by Mel Todd
~Yeah. Mom's tough. She made it without our dad. She won't leave us behind.~
~You never talk about your dad. Did you like him? Was he nice?~ The wistfulness in his voice.
Jessi shrugged. ~Don't know. Never knew him. He died before I can remember him. Mom never talks about him. But she still has some pictures. But,~ Jessi shrugged again. ~what about your dad? Not your stepdad.~
~Same except I don't even know who he is or was, except he might have had the last name Davis. And well, my mom wasn't much of a mom. You're lucky. If my mom had been like yours…~ he trailed off.
He saw her attention get grabbed by the squirrel racing across her vision and he let it go. Maybe someday they would talk about this but now wasn't it. He shut all the memories and worries firmly away. With a bit of mental effort he disconnected and pinged McKenna's link again.
Sleep didn't claim him, not quite, but he drifted, letting in thoughts and memories that he knew weren't his.
~Jamie, I want you to try something.~ Jessi's voice in his mind brought him fully wake.
~What?~ Jamie ask as he stretched. His mind always seemed more ordered and contained than Jessi. Her mind always bubbled and fizzed. It was never calm in her brain.
~Close your eyes and feel down our link. Can you sense me.~
~Of course.~ Where Jessi would have been exasperated, Jamie just answered, waiting for the next bit of information. The differences between the two always amused Charley. Even in the place where they were held he had always known which black cat was Jessi. She couldn't be still for anything.
~Now, see if you can find my eyes.~
~Huh? Oh. Interesting.~ His tone abstract and intrigued. ~How did you figure this out. I can see through your eyes.~
~Cool, huh? Charley figured it out.~ Jessi bubbled even as she wiggled, unable to sit still.
~Let me try it with him.~
On the other side of the connection Charley could feel Jamie reaching for him but he never reached deep enough to touch his eyes.
~Odd it didn't work?~ Jamie sounded disappointed but still interested.
~Huh? Let me try.~ Jessi spoke even as her mind reached out. Charley, since he actively looked for it, felt her through the channel and deeper into him. ~look at something,~ she demanded.
Smiling a bit, Jessi was Jessi, Charley looked at the lake in the distance, people starting to show up as the day cooled off.
~It worked. Let me try you, Jamie.~ Like a cat with a new object of interest, Jessi started experimenting and Charley watched as she tried things he wouldn't have thought of. But even as she did he searched the “not memories” and came up empty.
Wefor would know.
The thought caused pain to slice through him because Wefor not being here meant no McKenna.
By the time Jessi was done, and she'd started to get bored, she determined she could see via Charley and Jamie, and they could see via her, but they couldn't see through each other. Hearing, sight, sound, and taste. Jamie had finally given in and tasted dirt to determine that one. They all agreed the dirt here tasted nasty.
The sound of a horn grabbed their attention as a food truck, one with tacos pulled up.
"We have any money?" After so long speaking in their heads it took him a second to flip his attention to Jessi talking.
"I've got twenty," Jamie offered, digging in his bag.
"I grabbed the money McKenna gave me," Charley offered, pulling out three tens and three fives. "I don't spend much of it." He'd never had money before and couldn't help hoarding it, just in case. He'd grabbed it on automatic, just like the knife.
"Yay. Tacos?"
Charley glanced at it. It was a good deal, usually three small tacos for two dollars, and if Jessi did it with her big eyes, they'd sometimes gave her an extra one.
"Here, take five dollars and give them your big eyes. I'll stay here."
She flashed him a smile, grabbed the five and scampered out, Jamie at her heels. Watching them for a minute, he looked around and sighed. Being a kid sucked. They couldn't stay here for long and he didn't want to go to a home. He wanted McKenna. But right now he couldn't see any other options. Digging out McKenna’s phone he looked at it but didn't power the phone on. Instead he shoved it back down into the depths of the bag and focused on Jessi. Sure, enough he could see through her eyes. It seemed odd and cool at the same time.
Probably the same range as our mindspeak. This could be useful.
He listened in amusement as she gave the vendor her big eyes and brightest smile. The man melted, giving her eight tacos and a bag of broken chips for her five dollars. Smiling brightly at him, she headed back to Charley with her bounty in hand. They spent the rest of the afternoon eating, playing with the new ability, and watching the world. They didn't talk about the families they were missing.
9
Day Alone
The manhunt for McKenna Largo and Percival Alexander and the others is still ongoing. An 800 number has been set up for tips and the police and FBI are scouring all traffic cameras, trying to locate the path of the vehicles. At this time the children of the people taken are staying with friends. Though social services has been contacted, there are no comments at this time. ~KWAK News
Something woke Charley up. He sensed Jamie and Jessi nearby, and the grass he was curled up on didn't register for a minute. A figure cloaked in shadows and foul smells poked at him. "Come with me, sonny. I have use for you." Cold grimy hands clawed at him, trying to pull him from the warmth of their little den.
"Hey, let go of me." He yelled pulling his arm from the person, their touch making his skin crawl.
"Come with me, I know you're running from the cops. Come or I'll tell them where you are."
Fear gripped his heart and for a minute, one that lasted an eternity, he was back in the closet, Gerry leering at him and threatening him. Holding things over him if he complained. That he'd kick his mom and him to the curb. That'd he'd kill her and make it look like an over dose. That he'd sell Charley out to people with a taste for young boys.
His mouth dry, he froze - unable to fight as the figure grabbed him and pulled him out, away from Jessi and Jamie.
A low growl echoed around them, and a black jaguar stepped out of the den. Ears laid back, lips pulled away from sharp fangs, and a warning growl as she stalked forward.
The growl snapped him out of his memories and fear and he yanked his arm away as Jessi cleared the remaining distance in a single leap, her tail a whip lashing from side to side.
The person, a woman he thought from the high-pitched shriek, tumbled backwards, glaring at them.
"I don't think so. Get out of here or I'll let my friend have lunch. She's hungry."
Jessi took another step forward lowering her body. While compared to her mom she wasn't impressive, but up close a fifty plus pound cat intimidated most people. She matched the size of a large lynx.
"Freaks," she hissed but kept backing up as Jessi kept stalking forward. They'd decided to have one of them shift just in case they needed to do something or chase away rats.
Charley tugged on Jessi's tail when it looked like she might keep stalking toward the person already crab crawling backwards away from them.
~She’s not worth it. Don’t.~
Her tail flicked in his hand, but she quit moving forward. He could feel her rage bubbling in her.
~How dare she. What did she want?~
Charley suspected he knew but didn't answer her question. The twins didn't need to know what life was like.
~You okay?~ Jessi turned to look at him, ears perked up and whiskers pointed towards him.
~Yeah. Want a bath, but I'm fine.~
Jamie crawled out looking at them. ~This is scarier than I expected it to be.~
Charley wanted to laugh. This didn't qualify as scary, not yet. But he didn't want them to know what scary was. So how did he fix this?
~Curl up, it’s too early to be up and moving.~ Jessi came back and curled up across his and Jamie's le
gs. He fell into a restless sleep, her warmth helping keep him grounded.
The light of the rising sun, mixed with the explosive amount of bird chatter pulled him up, as well as the cold breeze across his legs. He woke to see Jessi standing at the entrance, stretching, her tail twitching back and forth as she watched the birds hopping around in front of their little cave.
~I'm a bit hungry. But should we eat what we have?~ Jamie asked, still curled up in the back.
~We should probably save what we have if we can. I saw some geese by the lake with eggs. Jessi, do you think you can eat raw eggs in cat form? My stepdad used to eat them raw. He’d just suck them down.~
Jessi had dropped into a sphinx pose though her tail still lashed. ~Maybe. If I can, it would be better. Me shifting again would probably be bad. I can stay as a cat if you need.~
Charley frowned but didn't say anything. They needed to be human, but a few days especially after spending a week plus as a cat she'd be fine. Right?
~We can go get them. Jess, you wanna follow in the shadows?~
~Yes.~ her voice held excitement and Charley smirked. She would never be one to sit still and wait for anyone. That bugged him in the back of his mind but he didn't know why.
~Don't call attention to yourself. I'll stay here to watch our stuff. ~ Jamie offered yawning. He curled back up.
~You be careful. Change if you have to but we need to go find some food. This place should be quiet today, it's Monday.~
~I can yell really loud.~ Jamie curled back up, pillowing his head on his arm in the small area.
~You'd better.~ The idea of anything happening to any of them made him sick to his stomach.
Charley stood up and stretched. His mouth tasted awful but grabbing a toothbrush hadn't occurred to him. A feeling of dread seeped in, what else had he forgotten? How else was he putting them at risk?
~Water first? We can hit the drinking fountain first.~
~Yes.~ Jessi responded as she stood and stretched.
He headed to the lake and the nearby drinking fountain. The park seemed empty, no people at this time in the morning on a Monday. He relaxed a bit. Even the homeless weren't really up and moving.
On the walk over to the fountain he didn't see anyone, which helped. The area didn't have a lot of traffic, so when Jessi came out of the undergrowth and walked next to him there was no one to see.
The drinking fountain had a dog bowl attached to it, so Charley rinsed it out, then filled it full of water for her.
They both drank their fill. The water helped but they would still need food.
That knowledge ate at him but he pushed it away, not having any answer to that worry right now.
Jessi trotted ahead pouncing in and out of the shadows, her joy bubbling through the link and Charley felt his mood lifting as they went.
~Stay here. I'm going to go grab some eggs.~
Charley didn't know for sure how eggs worked but if they were laid they could be eaten, right? He spied a few geese, their black and grey feathers making them obvious on the greenish grass.
Jess dropped beneath a tree, her attention fixed on birds in front of him. He headed over to the bird, the geese getting bigger as he moved closer.
I didn't realize they were so big.
He got up to the bird and it raised its head to glare at him. It's beak opened in a hiss as he approached.
"Hey, birdy, I just want the eggs. Go away now."
Charley moved over and started to reach for the bird, thinking the eggs would be under it.
The goose shrieked at him, at least that is what it sounded like, and the beak darted out at him, nipping him hard, wings spread and flapping.
"ACK!" He stumbled backwards as the goose attacked him, hissing and shrieking as its wings slapped at his face and the beak aimed for his eyes.
Charley, taken off guard, fell backwards on his butt. He threw his arms up, covering his face from the goose’s wings.
~I got this.~ Jessi said, coming pounding out of the shadows.
Relief swept through him as she bounded forward and he expected to see the goose panic and fly away.
Instead the goose freaked, honking like crazy. The other geese near them started to shriek too and started swarming towards them. They attacked Jessi, wings, beaks, and feet with sharp claws flashing out at her.
A cry of pain slipped out of Jessi, the sound of a cat crying out that slashed across his ears and his heart. He looked and saw a goose had fastened on her tail in a death grip. Jessi spun around trying to get to the bird attached to her tail.
~Charley, get it off.~ Panic laced her voice.
He jumped up, trying to move over to the bird but her movements, and the birds flapping wings, all meant he couldn't get close to it or her.
"Jessi, run!" he yelled, backing up away from the birds and towards the shelter of the trees.
She darted towards him. The goose released her tail and fell back honking at them, its feathers puffed out and the other geese joined it. Charley and Jessi ran until they came to a stop and stood, panting, under the canopy of a nearby oak tree. The geese stood near the shore, wings mantled, hissing at them until they finally went back to their nests.
~You guys, okay?~ Jamie’s worried voice filled their head.
Charley glanced at Jessi who was licking her tail.
~Yeah but let’s just say, no eggs. Geese are mean.~
~Yes, very mean.~ Jessi added glaring at the still agitated geese. ~I don't think we can hunt geese. They're too mean.~
A feeling of curiosity filled the link. ~Do I want to know?~
Jessi pouted, her attention fixed on her tail. Charley caught a whiff of blood.
~Let's say, Jessi and I are really going to enjoy eating goose when we get a chance.~
~Very, very, much.~ Jessi muttered in their minds.
Jamie's snickers filled their mind as Charley and Jessi headed back to him.
10
Running from Yourself
Should zoology be required for shifter kids? With basic biology mandatory for all children to graduate high school, some had suggested adding zoology as mandatory for kids that shift. They should know how the bodies they can inhabit function. While humans don’t have seasons, most animals do. Will shifters? Proponents of this say that this way any biological oddities will be known before they run into them. With no new animals having been found in the last month, the variations seem well known. Focusing on those might be possible, but given the problems teaching sex education in schools, teaching about coming into heat and mating habits of animals, may not get that much support. ~ TNN News Anchor
With no eggs and nothing to supplement their supplies, they went through most of the food they had stashed. Jessi refused to change, for now. But Charley worried-about everything. He wanted to cry.
I want McKenna.
They avoided talking about it, but boredom started to set in, and while Jamie had brought a book, Jessi wanted to run and play, and so did Charley.
~I wanna do something.~ Jessi said, a bit of a whine in her voice. She lay on her side, sprawled in the shade.
~You always wanna do something. I have another book. You can read.~
Jessi growled in response to his suggestion. Charley fought back a smile, but he soon lost the good humor.
What can we do? We’re just kids, I don’t know where McKenna and the rest of them are and I can’t keep Jessi and Jamie safe.
Everything in him hurt at the idea of getting taken away from them, but being out there, with them, he didn’t see how this would work. He couldn’t do it.
Jessi had apparently decided to entertain herself by seeing if she could piss Jamie off. She kept flicking her tail over his book, making it so he couldn’t read. Then she’d whip her tail away when he went to grab it and move it out of his way.
“Jessi, stop it. I’m not bugging you.” This time he tried to slam the book shut with her tail in it, but again she moved it too fast. Then she flicked him in the face with her tail.<
br />
Charley tried not to laugh but a snort of laughter slipped out and Jamie glared at him, then Jessi.
“You aren’t helping,” Jamie pouted as he made a grab for her tail, managing to snag it this time. He yanked it backwards and Jessi snarled a bit. Having your tail pulled hurt, he knew this for a fact.
She whirled, curling up to bat at his face. Charley noted she made very sure her claws were fully retracted. They exploded into a mock fight. Wrestling back and forth, one human, one cat. Charley laughed as they sent needles scattering everywhere, enjoying the bit of normalcy.
A sound rippled through the air, and he froze.
~STOP~ His command made them both freeze and look at him, eyes wide. ~Listen.~
Jessi’s ears perked as she turned, and Jamie crawled out a little bit. A siren coming into the park, getting louder.
The moved over to a tree that let them hide behind as they peered out at the parking lot. Two patrol cars pulled into the lot and four cops got out. Looking around the area.
~Fudge, someone must have seen us. We need to leave.~ The instinct to run grabbed him, and he fought not to shift to wolf, who ran so much faster than he did. He felt Jamie and Jessi react with the same level of stress that he had wrapping his body. They scooted backwards into the depths of the shadows, peering out towards the cops.
~What do we do?~ Jamie looked at him, his face pale and drawn.
Thoughts rambled in his mind but it was the jangle of keys as Jamie pulled out the bags that decided it.
~We’re heading to JD’s. I have the keys.~
~Should I change back to human?~
~No. Not yet. We can cross through some of the yards and back areas. It will take us a while but if we are careful no one will see us. Everyone’s at work, and if we don’t set off any alarms we can get there without anyone seeing us.~
