Mind and Body Chapter 2: Paths Cross
Raven shuddered as they vacated the bus by the side of the zoo and a cacophony of conflicting emotions rose beyond the iron gates. She had known this was a bad idea: she couldn't control her power, and if it went on long enough she would probably lose her mind. So she instead began imagining what she would have done in Elphaba's place when Fiyero admitted his feelings for her. It may not completely remove other peoples' mental states from her mind, but it did reduce them to a dull roar.
A/N: Elphaba and Fiyero are the main romantic couple of "Wicked"
Nervously, Anthony Plaide stood at the entrance gate of the Manhattan Zoo, ready to repel from the tiger enclosure any civilians that wanted to appreciate nature while it was safely behind bars. Even from a distance Raven could sense he was baffled by the police's decision to let the zoo open today, because of what happened last night…. Raven couldn't see just what he was thinking of because at that moment he shook his head, desperately trying to shut out those thoughts. Why on earth would someone kill a night guard? She thought, after seeing the man's image in Anthony's mind and almost retching at the vacant-chested sight, it's not like they're very dangerous.
His thoughts were so dark that he didn't notice the first group arrive. Oh, Ella. He thought in distaste. Rachel chuckled in sympathy. She probably just wanted to get the day over with, but Anthony was determined to at least make it worth the kids' while.
As the 41-person group slowly walked up to the gates from the edge of the parking lot, he couldn't help but notice in disgust how Ella's 200 pound, 5'7" body was absurdly round, and the wrinkles in her face that would usually convey a geniality to the world only served to make her cruel cynicism more evident.
He strode forward as the gate swung open. "Hello, miss Ella," he forced himself to say cheerfully, and then, with a more genuine interest, "and you too, kids. I haven't met any of you before, but I'm sure we'll be friends." He didn't see a hooded Rachel roll her eyes in exasperation. Doesn't he know about Cameron? She thought, and then stopped herself. Of course he didn't, he had explained already that he hadn't met any of them, let alone experienced some of the boy's duplicity.
He looked over the group before saying, "May I have everyone's names so I can keep track of you on this tour?" Ella pursed her lips disapprovingly and chose that moment to comment, "Sir, it is my job to keep an eye on them while we are out: you need only concern yourself with the tour."
Rachel couldn't help but smile at the tick that appeared in the man's forehead. The other kids started giving their names of their own free will, mostly to annoy Ella, and Rachel didn't sense any variance of the man's mental state until Cameron's turn came around. At that point she felt him relax and take comfort from Cameron's sweetly smiling face. Ugh, she thought again, no one knows how bad he is, because he never lets him or her know. Then it became her turn.
Anthony turned to the small figure in the ratty, black and hooded sweatshirt that was a couple sizes too large and said, "What's your name?" He was surprised when she shied away from him slowly and pulled even further into herself. "Come on," he said softly, "I can't really call you 'girl', can I?"
Ella snorted. "Her name is Rachelle."
Anthony couldn't help but stare as the girl jerked her head up to glare at Ella and revealed purple hair. As if to mock his instinctive thought that she had dyed it, the girl turned to him and made it apparent that her eyes were the same rich, violet shade. He knew she wouldn't be able to afford contacts, and why would anyone hide a fashion statement that they had intentionally gotten anyway? "That's right: it's natural." A dry voice said to him in a defensive tone. He stared at her for a second before realizing the girl had answered his thought. His eyes went even wider.
"And it's Rachel." Now he noticed that the voice was hoarse, like it hadn't been used in a long while. Otherwise, though, it was far more mature than the other children's.
"It's nice to meet you, Rachel," Anthony said, "I hope you're interested in animals."
Rachel closed her eyes for a moment and ducked back down, ignoring Ella's incredulous thoughts. So what if she hadn't spoken since she had been sent to Khale? It wasn't like she was going to get a polite answer, was she? But this man, at least, had been willing to give her a chance. That definitely rated him high in her book.
As her eyes were shut she let her mind wander, something she was usually frightened of doing. The animals' thoughts were as she suspected, however: half-formed, fuzzy, and nearly incoherent. She sighed in relief: she could open up a little bit here. She tuned the thoughts and comments of the others as low as she could as her mind explored the avenues of thought until she came up against an image so crisp it had to be another human. She opened her eyes to see that everyone had moved off.
Momentarily frightened, she involuntarily sensed the group's signature energy far to her right, and followed. Catching up to Anthony, who was explaining how long African Gray Parrots lived for and how they could speak such good English, she hesitantly tapped his knee.
Anthony turned at the touch and saw the girl with the odd hair color. "Yes Rachel? What is it?" he asked, hoping, possibly, that he could get her to speak again, but she just pointed beyond him to the corner. Wondering what she meant by the gesture, he turned the corner.
Only to come face-to-face with Forrest.
He jerked for a moment and turned again to Rachel. "What is it?" he asked again, but she shook her head in a dismissing gesture as well as in puzzlement, so he turned back to the rest of the children.
Rachel was nonplussed. A cat? She thought, with an image as crisp as any human's? It shouldn't be possible.
Oh, it's possible, all right, she heard.
Then she thought, Wait, you heard me?
I didn't hear you, but you communicated, all the same, didn't you? The voice said. Animals rely on body language for understanding: it is a tongue that humanity has evolved away from, developing their silly noises as a replacement. But you… you are looking directly into my mind, aren't you?
Shaken by the strange conversation, she turned to leave. But she was stopped by the wistful tone. Please, do not leave just yet: I have wanted to actually talk to a human for some time. You are the first to be able to do so.
She ran.
Forrest sighed. You'd think since she was different as well, we could have a nice chat. He shrugged slowly and trotted in the other direction. Hopefully he would catch them again in the reptile house.
Rachel shivered again, but it wasn't in fear. It was in excitement. Anyone who understands me, even if it's a cat, should be too good to be true, so why wasn't it a hallucination? That man Anthony knows the cat, Forrest was the name I picked up, but he's hiding the real story well enough that I can't decipher it. Cameron shouted from the tiger enclosure at this point.
"Sweet! You gotta come see this: it's a body!"
On pure reflex, as she was still dwelling on the fact that Forrest was as green as the witch of "Wicked", Rachel slowly walked over to where Cameron had gone. She wished she hadn't. It was indeed a body, but it was almost unrecognizable: Missing the lower half of it's body entirely, the organs of the lower torso were missing as well, leaving the spine to dangle from mangled pectoral muscles and each arm spread wide. It was lying chest down, but that didn't mask the missing throat because the head had been turned completely around. She retched and backed up, unable to move her eyes until she turned around completely, tried to heave up her breakfast, and stumbled off. She was incongruously pleased that she hadn't eaten anything that morning: she would have lost it at that moment in any case. As she stumbled away, she heard Anthony say "My god, that's Phil. He didn't listen."
Her blind escape from the gruesome scene led her away from all human thoughts, and into a maze of vaguely realized needs, the wish to be free, to hunt, to kill…a madhouse of unknowns, nothing clear enough to make sense of; she had been wrong to think the weakness of the thoughts made up for the sheer number of them, but even in her confused state she knew that it was a blessing that the thoughts weren't clear. Even the sight of a dying zebra would be a little too much right now.
Among the confusing welter of thoughts came a single grace note, a clear and understandable image of comfort. She instinctively followed it, hoping in the recesses of her mind that whoever was the owner of the thought could understand her and wouldn't run as she was running now.
Forrest shook with pent up nervous tension. All of a sudden he had felt a resonance of fear deep within him. What triggered that? He thought, is it my sixth sense? No that's different: this felt more detached. Perhaps the little mind reader? It's possible that she can broadcast as well as receive, after all. He settled down and prepared to wait.
When she stopped and her vision cleared, Rachel could see a bench in front of a fence, surrounded by grass. Beyond the fence, a Giraffe grazed on a nearby tree. On the bench…. Forrest, She thought.
That's me. Do you want to talk about it?
Well, not out loud. She thought.
Then use body language: just as you are right now.
She shook her head and sat down next to Forrest. She was no longer in the grip of fear, and didn't wish to run from anyone who understood her: even if they were at least as strange as she was. I saw a body.
And what frightened you?
Wha—? Why, the body, of course: it was dead!
There are many dead bodies: there's a new one every 60 seconds, just as there is a new life every 60 seconds, somewhere in the world. Some of the dead ones even deserve it.
She stared at him, baffled. Forrest shook his head. The dead man you saw was the one who killed the night guard last night. He was one of the ones who deserved it.
But life is precious.
Yes, life is precious. My life is precious; your life is precious. The good people in the world deserve to live good lives: people like Phil are the kind that ruin those lives or take them away. Of course, I am merely excusing myself, but that is part of the reasoning.
She sighed, inexplicably comforted by his blatant admission of a ruthless but ethical code of conduct. Haven't you heard of mercy? She asked in body language: she was getting better all the time.
Ah, you are no longer speaking what would be called 'baby talk': you are getting better at speaking body language.
I asked if you had heard of mercy.
No, I have not.
She shook her head.
And that is surprising, Forrest continued, but not remarkably so: after all, I have barely begun life in human years. I am nowhere near as smart as I sometimes seem. I am simply being honest.
Well then, Rachel said, maybe I'll get to teach you what mercy is.
If it prevents me from surviving, I'll pass.
She opened up Wicked in such a way as to reject that view, and began to read. She sensed his question and nodded. She wanted to be a friend, and so did he. Forrest flicked his whiskers in satisfaction and lay down, nestled his shoulders, neck and head on her lap, smiled a catly smile of satisfaction, and closed his eyes.
Anthony, who had followed Rachel with the intention of comforting her, chose that moment to arrive behind her. He gaped at the scene in front of him, mentally incapable to believe that he was seeing Forrest lie on someone's lap.
"If you want to sneak up on me," Raven said unexpectedly, "I suggest you start thinking like a mushroom."
"A mushroom?" Anthony said in a daze.
Raven nodded. "Plants are the only living things without thoughts, after all." Then she burrowed even deeper into her book. Baffled, Anthony then left without saying anything.
As Anthony was leaving, Cameron bumped him on his way to piss off Rachel. Staying a small distance away from the big green cat, he proceeded to verbally abuse Rachel.
"Hey, twerp," he began.
And hello to you too, jerk. Forrest said, making Rachel have to muffle her laugh. This, of course, made Cameron angry. "What should I do first, huh? Should I put your hands in the fire? Feed you to the lions? Or maybe you'd be more to the taste of alligators." He strolled closer at her attitude of complete indifference. "Did you hear me, twerp? Twerp? You brain dead or something? Do you need any medication? I'm sure Ritalin can help. Are you going to say something or am I going to break some fingers?" Forrest sat up and bristled menacingly. Cameron grinned menacingly, picked up a rock…and threw it at Forrest, hitting him in the leg.
Rachel's blood boiled at the sight, and she shouted at Cameron. "That's the last straw!" she shouted, surprising all three witnesses with the strength of her voice, "You must stop, Cameron! It won't look pretty if you don't." How she knew that, she couldn't have told anyone.
At that moment, Anthony appeared behind Cameron.
"Hmm, I never expected a six year old to know so much about torture." He said in a seemingly casual voice, "but I'm guessing you know what you are saying so I'm afraid I will have to ask you to leave. Of course that is also for your own safety after what you did. I'm sure the bus is waiting outside; you can wait in there until the tour is over."
Temporarily stalled, Cameron slouched and turned to leave. He didn't even try to use his sweet-and-seemingly-innocent face to get out of it. Anthony sat down a good distance from Rachel, still staring at the limp form of Forrest on her lap. She smiled at the sight and said, "He doesn't like his name you know."
"What?" Anthony asked,
"He doesn't like the name 'Forrest' because it reminds him about how different he is." Anthony smiled a little indulgently and countered her well-timed thrust with a parry of his own: "Then what would you name him?"
"Hmm," she thought, speaking was more fun then she had thought, "Garfield."
"Garfield?" Anthony asked in surprise.
"Yes, because he acts like he owns the entire zoo, and he probably does."
That night, Rachel went to bed thinking about the newly named Garfield, and smiled for the first time in a long time.
Back at the zoo, Anthony dialed a number into his phone that he had thought he would never have to call and spoke to the person on the other end. "Hello? Yes, I would like to talk to the Professor about a sighting." He said, and the secretary immediately put him through.
The next morning started as it usually did, with a crash against the door by Cameron. He had found the exact amount of noise he could make that ensured that Ella remained asleep and no one else was able to. It repeated itself until all the girls stumbled into their clothes and ripped the door out of his hands. He grinned maliciously as they nervously slipped past him to the large living room.
Later that day Raven was completing Wicked in her seat away from the window when Cameron walked up to her with a pensive expression on his face. She froze, her eyes no longer moving along the page, as she felt his thoughts subtly shift from sadistic pleasure to murderous intent. She stared in disbelief as he took a butcher knife from the knife block and approached her. "I've been thinking about what you did earlier today with me about that cat," he said conversationally, "and I've decided I can't let it slide. I cannot stand anyone not taking my punishment without complaint. Goodbye Rachel: I hope to see you eventually in Hell."
Shaking, she squeezed her eyes shut and prayed for a miracle. She heard the swish of the knife but then she heard a snap and Cameron cried out in pain and confusion.
Rachel opened her eyes to see Cameron's arm encased in black energy and pointing in a direction it shouldn't be able to. She gasped and gradually relaxed her tense body, repeating over and over in her mind He can't do anything now. I don't know why it happened but it means he can't kill me this time. Then her concentration weakened into its normal state and the black energy disappeared. Cameron groaned and held his arm, staring at her with rage, hate and confusion. You could, in that moment, see the ugliness of his soul writ large upon his face.
She stood up swiftly and ran out of the building, not caring where she might end up, but she vowed never to return to Khale Orphanage. A place that resembled the Nazi prison camps she had once read about was not a place that could be called home.