The tale of a loved one

Chapter two

Helpers in the background

Thank you for reading, all you who have read this story. And thank you Saissa for your review. It means very much to me when I get a review. I hope for many more in the future. I am thinking that the action will start soon, perhaps the next chapter. ^_^ Enjoy.

~OoO~

That night I went to bed, my mind full of possible ways of escape. With so many things running through my head, I found myself falling into a very fitful sleep.

"I know I can do it. Escape I shall."

~OoO~

"Good Morning Mandy!" Jane came in with her loud voice, as always.

"Could you be a bit quieter Jane? Please. It makes for a much better wake up call." I said as I shielded my eyes from the bright morning light that was now beaming in through the window, since Jane threw back the heavy curtains.

I pulled the blankets up over my head and groaned.

"Now, now Mandy. It is time to wake up." She pulled the blankets off of me, cool air rushing to meet my warm body. I shivered and reached for the blankets again.

"Come, get up. I don't have time for your nonsense this morning." Jane said shortly. She grabbed my arm and yanked me into a sitting position. She was not the most gentle of people.

"I'm up!" I grunted as I yanked my arm free of her vice grip.

"Don't you go getting short with me young lady. That is simply unacceptable." She turned from me and walked to my closet that was full of my boring and tasteless clothing.

"Now, what shall you wear today?" She tapped her chin as she rummaged through everything.

"Can't I pick out my clothes now? I'm nineteen years old. I am perfectly capable." I said, exasperated.

"Oh, now Mandy, you are not capable of such a thing. I am paid to do this." She tisked.

"No, you are paid to get me up and make sure I am taken care of and am eating. I haven't needed someone to get me dressed since I was five." I threw my hands up and plopped back on my bed. "And could you please call me Amanda!"

"Mandy, Mandy, Mandy. You think you are capable of much more than you are. You argue far too much. You cause me such headaches. And you are such a pain in the neck. Do you think I want to do this? Do you think I enjoy it?" She walked closer and placed her hands on her wide hips.

"…You're doing that to annoy me aren't you? And I know that I am capable of dressing myself. I mean really. I am tired of you treating me like a child and like I am worth nothing. I would honestly much rather have my mother taking care of me!" I stood up and crossed my arms.

"Well, I never. You are a spoiled brat, aren't you?" She glared at me.

"Spoiled? Really? I don't get anything I want. No one even cares what I want. I am always told what I am supposed to do and when I am supposed to do it. I am always made to do things or be somewhere when I simply do not want to. How in any definition in your vocabulary, does that indicate that I am spoiled?"

"Well, with the way you're acting?" She walked over to my closet and pulled out an ugly gray skirt and an equally ugly gray shirt to go with it. She tossed the clothing at me, then headed for the door.

I resisted the urge to growl at her.

"Oh and by the way, MANDY." I narrowed my eyes as she began her next sentence. "You will always be told what to do, where to go and when. No one does care what you want. You will do what you are told, when you are told. You will eat when you are told to eat, sleep when you are told, go where you are told and even shower and use the rest room, when you are told. If you resist, it will only make things that much more difficult for you. There for, you may as well start complying." She left with her head held high.

I threw a pillow at the closed door and finally let out my suppressed growl. To my enjoyment, I hear Jane let out a high pitched squeal half way down the hall way. I laughed and then went to my closet. I pulled out a pair of black skinny jeans and a white mini T to go with it. I had gotten them for my birthday from one of my favorite security guards. One of the only people in this entire facility that I actually liked. He had been here since the beginning. He was like a Father to me. He had taken his daughter with him to pick it out.

His name is Holland. He's a kind old black man who cares about everyone, even me. He has always been so sweet to me. I loved him more than anyone, even my own mother.

"Now this is more like it. Thank you Holland." I turned around as I looked at myself in the mirror. The tight jeans and shirt accentuated my curves perfectly. These were the most tasteful clothes I owned. Holland was one of the very few people that ever bought me presents. My mother did once in a while.

After a few minutes of critiquing my new look, a light bulb appeared above my head as I glanced at my bare feet. Holland had gotten me a pair of black skater shoes, a blue scarf and a black hooded jacket for Christmas. I had totally forgotten about them. I ran over to my bed and pulled out a tote that I kept my private belongings in. I pulled out the clothing and a pair of socks I already owned and placed them on. The skater shoes were black with blue trim, blue is my favorite color. I wrapped the scarf around my neck and pulled it over my nose right below my eyes. I zipped up the jacket and pulled the large hood over my head. I grabbed a pair of black gloves from the tote and placed them on as well.

I then turned toward the mirror and nearly gasped at what I saw. With all of my fur covered and only my eyes visible… no one would ever know I was different. The weather outside was still chilly anyway, so I wouldn't stand out too much.

This was it. I could do this. I could escape and blend into the crowds. This would work…It had to.

I heard the door opening and quickly pulled down the hood and scarf. I spun around and gasped loudly.

"Mother?" My eyes went wide.

"Good morning Amanda." She looked me over. Her face was expressionless. "Where did you get that outfit?" She asked, pointing at my unusual attire.

"Holland. For Christmas and my birthday." I shifted nervously beneath her gaze. I always felt inferior while in her presence.

Arianna March…. My mother… Is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Even in magazines or the occasional commercial. Her ivory skin was a perfect contrast for her dark brown hair, which fell in perfect ringlets to her slim shoulders. She had a perfect form and the most gorgeous green eyes. She was like a model. I'm sure she could be if she wanted too.

"Well, it looks good."She smiled slightly, but it did not last long. Oh my goodness, she smiled at me. Such a rare thing for that to happen and every time it did, it made me feel warm inside.

Too bad I wouldn't get to see it again. I had to leave. I must leave.

"Thank you Mother." I smiled sweetly and walked toward her.

"I was simply stating that the outfit is fashionable, though I do not think that your form works entirely well with it." My smiled disappeared. I thought it looked great.

"What are you doing here Mother?" I asked, looking at the floor.

"Oh, I just came to make sure you were up. I heard Jane mumbling about something… Did you upset her?" She asked sternly.

"… Not intentionally. She was just being so obnoxious. I couldn't take it." I defended as best I could beneath that hard stare.

"Amanda…I am paying her to care for you. It is not an easy task to find someone who will be a nanny for a child who…. Is so…." She searched for the right words.

"Frightening?" I offered.

"I was going to say 'different'. But yes, that will do fine… just remember, they are your words, not mine."

"Mother?" I asked nervously. She turned. "What is so terrible about me?" I asked and she just looked at me. "I mean, why don't you like me? I am your daughter."

"Amanda. You are not a normal child… Well, you are obviously no longer a child…" She motioned toward my well developed chest. "You are not normal… When I thought about having a child… I imagined one with soft, pink skin, bouncing curls and a lovely face. I would never, in my wildest dreams, have imagined having one who was part lion." My face fell at that. She had never been so blunt before, but I suppose I did ask for it. "I have never found fond emotions in my heart for you."

"So you do not love me?" I felt close to tears, but kept them at bay.

"How can one love a pebble in their shoe?" She asked, as if it should be obvious.

I hung my head. "I would change for you if I could."

"And yet, you cannot…I have some errands to run. Mark will take you to the garden." She said as she walked to the door. I grabbed my bag that I kept some personal items in, such as my poetry book, some art supplies… Plus some essentials I added the night before. Since I would be leaving, I didn't want to be unprepared. I then followed, trying to look happy.

Mark is a handsome young man of twenty two. He's an intern for the professor's science lab… He wants be a bio chemist. Once in while he is my escort, which I don't mind. He is quite nice to look at. With his perfect, wavy brown hair and his bright blue eyes and perfect athlete's body. He's 6 foot 2 and all muscle….

Hey, I'm a girl. I'm allowed to have a crush!

"Hello Amanda." Mark said in his silky deep voice.

I smiled shyly. "Hi Mark." I looked at my feet.

"That's a nice outfit. It looks good on you." I looked up to see him flashing his pearly white teeth at me. Just a smile from him made me melt.

"Thank you." I said dreamily. I then glanced at my Mother, who just looked away.

"Well, shall we?" He asked as he indicated the hall way.

"We shall." I said as I began walking. I turned my head and bid my mother a polite farewell…. Too bad it would be forever. She walked the opposite way, her heals clicking against the tile floor.

I knew this would be the day. I knew I could escape.

I suggested that Mark take me to the kitchen to get a bite to eat, instead of having it brought to the garden like always. He gave in after I explained that I simply wanted something different.

We headed to the kitchen.

Once we were there, the cook, Liam, greeted us.

"Well, hello there miss Amanda, Mr. Mark. What are you two doing here in my kitchen?" He laughed heartily, his large belly shaking with the effort. I always loved the sound of his laugh.

"Amanda said she just wanted a change of scenery is all. Do you mind if we sit at the table in the corner?" Mark said.

"Course not. I've got your breakfast coming up now. I was just about to load up the cart. Guess now you're saving me another step in my daily routine. It's nice I must say." Liam laughed again.

I must admit. There would be people I would miss. When I thought about everyone who hated me, I didn't think to take into consideration all those who tolerated, or even liked me. I Would miss Liam and Holland, Mark, Maggie, Lawrence, Bridget…. And even my mother. The three now named are security guards who are my weekly escorts. They switch off every day. There are others, but those are the ones who don't like me.

Maggie, Lawrence and Bridget are also ones who get me gifts as Holland does. They are quite pleasant company. Bridget with her corny humor and bad jokes, Maggie with her stories of life in the city, and Lawrence (who is a rickety old man) with his "back in my day" rants. They would all be people I would miss. But the only ones. Everyone else, I was happy to leave behind.

Liam brought breakfast to the table that Mark and I were sitting at in the corner of the large kitchen. He then went back to working on feeding the rest of the staff.

"Looks wonderful Liam." I said graciously as I began to dig into my large meal. With my heightened metabolism, I had a very large appetite.

"Thank you miss Amanda. You always appreciate my good home cooking don't you?" He laughed again and smiled widely. He always loved a person who appreciated his "good home cooking ".

"Of course. Who wouldn't?" I smiled, then went back to eating my last meal as a prisoner.

"Wow… I wonder… How do you keep such a tiny shape with such a big appetite?" Mark asked as he watched me eat my over loaded plate.

"Well, my metabolism operates at a very fast pace. I digest food and burn it faster than a normal person does." I explained.

"Think a growing teenage boy with two hollow legs, but twice that." Liam laughed from the stove.

"Oh, now it make sense." Mark said as he ate his small meal.

I smiled up at him, then turned back to my food. Breakfast was the only time I was allowed to have real meat. Every other meal was tofu. My mother thought I would go blood crazy or something if she let me have too much. Which is completely ridiculous of course. But, I wasn't going to have to worry about that much longer. I did wonder however, what I would eat and where I would even go. I had snuck my pocket knife into my jacket pocket while my mother wasn't watching before we left my room. It was something Lawrence had gotten me. He said you can never be too careful and he always thinks a young woman should have something to protect herself. I do have razor sharp claws and carnivorous canines to add to the equation. Those might help.

"Hey Liam?" I said from the table.

"Yes lass?" He said in his thick Scottish accent. A Scotts man who lived on a farm and loves good old fashion cooking… Try wrapping your brain around that one. I do suppose it makes sense. But you'd have to know Liam to see how.

"I was just wondering. Are we close to anything? Like, any cities or something?" I asked, trying to sound curious.

"Well lassie, we are close to New York City. This place is just across the channel from the island. Oh, I'll tell you what lass. The New York City sky line is something else. Once you've seen it. You've seen it all. It's like magic." He waved his hand in front of him, a whimsical smile plastered on his face. "Why do you want to know of such things anyway?" He asked as he chopped some peppers.

"Oh, I was just curious is all." I said with a shrug. "Say Liam… How would you get to the island from here? I mean… We're surrounded by trees. Aren't we in some sort of forest or something?"

"No, we're in a state park. The professor bought a large piece of the park for his work… and to build his lab on. He uses the natural landscape for his research. This part of the park is off limits. It's private property."

"Oh, I see…Well, I'm done." I stood up from the table and placed my empty plate in the sink. "Come on Mark." I said as I went to leave the Kitchen.

"Hey, hold on there speedy." He jumped up and placed his plate in the sink as I had, then moved to lead the way.

"Thank you for the wonderful breakfast Liam. It was delightful." I said, then went to follow Mark.

"You're welcome Lassie. Anytime." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh, she's planning something. I can feel it…." He thought for a second. " The little lass will never escape here without some help. I believe now is the time for my long awaited plan to be put into action…. Oi, Victor!" Liam called his helper into the kitchen. The tall man ran in and stood at attention.

"Yes sir?" He saluted.

"What do you think I am, a drill sergeant? Now I need you to do something for me." Liam told his helper.

"Of course, anything you need… sir." Victor fought the urge to salute again.

"I need you to gather some people for me. I need Holland, Maggie, Lawrence and Bridget. And tell Holland to shut down the security cameras. Tell them 'Liam has an important matter to discuss concerning Miss Amanda'. Can you do that you big lug?" Liam asked.

"Yes sir, I believe I can."

"Good."

"I won't let you down sir." Victor saluted again, then left swiftly to complete his mission.

"Oh, don't worry little lass. I have been waiting for this day since you learned how to properly prepare a home cooked meal. I've been working this plan out for years. You will do great things Amanda, but you cannot do them here…. We will help you out of this prison, if it's the last thing we do."

~OoO~

A/N: Alright, now what do you think? The plot thickens. Amanda has some partners in crime. I'm thinking she will make the big escape in the next chapter. I hope you all are enjoying this. And I would really like some pointers if anyone has any ideas. I would really love to hear them.

Thank you for reading. ^_^

Angelic~Reader

~Trying my best to spark imagination~