Clay's Hope

by Melissa Haag

  * * * *

  I jumped onto the couch with a sigh and flopped down. I now understood why humans hated Mondays. The campus had been chaos, and following Gabby had been impossible. Security had chased me off the grounds, then chased me again when I returned.

  I needed clothes, I needed to blend, and I needed to shower before Gabby came home, which could be any time. Her schedule remained a mystery to me. Lifting my head, I glanced out the window. I hadn't wanted to leave the campus yet, but wasn't given a choice. The last security guard had fired a pellet gun at me.

  A familiar car pulled into the driveway, and I huffed a sigh. I'd forgotten about Rachel. So much for a shower.

  "Clay," she called as soon as she opened the door.

  I stood and jogged to her just so she wouldn't keep yelling.

  "Hey, bud! Look what I brought you."

  She opened her foam container and showed me a half-eaten burger. It almost made up for her attempt to get Gabby to go out with her. She set it on the floor, and I wolfed it down. The bacon on the burger made me want to groan. I hadn't eaten anything since leaving the house.

  "You sure are hungry." She glanced at the dish. "Don't you like your food?"

  Nope, but I'd have to remember to get rid of it every now and again so Rachel wouldn't worry about it.

  "I wonder when Gabby's coming home..." She stepped to the fridge and lifted the top few layers of paper held to the side by a magnetic clip.

  "Today's a late one."

  As I swallowed the last bite, I realized she was looking at Gabby's schedule. Rachel glanced at me.

  "Stay home and hang out with you or go out?"

  Go out. Go out.

  "What do you think?"

  I turned my back to her, trotted to Gabby's room, and hopped up on the end of the bed, hopefully making it clear I didn't want to hang out with Rachel.

  She peeked into the room and grinned at me. "I don't get why you like her so much. She doesn't feed you good stuff like I do. Better remember that."

  She didn't seem mad or offended by my preference. Only amused. She went to her room, and I listened to her change. The woman rarely closed her door.

  A few minutes later, I heard her leave her room and walk to the kitchen.

  "Clay. Come on, Clay. Time to go out."

  The indignities I suffered. I hopped off the bed and dutifully went outside. She watched me through the door this time. Who watched like that? I strode behind the shed, stood there for a suitable amount of time, then returned to the yard. She opened the door as soon as she saw me.

  "You're such a good boy," she said, scratching my head. "I'll bring you a treat when I come home."

  I wouldn't lie to myself. The food treats tempted me.

  As soon as her car pulled out of the driveway, I shifted to my skin and looked at Gabby's schedule. She wouldn't be home for a while yet.

  With a sigh, I went to take a quick shower, then waited for her on the couch.