Post by lionkit on Sept 3, 2007 11:35:34 GMT -8
School was over for the weekend, and Mark was glad. He had a meeting planned at the National Reserve with Sheila, a beautiful and athletic human girl, and Mark’s friend. No one knew where she came from, or where she lived. She worked at the Minolee National Wildlife and Forest Reserve, and Sheila passed almost every moment she had walking, climbing and running alone in the forest or taking care of the injured cats in the Reserve’s Shelter. She could creep up on someone unseen and unheard, as silent as a cat. When she was mad, he could almost see imaginary fur bristling on her back. She disappeared without warning, like a shadow. Her life was lived during the night. She scared and intrigued him at the same time. And, most of all, she was the only friend he had. Mark liked her mysterious character. She had something… something… animal-like in her ways. Something feline, he thought with a shudder.
But the same thought always came back in his head: if only he was a human. He could learn something new in class, and not be bored all the time. He could have the surprise of a grade, and not always the same 100% quotation. But that was impossible, for one simple reason: Mark was not a human.
As he took the bus to the Reserve, he thought about his homework. The one only advantage to not being a human was that he had a phenomenal mind. He knew more about math, science and geography than the teachers themselves, and his homework was done without a single effort.
He got off the bus and walked straight to the Shelter. There, he might find Sheila, if she had not disappeared in the forest. The Shelter was a huge log house, a little way into the forest, not far from the Main office, but cut off by the woods. It was surrounded by great oaks and tall pine trees.
“Hello, Mark!” Mark heard as he opened the door and entered the Shelter. Sydney, the veterinarian, was struggling to get a little brown cat back into his cage. The wild cat had been found two weeks ago under a fallen tree with a broken back leg and had been brought to the Shelter, where Sydney had taken care of it. It would soon be released into the forest, and the young vet had been making a final check-up when Mark had come in.
“Hi, Mark!” greeted Sheila as she came in from the back door. Sheila walked to the far side of the small room. A black kitten jumped on her shoulder, and she took him in her arms. She whispered something in the kitten’s ear, and the kitten purred in return. A strong bond united the two creatures. The kitten was born in a clan of wild cats, but at his mother’s death, the clan had rejected him. Sheila had found him and had nursed him back to health. She had named him Blackpaw, following an unusual ritual that had taken place deep in the woods. Mark had not assisted to it. Could Sheila talk to cats? Well, Mark thought, if he himself was an alien, Sheila might as well speak cat language. And, what do you know? She might also be able to transform into a cat, as far as nature was concerned!
The next day, Sheila and Mark came back to the Reserve. As they came through the gates, Mark noticed that a big blue Mercedes was parked in the parking lot in front of the main office, but he soon forgot about it. As they entered the Shelter, Sydney was checking a bluebird in the other room. Sheila walked around the room, looking for Blackpaw, and then, not finding him, she went into the examination room. Still not finding him, she went into the clinic, where the sick animals where kept. She came out with a worried look on her face, and hurried to the main office.
- Blackpaw has disappeared! Sheila cried as she ran out of the office.
- You maybe did not search enough, Mark said. I will check the clinic again.
- I hope you are right!
As Mark rushed into the clinic, Sydney came out of the examination room.
- What is happening? she asked.
- Blackpaw is gone! answered Sheila. He is not in the office, nor in the examination room. I can’t find him anywhere!
- Have you checked the clinic?
- Yes, and Mark has gone to look again.
Mark ran out of the room. He shook his head slowly. Where could Blackpaw be?
Three days had passed since Blackpaw’s disappearance. The whole camp had been searched meticulously by all the Reserve’s employees, and the kitten had still not been found. Sheila had even searched the forest, without any success. Mark had tried to locate him with his mind, but he could see nothing but darkness. Each night, Sheila went into the forest and called Blackpaw for hours, but it was hopeless.
- He has maybe returned to his clan? suggested Mark.
- He would of told me, always repeated quietly Sheila.
The night of the high-school graduation was approaching fast. In only a week, Mark and Sheila would be finished high-school for good. But Sheila did not join the festivities.
At last, high-school graduation night came. Blackpaw had still not been found. Mark sat on a chair beside Sheila. The party was being held in a clearing in the forest at the Reserve that had been converted to an outdoor auditorium. Mark could tell Sheila was thinking about Blackpaw. Every time Mark asked her something, she said in a daydreaming voice:
- Blackpaw, where are you?
Her question was always left unanswered.
The ceremony was starting. The principal was presenting the first graduates, and Mark forced himself to pay attention. He was not close to the top of the list, but his turn could come faster than he thought.
- Mark, look! squealed Sheila.
Mark followed her angry gaze and spotted a dark shape in one of the soon-graduates’ hands. It was wailing, and screeching, trying to get loose from the girl’sgrip. As he watched, he recognized Blackpaw with a jolt. What was that girl doing with Blackpaw? That was Sheila’s cat! Sheila jumped up and ran to the stage. The principal looked disapprovingly at Sheila as she came to the stage. She planted herself in front of the girl. "Give me back my cat" she said in a terrifyingly calm voice, pronouncing each word seperately.
"No!" said the girl, a wicked smile on her lips. "I found him, and he's mine now!"
"Where did you find him?" asked Sheila, lowering her voice.
"He was wandering about in the parking lot of the Reserve", answered the girl in an innocent voice, smiling sweetly.
"That what I am saying! He's my cat!" cried Sheila angrily. Mark thought she looked a lot like a lion about to claw the other girl's skin off.
"Prove it!" called the prom girl, sticking her chin out and glaring boldly at the infuriated Sheila.
"Fine! Put Blackpaw down, and we will see who he goes to!" she challenged.
The girl put Blackpaw down in between them and took two steps back. Blackpaw immediately ran to Sheila and jumped on her shoulder. Then he turned around and bared his teeth. The dishonored girl fled in shame and fury.
Mark was standing alone in front of the Shelter, facing the forest. Sheila and him had come back late from the graduation. He had accompanied her to the Shelter, but she had wanted to continue alone. Now, as Mark watched the two black silhouettes, cat’s and human’s, disappear into the forest, swallowed by the dark shadows, he wondered about what adventures tomorrow would bring.
(the ending is kind of blunt, but I ran out of ideas)
But the same thought always came back in his head: if only he was a human. He could learn something new in class, and not be bored all the time. He could have the surprise of a grade, and not always the same 100% quotation. But that was impossible, for one simple reason: Mark was not a human.
As he took the bus to the Reserve, he thought about his homework. The one only advantage to not being a human was that he had a phenomenal mind. He knew more about math, science and geography than the teachers themselves, and his homework was done without a single effort.
He got off the bus and walked straight to the Shelter. There, he might find Sheila, if she had not disappeared in the forest. The Shelter was a huge log house, a little way into the forest, not far from the Main office, but cut off by the woods. It was surrounded by great oaks and tall pine trees.
“Hello, Mark!” Mark heard as he opened the door and entered the Shelter. Sydney, the veterinarian, was struggling to get a little brown cat back into his cage. The wild cat had been found two weeks ago under a fallen tree with a broken back leg and had been brought to the Shelter, where Sydney had taken care of it. It would soon be released into the forest, and the young vet had been making a final check-up when Mark had come in.
“Hi, Mark!” greeted Sheila as she came in from the back door. Sheila walked to the far side of the small room. A black kitten jumped on her shoulder, and she took him in her arms. She whispered something in the kitten’s ear, and the kitten purred in return. A strong bond united the two creatures. The kitten was born in a clan of wild cats, but at his mother’s death, the clan had rejected him. Sheila had found him and had nursed him back to health. She had named him Blackpaw, following an unusual ritual that had taken place deep in the woods. Mark had not assisted to it. Could Sheila talk to cats? Well, Mark thought, if he himself was an alien, Sheila might as well speak cat language. And, what do you know? She might also be able to transform into a cat, as far as nature was concerned!
The next day, Sheila and Mark came back to the Reserve. As they came through the gates, Mark noticed that a big blue Mercedes was parked in the parking lot in front of the main office, but he soon forgot about it. As they entered the Shelter, Sydney was checking a bluebird in the other room. Sheila walked around the room, looking for Blackpaw, and then, not finding him, she went into the examination room. Still not finding him, she went into the clinic, where the sick animals where kept. She came out with a worried look on her face, and hurried to the main office.
- Blackpaw has disappeared! Sheila cried as she ran out of the office.
- You maybe did not search enough, Mark said. I will check the clinic again.
- I hope you are right!
As Mark rushed into the clinic, Sydney came out of the examination room.
- What is happening? she asked.
- Blackpaw is gone! answered Sheila. He is not in the office, nor in the examination room. I can’t find him anywhere!
- Have you checked the clinic?
- Yes, and Mark has gone to look again.
Mark ran out of the room. He shook his head slowly. Where could Blackpaw be?
Three days had passed since Blackpaw’s disappearance. The whole camp had been searched meticulously by all the Reserve’s employees, and the kitten had still not been found. Sheila had even searched the forest, without any success. Mark had tried to locate him with his mind, but he could see nothing but darkness. Each night, Sheila went into the forest and called Blackpaw for hours, but it was hopeless.
- He has maybe returned to his clan? suggested Mark.
- He would of told me, always repeated quietly Sheila.
The night of the high-school graduation was approaching fast. In only a week, Mark and Sheila would be finished high-school for good. But Sheila did not join the festivities.
At last, high-school graduation night came. Blackpaw had still not been found. Mark sat on a chair beside Sheila. The party was being held in a clearing in the forest at the Reserve that had been converted to an outdoor auditorium. Mark could tell Sheila was thinking about Blackpaw. Every time Mark asked her something, she said in a daydreaming voice:
- Blackpaw, where are you?
Her question was always left unanswered.
The ceremony was starting. The principal was presenting the first graduates, and Mark forced himself to pay attention. He was not close to the top of the list, but his turn could come faster than he thought.
- Mark, look! squealed Sheila.
Mark followed her angry gaze and spotted a dark shape in one of the soon-graduates’ hands. It was wailing, and screeching, trying to get loose from the girl’sgrip. As he watched, he recognized Blackpaw with a jolt. What was that girl doing with Blackpaw? That was Sheila’s cat! Sheila jumped up and ran to the stage. The principal looked disapprovingly at Sheila as she came to the stage. She planted herself in front of the girl. "Give me back my cat" she said in a terrifyingly calm voice, pronouncing each word seperately.
"No!" said the girl, a wicked smile on her lips. "I found him, and he's mine now!"
"Where did you find him?" asked Sheila, lowering her voice.
"He was wandering about in the parking lot of the Reserve", answered the girl in an innocent voice, smiling sweetly.
"That what I am saying! He's my cat!" cried Sheila angrily. Mark thought she looked a lot like a lion about to claw the other girl's skin off.
"Prove it!" called the prom girl, sticking her chin out and glaring boldly at the infuriated Sheila.
"Fine! Put Blackpaw down, and we will see who he goes to!" she challenged.
The girl put Blackpaw down in between them and took two steps back. Blackpaw immediately ran to Sheila and jumped on her shoulder. Then he turned around and bared his teeth. The dishonored girl fled in shame and fury.
Mark was standing alone in front of the Shelter, facing the forest. Sheila and him had come back late from the graduation. He had accompanied her to the Shelter, but she had wanted to continue alone. Now, as Mark watched the two black silhouettes, cat’s and human’s, disappear into the forest, swallowed by the dark shadows, he wondered about what adventures tomorrow would bring.
(the ending is kind of blunt, but I ran out of ideas)
