Home Alone

by Mel Todd

  They didn’t watch TV for the rest of the day.

  Predictably it was Jessi who started climbing the walls, though it took until after seven for the fright from that movie to wear off. Charley didn‘t know if that was a reason to watch another movie or not. He decided not. The battle not-dreams would be better than nightmares about that thing.

  They weren’t able to go outside, and none of them had felt like roughhousing, so she didn’t have much outlet for her energy. JD didn’t have video games at his house and his computer was locked with a password Charley didn’t know.

  “I’m bored.”

  Charley shrugged, not sure what to do. “I think all of us are, but we can’t go outside, and I don’t know what you want to do.”

  Jamie didn’t even look up from his book as he responded. “She gets like this. Mom ignores her or makes her go run laps.” His voice broke a bit and they all fell silent.

  They had eaten a quiet lunch of cold cuts, but there wasn’t much else he could do that didn’t require cooking. “Want to help me make dinner?”

  She gave him a dubious look but shrugged and flowed to her feet. Sitting still she didn’t do well, and Charley felt their time slipping away, he couldn’t do this. They needed adults. All of them.

  In the kitchen he pulled out the hamburger patties he’d seen and some cheese. He sent Jessi looking for buns. He dug in the freezer and found oven fries. Feeling a bit more confidant, he started up the oven and followed all the directions on the package. At least with this meal no one would blame him if it didn’t taste good. You were supposed to put stuff on hamburgers to make them taste yummy and JD had lots of stuff in his fridge.

  With the fries in the oven he realized he needed a pan. With a sigh he pulled out the one he’d used that morning, and carefully washed it off. He’d done lots of dishes. They didn’t normally have dishwashers, so this skill he had faith in. He dried it off with paper towels and then put the pan on the stove. There were four patties and it was a pretty big pan, so he put all of them in and turned it on.

  Jessi had found the buns and he went over to help her, getting cheese, mustard and all the other things they could think of to put on their burgers.

  “Charley? Is that supposed to be happening?” Jamie’s voice pulled him from the potato chip war he and Jessi were having and he looked up.

  “Is that supposed to be happening?”

  Jamie didn’t say anything, just standing and pointing behind Charley, at the stove.

  13

  Fire

  A new article in Parents talks about the challenges of having a shifter child as well as how to deal with envy when one child can shift and the other can't. While interesting, the summation of the article boils down to patience and finding skills the non-shifting child has that can be their place to shine. This blogger, and mother of twins, has found a good babysitter and a bottle of wine can make your ability to survive motherhood, with or without having shifter kids, much higher. ~ Popular Parenting blog.

  Charley whirled and felt his body lock down. The paper towels he’d dried the pan with were burning and they were nestled up next to the curtains over JD’s windows. Curtains they’d carefully closed.

  “I got it.” Jessi said and bounded forward, her hand lashing out and hitting the paper towels towards the trash.

  Charley watched it all move in slow motion, knowing he should do something to stop it but was unable to do anything except watch.

  As the flaming towels hit the overflowing trash a small fireball burst up as the oil from earlier burst into flames. With a speed he almost couldn’t believe, it spread as the kitchen began to fill with foul smelling smoke.

  “Out, out, now!” He yelled, even as they began to cough.

  “Our bags!” Jamie yelled as he turned and streaked to the bedroom.

  “Wait,” Charley tried to cry but he was too late. Instead he moved to pull a frozen Jessi who had locked down as she stared at the growing the fire, unable to look away. “Come on!” His hand clamped around her arm tight enough that normally she would have complained but she didn’t say anything as she watched the quickly spreading fire. He headed towards the front door, fumbling with the locks for long, heart-pounding seconds. Finally he got it to unlock, pulled it open, and pushed Jessi outside.

  Warm evening air rushed in and he heard a whoosh behind him. Without looking, he shoved her forward as a wave hit them bowling them over. Jessi didn’t have her shoes on, though he did, and she cried out as she tumbled over the cement walkway.

  His ears rang as he shook his head and looked around. The door filled with smoke and he could see the flames flickering behind the smoke. Around them doors began to open, and he heard shouts of alarm but they couldn’t take his eyes off the inferno growing in JD’s house.

  “Jamie?” Jessi’s voice cracked, coughing a bit on the smoke that flavored everything with a bitter taste.

  “Inside.” His voice flat. Charley closed his eyes and reached for the link, his heart leaping when he realized it was still active.

  ~Jamie?~

  ~Yeah. I’ve got our bags, but the way is blocked with flames and I can’t get the back door unlocked. The keys to that door aren’t in your bag~ His voice sounded calm and level, even as Charley felt Jessi digging her fingers into his arm.

  ~Are you okay? Jamie get out here!~ Her voice had an odd panicky quality in his mind that Charley had never heard with his ears and he looked at her. She stared up at him, face white as her hands cut off blood to his fingers.

  ~I’m fine. Coughing, smoke is awful. How do I get out?~ Again that calm logical question even as Jessi gripped harder.

  Not-memories, information he didn’t remember learning, trickled to the front of his mind as Charley heard sirens in the distance and adults touching him and talking to him. He ignored all of them as he focused on the not-memories.

  ~Go to the bathroom, get a towel, soak it in water and wrap it around your body and another one around your face. You can get through the smoke and fire, but you must move fast and stay low to the ground because smoke rises.~

  ~Hurry, Jamie,~ Jessi's voice echoed in his mind even as he heard her snarl in his ears. "Leave us alone."

  The hands grabbing him let go with vaguely affronted sounds. He concentrated on Jamie, wishing he could hear and see through his eyes like Jessi could.

  ~Jessi, look through him. Is he doing that?~ Her eyes snapped shut and her shoulders sagged.

  ~Yes. Almost done.~ Her voice had love, fear, worry, and pride mixed in with colors and tastes he just accepted.

  ~I am not crazy, I'll be out in a minute.~

  ~Okay.~ Charley didn't say any of the words in his mind and his heart. He just locked his eyes on the front door as the smoke, as well as the flames, starting to billow out.

  The sirens came to a halt behind them. He heard voices and yelling but neither he nor Jessi moved, just watching the door.

  ~Coming out now.~

  They rose from their sprawled positions, every part of their existence locked onto Jamie, and Charley felt part of him reaching towards Jamie.

  "Grab them! Don’t let them run back in! Is someone still in there?" He heard the voices and registered the hands grabbing them. He didn't fight. He just hung on, unable to do anything besides reach for Jamie with his mind. He had the sense Jessi did the same but he didn’t turn and look.

  A figured appeared at a dead run through the smoke, swaddled in dark blue colors. He tripped as he went through, the towel catching on something in the house and pulling him down into an ungraceful catapult. Jamie slammed down on the single step, the towel flapping behind him, the packs that he had grabbed going flying.

  ~Ow~ exploded into his mind and Jessi cried out, grabbing her arm as Jamie stopped rolling. Three backpacks tumbled away from him and his limp figure rolled twice, ending with Jamie laying on his back looking up at the sky.

  A scream arose from the onlookers and the hands relaxed on Charley.

  He started to wigg
le to try and get free to get to Jamie, his mind listing out what to check and do with the injured Kaylid.

  Charley darted towards him, the hands unable to stop him as every bit of strength went into getting to Jamie who was coughing and crying. As he looked at Jamie’s arm, he saw a white shard of bone sticking up out of his arm.

  Moving on instinct and learned lessons, Charley straighten him out and went to check the arm, when two strong hands grabbed him.

  "We'll take care of him. Let's get you two looked at." A large black man with the name Jones on his jacket moved Charley easily, even as someone else grabbed Jessi. Two EMT's knelt next to Jamie.

  "You two okay?" The man asked. He had a nice smile, but Charley's world had focused onto Jamie and the pain radiating through the mindscape and Jessi. She held barely leashed panic as she wriggled to try and get to her brother, even as she held her arm strangely.

  "I think they're in shock. Any idea who owns the house? Do we have any more people in there?"

  That much registered through his mind. "No. No one else in there."

  The man turned to look at him. "Where are your parents?"

  That caused both Charley and Jessi to freeze exchanging fast glances.

  ~You two need to leave. I can't. I can't shift like this, it’s broken bad. Grab the bags and run. Hide. They'll call someone to take you away. I'll distract them.~ Jamie's voice even wracked with pain held calm logic.

  ~No, I won't leave you!~ Jessi protested even as she started to try to get loose.

  "Child, it's okay. He'll be just fine. Looks like a broken arm," the person holding her said. She was an older woman without a fire jacket on. Instead she wore a uniform but it said Fire Marshal on it.

  New sirens started to sound and both kids froze again. These they recognized as the different sound of police as opposed to fire.

  ~You have to go now,~ Jamie insisted. ~I'll give them Carina's number. I'll be fine. Go.~ His voice had desperation in it but for them, not himself.

  "I need to get my backpack. It has the information about my… family." Charley's voice cracked a bit on the last word.

  "Okay, kid. Go grab it. Swear everything will be okay." Charley nodded and wobbled a bit as the man let him go.

  "She'll be fine. You can let her go." Charley said to the woman even as he spoke to Jessi. ~Get a few steps and run, change into a cat if you can. Get away and I'll grab the backpacks and follow.~

  Jessi quit struggling and looked. ~There, between the back yards, that path leads to a small park. I can get there even without shoes. Meet me. I'll change and give you my clothes and then we can run.~

  ~Jamie, can you create a distraction?~ He asked as he slowly walked towards the bags - three wouldn't slow him down too much.

  ~Of course.~ Then on a private channel, one Jessi couldn't hear. ~Take care of her. I can't live without my sister.~ The thought so fast and quiet, and with so much power, Charley flinched as he reached down to grab all three backpacks. ~Now.~

  Jamie screamed and started to thrash, letting his claws start to grow. All of them had been sternly lectured by Wefor about how dangerous that was, so Charley knew he wouldn't shift into warrior form. The break would not be good to shift with as it would heal funny but all the responders didn't know that.

  "Fuck, he's changing! Stop him! Hold him down, he's a shifter!" Stress and shouts erupted and the man holding him dove for Jamie, starting to talk to him. Even the woman standing next to Jessi looked over, moving that direction in case they needed her. Everyone else dealt with the fire that attacked JD's house.

  Charley and Jessi tore off into the darkness, streaked by blue and reds as they saw the cop cars pulling up. Fear lent speed to his legs and even though Jessi had a good thirty seconds on him he caught up with her. In the distance he heard shouting as he passed her.

  ~Up ahead there are some shadows. Shift there and I'll get everything into one bag.~ They paused in the shadows and Charley turned to watch the path while he shoved everything into his bigger backpack as she stripped.

  A minute later her voice pinged. ~Grab my stuff. I'm ready.~

  He looked down to see her clothes in a pile. He shoved them in and dumped the two empty backpacks over a nearby fence after checking once more that they didn't hold anything.

  ~Ready?~ They'd already slipped back into mindspeak, Besides, as much as they'd need to run, he wouldn't be able to speak clearly if they didn't.

  ~Yes. Jamie? Are you okay?~

  Laughter burbled in their mind. ~They are freaking out! The cops showed up, shouting that it is a cop’s house. The firefighters got the fire out, but his house doesn't look good.~ That caused the laughter to fade a bit as Charley and Jessi moved at a fast lope down the way, scooting through a small park that completely changed their direction. ~They are sending cops after you and I'm stalling, not giving them any information, but they are worried about my arm. I broke it good.~

  ~It doesn't hurt?~ Jessi asked, her tone prickly.

  ~They gave me something, is making me feel loopy, but even so I don't think it hurts as much as it should, but who knows. Where are you headed?~

  Charley shrugged and almost stumbled. He managed to not fall but he focused more on placing his feet correctly and keeping his breathing even.

  ~I don't know. Away for now.~

  An odd wave of sorrow and pride ripped through him, and Charley frowned. ~Is everything okay?~

  ~Yeah. You run and hide. I'll let Carina know you're okay. Just be careful.~ His link dimmed as if a shadow crossed over it. ~They are taking me now. Be careful.~

  ~Jamie, do you want me to come back?~ Jessi asked, slowing her pace.

  ~No, you have to stay with Charley. They can't take him. I'll miss you.~ Then he quit talking but Charley felt an emotion meant for Jessi but washing over him too. He picked up his pace, trying to figure out where to go. How to keep her safe and what to do.

  Is it time for me to give up and let them take me away? Now I've hurt JD. I just want McKenna back. I don't want to be a grown up.

  He started to cry silent, quiet tears as they ran, Jessi a shadow by his side.

  14

  Hiding

  With Halloween only a few months away and Christmas following, costume and toy makers are scrambling to create the new bestsellers of the year, and without a doubt, animals are going to be central to most of the themes. Already cat, wolf, and bear costumes that include tails, ears, and paws are being created for kids. Some of the higher end costumes will include muzzles and knee pads so kids move around on all four “feet.” The famed Teddy Bear maker, GUND, is creating stuffed animal versions of the extinct shifter animals. This should be an interesting year. ~ TNN Market Report

  As they ran the sirens faded and the darkness grew. Finding a quiet construction site they crawled under the fence and hid in one of the big round cement pipes they hadn't put into the ground yet. His tears hadn't lasted long, too hard to run, for what seemed like forever, and cry at the same time.

  The shelter of the cement pipe surrounded them. Jessi made it in and collapsed, her sides heaving, tail laying quiet instead of its constant flicking.

  ~You hurt?~ He really hoped not. He didn't want to try out his first aid skills. He didn't know what he did or didn't know and that made the idea very scary.

  ~Exhausted. Sleep.~ Even her mental voice sounded drained and pulled energy from him. The idea sounded good. The air was warm in the late summer evening. He put the backpack behind his head and closed his eyes, falling into darkness almost instantly.

  When the sound of birds and cars pulled him from sleep, he had an odd pang of disappointment. He'd almost expected to fall into a not-dream, but instead they'd slept solid.

  ~Jamie?~

  There was no answer to his call. Charley closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened his eyes Jessi looked at him, whiskers back and ears down.

  ~We should go. I hear people.~ Even as she talked she rose and stretched and stuck her nose out of their temporary shelter.
>
  ~Okay.~ Charley didn't move as easily, the animal form so much easier when sleeping in places that didn't have beds.

  He grabbed the bag, once again wishing he had a tooth brush and they headed to the bushes on the far side, slipping under the fence that didn't look like it could stop anything or anyone.

  ~Where?~ Jessi seemed flatter than he'd ever heard her, but he didn't push it.

  ~McKenna’s. I have the keys.~ That he'd checked when he'd repacked.

  ~Won't they find us?~

  ~Yea, but I figured we could sneak in and get food. NO COOKING!~ His panicked thought made them both flinch, but Jessi replied with lots of assent through the connection. ~We can sleep in the drainage ditch in animal form. It should be pretty safe.~

  Jessi didn't say anything, but she shoulder bumped him. The trip to McKenna's took a while. Though in the car it didn't take long at all, walking, by avoiding people and making sure no one saw Jessi, they spent a lot of time in bushes, behind fences, and laying on their bellies in the grass. Oddly the not-memories helped, telling them how to blend into the shadows, when to move, and when to stay still. But either way, the trip that normally took about fifteen minutes by car took over six hours. By the time they got to the house they were starving but fear and paranoia made them watch.

  The thought that normal kids didn't act like this hovered in the back of his mind but he pushed it away.

  We aren't normal kids. Normal kids can't do what we can and haven't been through what we have.

  That helped a bit but still he wished he could talk to Jamie, make sure they weren't hurting him to try and get the information. He didn't think any of these adults would but he still bore scars from one time Gerry didn't think he'd answered all his questions fully. The buckle of the belt had cut very deep. He knew adults didn't always do what you wanted or hoped.

  Lying in the grass at the edge of the property, they looked at the house. From that location they could see both the back and the driveway. All that sat there were the four lonely cars, looking abandoned. Charley could sympathize.