CHAPTER TWO:
The next day, I woke up, as usual, with a stiff back and a sore neck on an uncomfortable Camp-Bed in the Mission. I was lying next to Cat, and Jenny was under the bed. I could hear her purring, and she sounded really happy.
I wasn't the first to get up that morning; there were two people already up, two of the other children who had lost their parents, both of whom were my friends. Brother and sister, Callie (short for Callum) and Rose. Rose was about my age, Callum two years younger at fourteen.
"Morning, Ember," Rose said. I got up and Cat jumped off my bed.
"So, how are you?" I asked.
"Good. What about you?" she replied.
"Urgghh… Not so good. I'm tired, everyone is grouchy or crying all the time, and… Oh, you don't want to be hearing this…" I said.
"No, it's fine. I find it interesting, because I'd like to… What the hell?" she said. I frowned.
"What- Oh. My. God…"
Standing in the doorway was Emryn's Dad, who was a council member. And behind him were Wang Lao, who was looking down with deep embarrassment, and Ivan who was… Yep. He was holding a kitchen tap. Not that the kitchen tap really surprised me so much. He always seemed to carry one around. When I'd got bored one time I had drawn him and Gilbert looming over someone (I didn't show who they were looming over; I like to leave a lot to the imagination), Ivan with glowing silver eyes, and Gilbert grinning and with vampire fangs, which is how I usually drew him. And, of course, the tap, that Ivan was holding. His scarf came out looking awful. Oh well.
Emryn's Dad strode down towards us, Wang Lao and Ivan following him.
"OK, you stinking weirdoes! Where's the head of this disgusting establishment?" he snapped angrily.
"That way," I said coldly, meeting his gaze evenly (and pointing him in completely the wrong direction) and icily. He stomped off, and Wang Lao sighed.
"Oh God…" he muttered. I shrugged.
"It's fine. But Ivan, why the hell do you have a kitchen tap?" I asked. Ivan shrugged.
"Just for the heck of it, né," he said. "It's just force of habit, né."
"OK, fair enough," I said. Wang Lao was still looking down at the floor, scuffing his shoes on the floor. "Are you OK?" I asked.
"I'm REALLY sorry, Aru," he said uncomfortably. I shrugged.
"It's fine," I told him.
"But I do have a reason, Aru," he said, resting his chin on his hand.
"Yeah. Oh, right. Ivan, Toris wanted to speak to you. Not sure what time you got back; he might have gone to bed when you and your sisters got back," I said. Ivan frowned.
"No, I didn't get troubled by him, Even though he was sitting on the sofa when I came in, Né," he said. I frowned.
"When you get back, could you talk to him, please? Oh, and leave Raivis alone as well, please. He's terrified of you, as you may have noticed," I said. He nodded.
"OK. Are you coming back with me, or… Damn…" he said. "Agh! Baka, baka, baka, baka, baka, baka, BAKA!" he said suddenly. "Gah! Just a second!" he said quickly, dragging Wang Lao after him.
"What do you reckon just occurred to him?" Rose asked as Jenny crawled out from under the bed, like an evil creature from the deep. Although, she was a cat. And not evil. Rose reached down and scratched her behind the ears.
"I have no idea. But it can't be good. When he starts swearing in Japanese like that…" I muttered anxiously. "But… I'm worried. It's… Oh good God!" I said suddenly. Everything started to add up: Gilbert acting all anxious and quiet, and changing the subject all the time, Vasch's irritability, and telling me to find a home. Heck, even Raivis had been in on it! I sighed, slapping my foreheaad with the heel of my hand. "Damn," I muttered irritably. "When those two get back I'm going back to Vasch and Liech's house…" I muttered. Rose frowned.
"How come?" she asked.
"Because after I went to Emryn's house, I went back with Vasch. He was very quiet, and he irritably told me that I need to find somewhere to live, and that I could not keep floating," I said. Rose nodded, a little anxious.
"I see. Makes sense to get a little anxious, then," she replied. I nodded.
"OK… This is very bad…" Ivan muttered anxiously, returning and still dragging Wang lao after him. He didn't seem to mind at all.
"What is?" I asked. Ivan sighed and lifted the piece of paper that he was holding.
Demolition Order.
"Damn," Rose and I said at the same time.
"… Yeah," Ivan replied, then sighed.
"We can't stay here much longer," I said anxiously.
"Unless…" Wang Lao muttered.
"NO!" I said. He jumped. "No hare-brained schemes."
"Good thing this isn't a hare brained scheme, then," he replied grumpily.
"OK, what's your idea?" I asked. Wang Lao smirked.
"You take legal action," he said. I frowned.
"I have one thing to say to you, Wang Lao," I replied.
"And what's that?"
"Iago," I said. Wang Lao smiled.
"Why thank you," he said darkly.