and sausage type.

I had not problem at all. This place may be a dump, but it does have decent food once and a while. I took a seat near the back of the table, the easiest place to avoid discussion. "(Maybe I shouldn't go to sleep earlier...)" I thought, rubbing my ribs. Jet came down the stairs next, yawning with that huge mouth of his.

He stopped at the stove when Bellfree's back was turned. I nearly laughed at the sight. Bellfree noticed him instantly. Ever been slapped by a 16-ton brick! Ha!

Jet came over, rubbing his sore mouth, seeing that he couldn't up Bellfree. He took a seat two away from my left side. The table was circular in structure, so I'm trying to describe as best I can. He didn't seem to notice me or care at the point. I just stayed silent. All that was heard was the sizzling in the kitchen, the complaining of the other guys, and some kind of sound behind me which I didn't worry about at the moment.

But as always the silence is broken. The guys came in, raving about yesterday's events. First days are always like that, I usually just came in during the middle of the conversation, when all the helpings of food was gulped down. They instantly took their seats and noticed Jet, who joined in their so-called conversation.

"(That's right boys, just keep flapping your gums...I'm surprised your teeth haven't fallen out)" I thought, snickering at the image. I finally got fed up with the sound behind me to check it. Dilfert seemed to have left the T.V. on. I could see it was on MCM, Monstropolis's Classic Movies. Even though technically we're not in Monstropolis, the city does power this area, that does include the school. I just starred at the set, I was able to see clearly as the windows of the room were closed off with the drapes. I, unlike commonly everybody, didn't get to enjoy the wonderus T.V. in my younger years.

"(Maybe I would buy one when I sell those cards)" I thought. Some of the rarest caught for at least $30.00 or so. I might be able to get one.

Actually, I wasn't totally deprived. A couple times a month, we....I mean...they, watch a movie or just plain shows. I usually placed my back up against the wall, which is currently behind me, and watch from there. Since the lights were usually off, I could see fine.

I turned my head back to see Bellfree passing out their plates. We didn't have any syrup or flavoring, so we just had to go with the natural taste, which was good actually.

She placed two stripes of the bacon and a small log of sausage. She never really cared if I ate or not. I abruptly started to dig in as soon as possible. We had few utensils so most of us just ate with hands, claws, tentacle, whatever. Thanks to my rather "large choppers" heh...it was easy. I particularly downed the whole thing in less than a minute. My stomach growled as I placed the plate down, probably thankful. I placed the plate in the middle of the table and looked back at the T.V.

I didn't know that Jet was a bit surprised a finished so fast. Jet always had a second consciousness in him. When he thinks people challenge him, he gets angry. When people challenge me, I accept most of the time. Sure, I DO play fairly. As for Jet....he'd do anything to win.

Didn't seem to this time. However, I did hear the word "chopper mouth" behind my back. I just rolled my eyes back over to what was on. MCM usually showed famous old films in perfected condition. They are usually black and white. T.V. wasn't much different from your world. I remember three days ago we watched "The Monster Who Knew Too Much". Classic film to me, to them it was just something to keep their eyes open.

Currently showing was "Party Line". It was made about a couple years ago, maybe before I was born, but close, where people had to share the same phone line. You can tell how that can be. Anyway, I turned back and stopped watching it. If I starred too long I'd be intimidated to watch the whole thing.

Jet was already discussing yesterday's poker game with the few that were there. I looked up at the clock that hung above the sink's windows. It read 6:45. Still had about ten minutes before heading off toward school.

"(Well...back to bed....)" I thought. I usually get a few minutes more to sleep before school. Bellfree usually bangs on my door at 7:00, making it a possible late for school.

I rose out of my seat and headed for the staircase. That is....until. "Where do you think your going?". One of them, Garcia, grabbed the middle of my tail, nearly making me fall back onto the table. Hmph...my tail was always something that gave me away. You can't help how many times monsters, or humans even, have yanked or grabbed my tail. Many other things too. You may know a certain "bat" one.

I winced and turned back. Jet gestured the stack of dishes on the table.

"Eh......"

*

I was, yet again, stuck in front of the kitchen sink, watching the guys through that lonely window. From it, it seemed unfriendly out there. The clouds were still out, some forming a sign to me. It was going to rain soon. I'll tell you more about that as soon as it starts.

I looked down at my hands. I swear they were pruning, that is if they could. I just stood looking, noticing Bellfree was watching the left on T.V.

I finished washing fast, hoping to have done enough to please Bellfree, and to have done less enough to not waste my time. I looked back at the clock as I quickly dried my hands. A minute or two before 7:00. "Might as well" I whispered, getting on all and grabbed my book bag, which I got quickly before starting.

*

Outside, it seemed nice. I observed the sky as I started forward. The sky was blue, duh, a few clouds here and there, large groups. From the darker clouds in the east, at least I think its the east, for slowly bringing a storm. Hey, I'm a reptile, not a compass.

My eyes switched to the guys across on the sidewalk. There's something I really haven't said yet. We haven't really had many females orphans, not man I got to know anyhow....I've been around brutes closely all my life. They usually leave or are adopted. The guys around here eventually do find their parents.....not me though.

"(Hmph...Dinner and a show...)" I chuckled in my mind. If you recall what happened yesterday, you have an idea of what's to come.

The guys who took gym class started roughing it out with those in weightlifting. I'll tell you about gym later. Actually, I haven't taken weightlifting. I decided to watch the species....I mean guys. I stopped and the walkway and looked around. I've seen it many times, but sometimes there may be something new. Like a year or so ago, I found this black cat (using human terms here) sitting outside. I was standing right where I am right now and saw it setting next to a tree in the small forest covering to my left. It was calm. It just stared at me and I stared at it.

Once and a while I'd see it again. Never really figured out who it belonged too or if it was a stray. I just stood there, looking at the forest. The thoughts stopped as soon as I felt and arm come around my neck. My eyes looked back to see Jet.

"Well Scales....thinking of heading back where ya came from..." he said. That's what Jet called me. I hated it! Once and a while he call me by my rightful name. Sullivan and Wazowski took Lizard Boy while Jet called me Scales. I hated both names, racial slur to my whole kind!

At the time, I was confused. "What....what do you mean?" I said, eyeing him, not noticing some of them behind us. "You know! Out in the wilderness where you belong!" he said, grabbing the back of my neck and throwing me down on the grass near the sidewalk. Thankfully not hitting the sidewalk, I quickly recovered. I rose the top part of my body to see him laughing as he had his back turned. I was thinking of tackling him, but I would get a bruise in my stomach the size of his fist. Think the area of Kansas would best describe the size.

I got to my feet, glaring daggers at him. He and Dilfert always got along. The street in front of me soon produced the front of the cursed vehicle heading here. I means the bus. The driver stopped right where the guys were, and they started to get on immediately.

"Nice try boys...but I'm getting in there..." I chuckled, jogging over. I stood behind one of them as I looked at the driver. Rather large for his size, than again most are. I think a Belgium type look and voice, he's not really important. He was tentacle type. A tan and dark brown skin layer. Four feet, eight arms, and blue eyes.

From the name tag on his stained shirt, you could read. "(Murray?....No...Murphy)" I thought. As they finally got on. I started to head in.

"Hold up ya!" he said. I stopped midway from his accent. "What?" I asked. He scanned me over for a minute. After it.....

"No scalies on mya bus!" he said. Currently, I was sick and tired of hearing that. Sure I had scales, but come on! That was no reason.....

I grunted to start back on. Bad idea.

(SWAK!)

I met Mr. bus door right in the face. All I could feel was a pounding in my head. All I could hear was the laughing before my face slid down with my body, right onto the pavement. I opened my eyes, dazed. I saw the back and forth vision of the bus going away, leaving me with the exhaust. "I swear one of these..." I started, but realized myself being over shadowed by the gray exhaust.

I quickly got up and started out, coughing. I stopped a few feet away to get my normal breath back. "I swear....I'll glue'em to their precious seats!" I yelled, trying to please my anger. I rose back to my four feet and started, yet again, to school.

My eye's looked around for anything of interest, straying from thought. The street was desolate with grass and trees, with the acceptation of a house or two, paired with a street light or two. For many, it would be considered boring, to me....kinda mixed. Being outside the bustling city, the place was relatively calm. I stopped by a house, which seemed like its occupants were gone for now, so I was safe.

Yes, I did mean "safe". Remember what I said about my kind hesitating parents if they're a friend of their child. What I mean is, if someone was in that house right now, they'd call the police because they might think I was a stalker or was trying to steal something.

My eyes caught sight of the paper near me. I looked around to see if anything was watching me. Nope, nobody. Curious, I picked it up. I had some time to spare.

I never really got to read what was currently going on some times. The first, most important I think, was an article about something that happened in downtown Monstropolis.

I recall it:

"MURDER IN MONSTOPOLIS"

Another reptile was found dead in an alleyway near the scream producing plant, Monsters Inc. The death was suspected murder, considering no evidence was given from the witnesses.

The article went on to talk about what the witnesses what they thought about the situation. No one in the article cared to mention who he was or what he did, or even cared why he had died.

As many are aware, monster prejudice against my kind is widely shown. And as you've seen, there aren't allot of us. I gulped at the thought if I would end up like that? A brutally battered body....lying in a cold street.....dead....I didn't want that.

I always never liked the idea that I am not respected just because of what I am. Its completely stupid and pointless! From the bullies in your neighborhood to the judge in the court room, there's no justice....no pure justice anyhow.

As you know, I never got that trial that I should have had on the incident. But nope...never got it. Wasn't fair at all. Just toss me into another world without a care that it should be illegal.....The mere thought just made me angry....

Someone had to give us justice. Someone had to do something about it....anyone.....Me? No...that wasn't my future....it was someone else's.

I was wondering if I was in any danger. My thoughts were interrupted by a clinging sound. I moved the paper away and looked below onto the ground near my feet. I had good enough sense to see that a certain pebble wasn't on the ground near me.

"What in the...." I began, seeming agitated of being interrupted. Then I felt something hit the back of my stomach. I immediately turned around. There was another house on the opposite side of the street. A punk five year old "seal-type" kid was looking over at me. It picked up a rock and flung it at me. I held the paper up to guard, making it bounce off, as the wimp didn't have much strength at all.

I lowered it again, thinking about picking up a rock and flinging it in his face. That is until he yelled, running into the house. "Daddy! Daddy! A lizard is stealing Mrs. Fairies paper!" he yelled, heading into the house.

Of course, this house belonged to Mrs. O'Leary, kid can't even call her name right. Next think I knew, I heard the cock of a weapon.

"Oh boy.....". I quickly dropped the thing and got on all eight and slithered as my life depended on it.

No, no, no....I wasn't shot. I'll explain next chapter. Just between me and you guys, I hear rumors of Readagar making a story of his own. Hehehe. You didn't hear it from me. Ha!