Great Artists Come From Anywhere

Chapter 3

Faye's eyes fluttered open as rays of sunlight shone through the musty sewer telling her it was time to wake up. She sat up in her bed, looking around the sewer. Most of that rats were still asleep in their boats, and only a few were up and about. Faye looked over at Remy who was sleeping soundly in the same boat that she was in.

"How can they live in a place like this?" Faye thought to herself. It was her first clear look of the sewer, and it was not a good one.

"It's better than nothing I guess. At least I have a place to stay for a few days. Ugh, what is he eating?" She looked to the opposite end of the sewer, directly accross from where she was. She saw Emile eating what looked like...garbage.

"It's a good thing that someone has good taste around here, who knows how much worse this place would be without him." Just then she realized her side didn't hurt that much anymore! She was sitting up and it felt okay. She looked at her bandage to see a small blood stain on the side where she was hurt. She was glad to be in such good hands. She never felt this at home before. The last time she felt this safe was when her mother was with her. She still remembered the day she left...

"Why can't I go with you?"

"Now Faye, who's going to take care of Raine and your father? I need you here to keep the family together."

"How can we be a family if you're not with us?"

"This is something that I need to do. There's a bigger world out there, there's more to this life than cages and being a pet. I've been waiting to see the real world, and now's my chance. You have to understand. Your father thinks I'm making a mistake, but It's a chance for me to live a better life. But don't ever forget this Faye, I will find you and show you what I will have discovered. I will come back, don't ever doubt me."

"I could never doubt you, mother. I believe that you will find something better. I know how much you love cooking, and you should see what's out there. But father and Raine can take care of themselves. I'm old enough to venture out. I don't want to be stuck here with the humans. I hate the humans!"

"I know Faye, you are just like me when I was your age. But I am happy that I waited to go out into the world, I wasn't ready then. When you are ready, you will know it. But for now, I must go. I will return Faye, don't you ever forget that."

"I won't mother, you can count on me."

"Hey! You're sitting up!" Faye was snapped out of her memory when she heard Remy's voice. He was standing up and wide awake.

"Oh, yes, I feel better now."

"A good's night sleep does wonders. I know. Hey, I'll be right back."

Faye hadn't had a decent nights sleep in a long time. He was right, she felt so much more refreshed and relaxed. Remy left for a second and came back with some strawberrys and more cheese.

"You hungry?"

"Yeah," Faye took one of the firm, bright red strawberrys and slowly took a bite out of it. It was delicious. Tangy, sweet, and juicy. Remy noticed that she was enjoying it.

"It makes a difference when you have ripe and fresh strawberrys doesn't it?"

Faye nodded, her mouth was too full to say anything. She swallowed.

"I've seen and smelled this stuff before, but I've never tried one before. It's delicious!"

"You've never had a strawberry before?" Remy asked in disbelief.

"No. I've watched my owner make all kinds of things with fruit, but I've never been able to try one."

"Owner?"

Faye stopped, realizing she just blurted out what she was trying to keep a secret. She paused for a moment, trying to think of what to say.

"Yes, my family lived as pets for humans. I've been a pet all my life. I hated it, and so that's why I left."

"Really? Humans aren't that bad once you get to know them. I'm sort of a pet myself."

Now it was Faye's turn to be shocked.

"You? A pet? I thought this was your home."

"Well, you know how I said that I cooked in a famous restaraunt?"

"Yes..."

"The waiter there has a place for me at his apartment whenever I want to come over. I stay with him quite frequently, but I stay here on certain occassions, like this one."

"How you choose to be around humans like that?"

"Humans aren't that bad, I have a close relationship with the waiter, Linguini. He's a really good friend."

Faye just couldn't grasp the concept of being around humans and enjoying it. It just made no sense. After all the humans have done to her, how they ruinied her life, she couldn't ever learn to become friends with one.

"Does he just keep you inside a cage whever you go over to his apartment? Like all the other humans do?"

"Of course not! Linguini is definitely not like other humans," Remy almost laughed as he thougth about some of the wacky times he and Linguini shared.

"So this restraunt you work at, what is it called?"

"La Ratatouille," Remy declared proudly.

"Ratatouille? Isn't that like a peasant dish?" Remy rolled his eyes.

"You will definitely think otherwise once you try our specialty, which is none other than ratatouille itself."

But Faye wasn't completely convinced.

"Well then you'll just have to show me Monseur Chef," Faye smiled.

"Well, can you stand up? Or even walk?" He asked.

Faye slowly stood up and balanced herself.

"Yeah, I just have to walk slowly." She was about to take the bandage off when Remy stopped her.

"Keep that on, it still needs to heal." He pressed it back onto her. She winced but then she felt fine after he let go. Then they headed out of the sewers to La Ratatouille, where Remy was going to make his special for his new friend.