Chapter 12: A Visitor…

"Wow! So you were really trapped in a cave with a cute tribal guy?!" Hailey asked as she sipped her soda. "You guys have all the luck! Maybe it has something to do with twins…" "Actually Hailey, Justin prevented anything from happening." I said, reading her mind. Hailey's mouth dropped, "Well jeez Justin! You're no fun! No wonder you don't have a girlfriend!" "Hailey! Leave Justin alone!" Valerie said taking a sip of her strawberry milkshake.

We were eating at the Milk Bar. It's a popular burger and milkshake place downtown. We had been taking down posters all day, and stopped to eat lunch. When we eat meals together, we all pay for our own stuff. Justin and I tried many times to convince Hailey that we didn't try to get trapped in the cave with Sasha… But she never listens when it comes to boys.

"Danni, why would you cheat on Jake? I thought you were like, in love with him!" Hailey teased. "Hailey, for the last time! Nothing happened between me and Sasha! We're just friends! And Jake and I aren't really going out. We just went to the dance together." I said angrily.

"Alright! Alright! Don't get your panties in a bunch!" she laughed. I sighed and took another sip of my soda. "Hey, you guys wanna go down to the beach after we finish taking down the posters?" Valerie asked.

"Sure." Justin said, finishing off the last of his chocolate milkshake. "Yeah, it'll be fun!" I said. "Sounds like my kinda fun, too!" Hailey said. We finished out drinks, and went into the park to take down the last of the posters Hailey and Valerie had put up, then we went and got out swim suits on, and ran to the beach.

***

I dumped another armload of wood in the bin and dusted off my hands. "Man, what a day…" I sighed. "Why had I gone to the statue in the first place?" I thought. "I'm not even really sure… Maybe it's because… Mom told me to…" I leaned against the wall of my house and sighed. "Mom…" I thought.

Being the youngest, I didn't know her very well… But for some reason, I've always had the strongest connection to her. I sometimes think I can still here her voice… She had such a beautiful voice. Even when she talked, it sounded like a bird's song.

An arm wrapped around my thought, and a hand covered my eyes. "It's been long since our last meeting young one." he said in Komona. His voice sounded familiar… and so did that line. "Kiatso?!" I exclaimed, grabbing his arms and flipping him over on his back.

I looked at the face of the man I had just flipped over and smiled. He laughed. "You are tougher than you look little brother." he said as he messed up my hair. "You have to be to live in these woods." I said, helping him up.

"Wow!" he said as he popped his back. "Been wrestling tigers lately, Sasha?" I bit my lip thinking back to that day with Danielle, I mean… Danni and her brother Justin. I hadn't told them that it was really a lioness… It looked like a mountain lion in that dim light, but after our battle, I could tell it wasn't.

"Something like that." I laughed. He playfully punched me in the shoulder and said, "You'll get yourself killed if you don't watch out!" "I know… I said, thinking of mother… Had he known? "Come on. Let's go inside and eat dinner. Nana will be happy to see you." Kiatso smiled, and followed me into the tribe hut. Nana was the chief's wife, she is very kind and always wants to make peace.

"Brother Kiatso!" the chief said as we entered. "Welcome home brother!" Then all the men of our tribe went and shook his hands and slapped him on the back. We all sat and ate mushroom stew, and caught up with him. All the men drank beer, but I am still too young, as you know. It doesn't matter though. I hate beer.

I hat how it smells. I hate how it taste, for when I was sick once, a nurse made me drink some. I hate how it makes grown men act like fools. I hat how people obsess themselves with it sometimes, and give up everything for it. I hate it…

When no one was paying attention, I snuck out of the party and went to the ocean. It was night now, and the full moon glowed down on the ocean as the crystal blue waves gently ran back and forth. I always came here when I was sad, it reminded me of mom and… someone else….

"Sasha? Are you okay?" Kiatso asked, so he had noticed when I left. I kept my distance; I didn't know how he might act when he wasn't sober. "Don't worry, I haven't drinken yet." He sat down beside me and asked, "What's wrong?"

"You look… so much like dad…" I said, not looking at him. Kiatso sighed and said, "That's right… you were the last to see him…. " Kiatso said. "I hate to say I envy you for that…" "Well you and Nina were the last to see mom, and I envy you for that." I said. Kiatso sighed again, and put his hand on my head.

"You miss her, don't you?" he asked. "More than you could ever know…" I said painfully. "But, that is not the only reason you are here, is it?" he asked. "You are here because the ocean reminds you of someone… Someone close…" "Denni…" I whispered. "Who?" he asked. "N-No one…" I stuttered.

I fear that he might harm Denni for some reason if I told him… But now I understand… I understand why I went to the statue… Because, that was where I first saw her, and I wanted to see her again. "Please Denni…" I thought. "…Please come soon…"

***

In her bed, Denni woke up, almost as if something was calling her… Denni… Denni… it said. Please come… Please come Denni. "I will…" she thought. "I will go see Sasha tomorrow." She lay her head down and slept, anxious for the next day. But she had no idea what was in store for her…

Author's Note:

SORRY THIS TOOK SOOO LONG! *.*

School has been driving me crazy! . And I haven't had any time to write lately!

I hope this chapter was a good one, I wanted people to see what Sasha saw.

'Hint. Hint.' Danger! :Coming Soon! *.*