find someone in Seren’naie to teach me, and allow me to work with plants and animals.”
“You and Marco have a lot in common then, it sounds to me,” she said with a smile.
13
Alisha ate her fruit with a sullen stare. She was sick of this. Sick of eating the same thing every day, sick of walking mile after mile going nowhere, sick of bathing in a dirty river like a peasant, and sick of being treated like baggage. No, she thought, worse than baggage — at least baggage was carried!
Maggie and Lori, and lately Zoe too, had tried to help Alisha out of her funk, but they were dealing with their own problems. Maggie was only about two feet tall and had trouble arranging clothing to keep herself covered most of the time. Lori and Zoe were, well, odd. They hadn’t changed in size, but Zoe had turned red and orange and was always cold. Lori had lost all color whatsoever. Her eyes were almost clear. Very creepy.
Todd and Will fell all over themselves, wanting to do things for Alisha — which she liked — but their looks disgusted her, and became worse daily.
She finished her meal — if you could call it that — and watched the clouds color with the setting sun. Things had been somewhat interesting when Brandon had been around. She had enjoyed watching the sparring matches. She frowned though as she thought of Sara always winning in the end. Still, it was better than being bored all the time.
Maybe Mr. Kain would let the boys practice again now that Brandon’s gone. Alisha warmed to the idea and stood up.
“Did you need something, Alisha?” Will gushed and stuck his deformed face in hers.
She managed a smile — quite an effort under the circumstances. “No, Will,” she said and pushed him away. “I’ll just be a minute.”
Will sat back down, disappointed, and she made her way over to Mr. Kain.
He was talking with Ms. Pap in low tones, away from the group. Mr. Kain had always been handsome, and his changes only enhanced his looks in Alisha’s eyes. His darker skin and subtly pointed ears gave him an exotic look she found intriguing. His eyes, however, disconcerted her. They were a dark yellow and the pupils weren’t round anymore, but diamond shaped.
Alisha was sure she had caught Mr. Kain staring at her in class more than once, but that was no surprise really. She was used to it.
“Mr. Kain,” she purred, “can I talk to you for a minute?”
The adults broke off their conversation and looked up. Ms. Pap was hideous and Alisha had to look away from her, focusing solely on Mr. Kain.
“Sure, Alisha. What is it?”
“I, well all of us really, were wondering if you would let the boys go back to practicing with their sticks. It was fun to watch and we’ve been so bored the past few days.” She looked squarely in his eyes and felt a warm tingle throughout her body.
“Alisha, I …” He paused and she continued to focus on him. “I … I think that would be a great idea,” he finished.
“What?” Ms. Pap sat up and looked at him in surprise.
Alisha kept Mr. Kain’s gaze in hers, and said, “Well, Brandon’s gone and he was the one who really caused any trouble, Ms. Pap.”
Mr. Kain nodded. “That’s true.”
Alisha felt an almost physical connection between them, a bond she gained more control over each passing second. It felt good. Really good.
“So,” Alisha prompted, “what do you say?”
Perplexed, Ms. Pap sighed. “Well as long as no one else gets hurt, Roger … I guess it would be okay. Everyone could certainly use a distraction.”
“Wonderful!” Alisha smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Kain.” She broke eye contact and walked back to her group.
Mr. Kain blinked and stared after her. “Y … you’re welcome, Alisha.”
Delicious!
“Will,” she announced, “I’ve convinced Mr. Kain to let you boys practice again. Go tell Todd and the others so you can get started.”
Will beamed at the news. “Cool!” he said and went to find Todd.
Alisha sat and
“You and Marco have a lot in common then, it sounds to me,” she said with a smile.
13
Alisha ate her fruit with a sullen stare. She was sick of this. Sick of eating the same thing every day, sick of walking mile after mile going nowhere, sick of bathing in a dirty river like a peasant, and sick of being treated like baggage. No, she thought, worse than baggage — at least baggage was carried!
Maggie and Lori, and lately Zoe too, had tried to help Alisha out of her funk, but they were dealing with their own problems. Maggie was only about two feet tall and had trouble arranging clothing to keep herself covered most of the time. Lori and Zoe were, well, odd. They hadn’t changed in size, but Zoe had turned red and orange and was always cold. Lori had lost all color whatsoever. Her eyes were almost clear. Very creepy.
Todd and Will fell all over themselves, wanting to do things for Alisha — which she liked — but their looks disgusted her, and became worse daily.
She finished her meal — if you could call it that — and watched the clouds color with the setting sun. Things had been somewhat interesting when Brandon had been around. She had enjoyed watching the sparring matches. She frowned though as she thought of Sara always winning in the end. Still, it was better than being bored all the time.
Maybe Mr. Kain would let the boys practice again now that Brandon’s gone. Alisha warmed to the idea and stood up.
“Did you need something, Alisha?” Will gushed and stuck his deformed face in hers.
She managed a smile — quite an effort under the circumstances. “No, Will,” she said and pushed him away. “I’ll just be a minute.”
Will sat back down, disappointed, and she made her way over to Mr. Kain.
He was talking with Ms. Pap in low tones, away from the group. Mr. Kain had always been handsome, and his changes only enhanced his looks in Alisha’s eyes. His darker skin and subtly pointed ears gave him an exotic look she found intriguing. His eyes, however, disconcerted her. They were a dark yellow and the pupils weren’t round anymore, but diamond shaped.
Alisha was sure she had caught Mr. Kain staring at her in class more than once, but that was no surprise really. She was used to it.
“Mr. Kain,” she purred, “can I talk to you for a minute?”
The adults broke off their conversation and looked up. Ms. Pap was hideous and Alisha had to look away from her, focusing solely on Mr. Kain.
“Sure, Alisha. What is it?”
“I, well all of us really, were wondering if you would let the boys go back to practicing with their sticks. It was fun to watch and we’ve been so bored the past few days.” She looked squarely in his eyes and felt a warm tingle throughout her body.
“Alisha, I …” He paused and she continued to focus on him. “I … I think that would be a great idea,” he finished.
“What?” Ms. Pap sat up and looked at him in surprise.
Alisha kept Mr. Kain’s gaze in hers, and said, “Well, Brandon’s gone and he was the one who really caused any trouble, Ms. Pap.”
Mr. Kain nodded. “That’s true.”
Alisha felt an almost physical connection between them, a bond she gained more control over each passing second. It felt good. Really good.
“So,” Alisha prompted, “what do you say?”
Perplexed, Ms. Pap sighed. “Well as long as no one else gets hurt, Roger … I guess it would be okay. Everyone could certainly use a distraction.”
“Wonderful!” Alisha smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Kain.” She broke eye contact and walked back to her group.
Mr. Kain blinked and stared after her. “Y … you’re welcome, Alisha.”
Delicious!
“Will,” she announced, “I’ve convinced Mr. Kain to let you boys practice again. Go tell Todd and the others so you can get started.”
Will beamed at the news. “Cool!” he said and went to find Todd.
Alisha sat and
Similar Books
