Yessiree, i'm back again with more to read!
So, thanks again, dudes for all the tlc and reviews!
WOW so this should be one of the last chapters of the first half of this story.
ANYWAY, how was your Easter? this is a bit late, but mine was okay. twas very nice.
UM, so feel free to leave a review whether or not you have an account...
i dont own ice age...the usual disclaimer.
and now...
CHAPTER ELEVEN!
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Tabitha
"Dad?" I asked, worried and frightened. It didn't seem like he'd heard me, nor did it seem as though he could see me. I waved my hand in front of his face and snapped my fingers. "Daddy," I cried, sounding ever so much like a first grader, "Daddy, please!" I grabbed his shoulders and shook him, but he just stared past me, trembling with that crazy look in his eye.
And it scared me.
I yelled at him to stop, desperate for my only parent to be okay. He pushed me away and hissed.
Hissed.
At me.
I had never seen him his at anyone, for any reason other than defense. I remembered only three occasions where he had raised his voice at my mother or Melody. And he had never hurt anyone he loved, at least not that I could recall.
And it hadn't been the playful shove I was used to seeing from him. It was the kind of shove the baker gives to the bread thief, or the bully gives to the victim.
I backed away, and despite my efforts not to, I found myself crying. He scrambled away, the blood on his pelt glistening in the moonlight.
At that moment, a few things "clicked" in my head.
1. It was getting really late.
2. The herd would be worried, and probably come looking.
3. There was something seriously wrong with my dad at the moment.
I ran into Melody's arms, nearly knocking her over in the process. "Tabitha, where the bloody heck 'ave you been?" she cried. I didn't respond; for some reason her British accent made me cry. "Shh, it's all right, you're safe now. Tabitha? Tabitha?" She hugged me, then held me at arm's length to survey the damage. I must have looked terrible, maybe crazy, like a wild jungle girl or something. "Tabitha, what happened?" asked Manny softly. Melody brushed away a strand of hair on my face. "Come on, Tabby, you can tell us." I tried to answer, but couldn't. "We should get back to the camp now," said Manny. "No," I said,"W-we c-can't go yet." I cursed myself for stuttering. I sounded like an idiot. "What do ya mean, Tabby-girl?" I stiffened at the nickname given to me by my parents. I opened my mouth to speak, but did not. Clearing my throat, I tried again.
"I found him."
Melody
Besides the gash on her back, Tabitha had returned safely. For this I was relieved of a small bit of stress, after all, the least I could do for my brother was keep his only child safe. And besides, had I...any children, he would have done the same for me.
"Come on, Manny. If he's as crazy as he sounds, he could get himself into a heap of trouble." In silence, we ventured on into the jungle.
Taking a shot at small talk, presumably to lighten the mood, Manny asked, "So...I guess Buck was the only one of your guys to get married, eh?" He didn't know. There was no way he could have known. He didn't know, Melody.
I did my best to maintain my composure as I answered, striving to sound cool as opposed to hot headed,"No." Taken aback, the mammoth instinctively asked, "What?" I took a deep breath and clenched and un-clenched my fists. You are a grown woman, not a moody teenager, and not the sensitive ten year old of years past.
"I was married at one time." Having nothing else to say, he said one word.
"Oh."
Sensing confusion, I continued slowly. "He left me upon finding out I was pregnant." Six words, now:
"Oh, I'm sorry. Truly, I am."
However, he still sounded confused about that last part. I sighed, "Miscarriage." He laid his trunk upon my shoulder in silent understanding.
After a while, he broke the silence. "My first family was killed by humans," Manny said quietly.
I looked up at him, "Had I known you at the time, I would have sent you a sincere letter of sympathy and sorrow. Alas, I did not."
We came to a clearing; a field of high grass. By this time, it was raining (as they say) stair rods, and I shielded my eyes, wondering how on earth (or, in this case, under the earth) it rained underground. Peering out onto the field as best as I could, I shouted, "Buck, where are you? Buck, answer me!"
"Melody, look." I turned to where Manny was pointing, and saw.
Hopping over the tall grass, I grew closer to my brother. My heart beat sped up- something was wrong. I didn't realize what until I was kneeling down beside him, gazing in horror as he vomited blood. I repeated his name, because he was just staring at the sky, breathing heavily. "Buck, answer me,please," I whimpered. He said the unthinkable.
"Who are you?"
I couldn't believe it. My own twin, whom I had lived within close proximity of since before birth.
He didn't know who I was.
"Buck," I whispered,"It's me. Melody. Your sistah. You know me."
What he said next stung worse than a slap.
"No I don't. I don't know who you are."
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