by G S Banks
I watch my legs, swinging from side to side, and see the murky waters below. Terence and I came here a few times, to take one of those cheesy boat rides around the statue. I remember it fondly. We must have been 14 the last time, giggling and crunching on M&Ms. It is strange, and sad, to think that he and I could have been Anitars together and I am sorry, so sorry, that I didn’t know he was manifesting. I didn’t know and he didn’t know, and in the end, there was little I could do to stop him from taking his own life that night. I still miss him … and I always will but I will make sure he stays with me for whatever lies ahead. I will take him with me, wherever I go, in my heart. He would never have wanted me to hide away from life, from what I could become, because of what happened that night, not the Terence I knew. He loved me for who I was. I smile to myself, knowing that he would love the drama of me being up here, at night, and if he knew I could fly… Well… I think he would love that too. With that thought in my mind, I stand up and balance myself on the outer most edge and look across the sea. I speak out clearly, into the darkness.
‘This one is for you, Terence Bonfant, my sweetest friend.’
With that, I shoot high into the sky, from the edge of Lady Liberty’s crown, curving over the waters.
31. Jammy Dodgers
Gregory Residence, New York
Later that evening, Alisdair sits next to me on our rooftop, holding a steaming mug of strawberry tea to his lips. I found him here when I landed, prowling around alone. His elbow and shoulder are right next to mine. We sit here next to each other on the same bench I tried so hard to lift, just after Kelci had been taken. The same one Artemiz had rescued me from that day in the rain. It was wet then, and cold, but now the air is balmy and there is a faint smell of doughnuts on a gentle breeze.
‘Thank you,’ I blurt out. ‘I mean, for helping to rescue Kelci. You risked a lot, to do that. And I appreciate it.’
‘I’m glad I did,’ he says. ‘Now I know what we’re up against.’
‘It’s bad, isn’t it?’ I say. ‘What we saw.’
His eyes scan the endless rooftops. No words are necessary. He places his mug on the garden table and takes a jammy dodger from the flowery plate. He leans back, snug against my arm and takes a bite out of the jam filled biscuit. There’s a long pause as I look at him, trying to read his face. As he works his way through it, I can’t help wondering how one guy can look so good whilst eating a jammy dodger, but then I stop myself for thinking such a thing.
‘So, what’s next for us all?’ I say.
He turns to me and I notice that, up close, somehow he still smells of fresh air and forest.
‘You mean the six of us? I guess we go on to become Apprentices, somewhere. I doubt Lady Muldoon will take us, after what we did. The best we can hope for is entrance to one of the other Academies.’
Does he feel the same dull ache at the thought of not being part of it all at Muldoon? At being separated?
‘It’s not right, us all going our different ways. We’re a good team,’ I say.
‘I’ll probably end up in the Asian Academy,’ he goes on. ‘It’s supposed to be the best for Snow Leopards. Apart from Muldoon of course.’
The ache grows. To not see him. I almost feel tears pricking my eyes, but embarrassment stops them from coming.
‘The six of us… Split apart… After all we went through…’ I say.
‘We’ll find each other again.’
The side of his foot touches mine. He turns and looks at me and I look back at him. Does he want to say more? Does it bother him that within days we could be on separate continents? His expression has softened, that’s for sure. A familiar rattling noise starts up and I immediately look towards the door of the roof garden. It wobbles a bit more, then crashes open and Kelci stands there in her dressing gown. She pushes her glasses up her nose, then announces:
‘There’s news from Muldoon.’
We race downstairs, Kelci first then Alisdair and me close behind, all the way to the kitchen. We find Mum and Dad in silk kimonos standing there and Ben in a big black furry dressing gown with matching slippers. Where did he get them from? Mum eyes up Alisdair and me as we roll in, fully dressed.
‘Where were you two?’
‘On the roof. Having a cup of tea.’
‘What were you doing on the roof?’
She peers at us.
‘Having a cup of tea,’ I say. ‘Mum, please. Not now.’
‘At this time of night?’
All eyes are on me.
‘I was out flying, and Alisdair was on the roof when I came back.’
Kelci clears her throat loudly and gives an insistent look towards the expensive looking envelope in Dad’s hand.
‘I can explain later, guys. Please, tell us what’s going on.’
Dad puts his free hand on Mum’s shoulder and whispers something in her ear. She nods reluctantly.
‘Shall we get down to business?’ he says, clearing his throat and tightening the belt around his dressing gown.
‘Yes!’ we all say.
‘This has just arrived by special courier. A young Frog delivered it … all the way from Muldoon.’
‘A Frog? What? From Muldoon? Oh my God.’
My voice has risen to a high pitch. The others are murmuring and shuffling.
‘He said specifically that we all needed to be here when it is read out.’
I hold my breath and stare at Dad’s face. He opens the envelope and begins to read.
‘Dear Nina, Alisdair and Ben,
As I have already expressed to each of you individually, I am extremely disappointed by your blatant disregard for the Academy’s rules. Your unsanctioned mission was both irresponsible and selfish. We can only take heart that one of you is not seriously injured, captured or dead.’
I gulp. I can almost hear Lady Muldoon saying the words, hear the scorn in her voice. Nervous looks pass between us.
You may have only had a small amount of training, but you all know what is expected from you. As Anitars we must work as a united whole. Without that, there is no trust. Without that, we are all at great risk. Your actions, and those of your fellow Trainees James, Heather and Lucy simply cannot be condoned. And for that there must be a punishment.’
A sense of despondency pervades. She wants us all punished. Dad looks up at us, his face grave, then looks back down at the letter and continues to read.
‘However, as Principal of Muldoon it is not only my duty to enforce rules. It is also my duty to recognise the qualities in our Trainees and Apprentices that deserve acclaim. Despite the methods resorted to, you have shown that you can act as a highly effective team, under high levels of pressure. You have displayed perseverance, skill and determination. You have all displayed strength of will and courage. At this moment in our history, this is exactly what is needed. We are experiencing an even greater emergency than we anticipated and these are extraordinary circumstances. Thus, we would request that the four of you return to Muldoon Island to complete the Manifestation Program.
Yours Sincerely
Lady Muldoon
There’s a long pause as Dad stops reading and folds the letter back up, carefully. Nobody says a word as it sinks in. We’re going back. We’re all going back. Lucy. James. Heather. We will be together again. All of us. Grins begin to form on the faces of Kelci, Ben and Alisdair. I’m smiling too… I want us to stick together… Muldoon Academy… The Eagles… But then I catch sight of the box Mason gave to me, still there on the table, the pink ribbons lying on top and there’s a pang in my heart as it dawns on me that this means he and I will be apart again… Meanwhile Ben has his arms wrapped around Kelci who is beaming the biggest smile I’ve seen on her face in a long time. Even Alisdair is almost laughing and I giggle as Ben starts waltzing Kelci around, chiming:
‘We’re going back, we’re going back.’
After a few more moments I notice that there’s a distinct lack of excitement emanating from Mum and Dad’s side of
the room. They are looking at each other with frowns on their faces, so I step toward them. They turn to look at me with concern in their eyes. They don’t even need to tell me how they feel, I already know. They don’t want to lose us. And I don’t want to lose them either.
‘This is our chance to help,’ I say to them, gently.
‘Even greater emergency than we anticipated,’ says my Mum, who has taken the letter and is reading from it.
‘We are Anitars now,’ I say.
‘I know,’ she says, earnest. ‘And that’s the most incredible thing… You know it’s all I ever wanted. It’s just … after what we’ve all just been through… The situation, the danger…’
‘I know,’ I say. ‘I really know.’
They both nod, torn looks on their faces. Mum takes a deep breath, raises her chin and looks me right in the eyes.
‘You know, Nina. I used to think that you were just like me. But now I know I was wrong. You are just like you.’
She wraps her arms around me.
‘On the day we brought you into the world,’ she says, into my ear. ‘We knew then what could happen. Same with Kelci. We knew exactly what our sweet, gurgling little babies could be destined for.’
‘And now the time is here,’ says Dad. ‘It’s scary for us, but we’re proud.’
Mum nods, wipes a tear from her eye and smiles, then touches Dad’s hand on her shoulder.
‘Part of me will always think of you as our precious babies, but then the other part of me knows that you are not babies, anything but. We have always tried to bring you up in a way that prepares you. It’s just now that it’s here well… Wow.’
Dad strokes the hair back from her shoulder.
‘But we won’t hold you back. We always knew that times like these could come and now that they are here, well, I am astonished at how wonderful you both are.’
I feel Kelci at my side. Together we drop into their arms and I close my eyes, feeling the soft fur of Babs as she circles around our ankles.
- THE END -
Acknowledgements
I would like to say thank you to my mum who has believed in me as a writer since I was a little girl. Also to my dad who was the first to bring stories alive when he read them out so vividly to us as children. I love you both so much.
Thank you to my auntie Kathleen who has been an avid reader of my stories for a long time and has always given me such love and encouragement – my first Wattpad fan! Thank you to everyone who has supported me on Wattpad, especially those very early followers such as Charles Moonstone, Bernadett David and Lotti Gosar. You guys have been cheering me on for years.
Thank you to Wayne Clingman and Catherine Hardy for being so lovely and helpful. Thank you to Valerie Seifert who I affectionately know as ‘Miss Taylor’, a most inspirational teacher who encouraged me to write my first proper poem. I also greatly appreciate those people who were beta readers for the full manuscript of ANIMAL, your feedback has been invaluable: Madara Liepa, Kayleigh Paley, Darby Laurvick, Sara Kemper, Rebecca Garrett, Holly Dunbar, Nairi Simonyan, Allyson Brink, Emma Ortiz and Kaylinn Manuel.
Last of all I would like to say an enormous heart-shaped thank you to my best friend and husband Matt Brown who has been here, by my side throughout this entire journey, giving encouragement and feedback and love at all the right moments. And to my young son who inspires me to be the best I can be. This book was possible because of you guys.
Author’s Note
I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank
you for choosing to read ANIMAL.
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