(Prosinec 3, 58 / 1:32PM)

  3 years ago.

  Garlic crops swayed with the northern wind. The dirt light traveled all across the poor ranch, which bristled and sparkled in the warm, tranquil rays of the sun.

  Being wintertime, the dry heat wasn’t as deadly as it was during the summer, with many of the guard’s not breaking a sweat as they walked through the crop fields. Covering their eyes from the windy dirt, their ft caps blocked most of it, followed by chunks of old leaves smming onto their cheeks.

  One of the guards—no, a teenage boy wearing his typical brown thin jacket, watched just below the rge Joshua tree on the southern hill.

  His back against the tree, the back of his ft cap scraped against the rge chunk of tree, the dry wind smming onto his face. Wielding nothing but a fountain pen in his left hand and a notebook in his right, he scribbled away, letting his imagination run free.

  As he drew nothing but garlic crops and more crops.

  (Johnny’s thoughts) What’s the point of drawing if I’m not creative?

  Tapping the back of the pen onto the bottom of his chin, the papers fpped against the heavy wind. Instead of gripping the pen and letting the metal creak, he continued to tap again and again, letting the sound of the back of the pen just endlessly ring in his ears.

  Again and again; staring at the ranch.

  (???) So you were up here huh?

  A woman with short hair, wearing a thin brown jacket and a bck ft cap strolled up behind him.

  Wielding a sniper rifle, the woman had the barrel pointed downward onto the ground, her eyebrow furrowed upward while cocking her head. Smacking her lips, she bent down to squint down on Johnny’s doodles, seeing nothing but poorly drawn garlic crops that even a five-year-old can draw better.

  Smacking her right knee, she busted out ughing, closing her eyes shut as she pointed her finger straight at him.

  (Female Zirardge Guard) Hahaha … for the Boss’s kid, you sure suck at drawing!

  (Johnny) I could get better.

  (Female Zirardge Guard) Ha. Only people with creativity can master the art of drawing dork.

  (Johnny) Why are you here?

  Holstering the sniper rifle onto her back, she tucked it inside her jacket. Swaying her head right to left, she put her right hand inside of her jacket, which in return pulled out a little note card.

  Having it in front of her, she straightened her back and cleared her throat, while having her eyes focused on the card rather than him.

  (Female Zirardge Guard) The boss wants me to give this to you.

  Taking the little notecard, Johnny shook away some pinches of dirt that tched on the paper. Trickling down on his pants, he pulled the card closer to his face, with the writing tched in cursive.

  Giving back the paper card to the female guard, Johnny nodded up and down three times. Putting her right hand onto her hip, she let her left-hand drop to her side, making her look like she was striking a pose.

  (Johnny) So my dad wants me to find an indentured servant.

  (Female Zirardge Guard) He also wants you to find it in the most rundown orphanage you could find.

  (Johnny) Why rundown?

  (Female Zirardge Guard) More hush-hush.

  Putting the card back into her pocket, she looked toward the ranch that bustled with guards and garlic crops, as dry air escaped from her nostrils. Bringing up her left hand, she scratched her cheek that released patches of unwashed dirt, nding straight onto her boots.

  Johnny slowly got up from the dead grass that plucked his pants, making him cp up and down his thighs.

  (Johnny) But where would I find a run-down orphanage?

  (Female Zirardge Guard) Anywhere in the wetnds. Bet any orphanage would be willing to give off any kid to a person of status.

  (Johnny) So Culkia…

  The heavy wind blowing against his bck, the ends of his jacket fpped with the sound of the air. Walking down the hill, both the female guard and Johnny saw a bck-painted automobile with white leather seats and no ceiling.

  Dead grass being repced with red dirt, the soles of his turquoise boots reddened by the dry parched soil. Reaching the driver's door, he opened it wide as the female guard opened the passenger side.

  (Johnny’s thoughts) Why does Dad make me go on so many errands? It’s going to take me 7 hours just to reach the outskirts of the city.

  Starting up the engine, thick plumes of smoke plowed out of the dual exhaust pipes on the rear end of the automobile. Roaring, the automobile let its wheels scrape off the dirt ground, driving away years of soil in all directions as it fled south.

  Gripping the white steering wheel tightly, Johnny hunched his back. Extending her hand down to his left shoulder, she rubbed it back and forth while smacking her lips.

  (Johnny’s thoughts) And I have to go with her of all people…

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  (Prosinece 4, 58 / 9:10AM)

  Cries and groans shook the stone walls.

  A floor below the run-down orphanage, not even a shade of light rained down on the sniveling kids sitting on their flea-ridden beds. Ticks and cockroaches crawled all over the cold ground, the metal bars that the kids looked out from were already rusted with water and salt.

  But why water? What can repce normal water to rust the metal?

  His turquoise boots unshaken, Johnny kept his hands in his pockets as he ignored their youthful cries.

  Youth who had cat or dog fur, bunny or horse fur, or even elf ears.

  His eyes still darkened, followed by the tips of his front hair covering both of his eyes. His right boot scraping off pink gum, the female guard next to him had both of her hands to herself.

  As her clothes were still wrinkled from prior.

  (Female Zirardge Guard) We could stop at a hotel on the way back~

  (Johnny) You’re ten years older than me. Besides, we already stopped at a hotel on the way here.

  (Female Zirardge Guard) Nothing like a good—

  (Director) You’re the son of Zirardge, right?

  A small and scrawny man walked toward the two of them.

  Having a bushy beard that encompassed his cheeks all the way down to his chin, he had both of his hands csped together down to his crotch. His bck cowboy boots were littered with dirt, and the back of his boots held spiked chains that jingled the stone floor.

  Clearing his throat, he extended both his hands toward both Johnny and the female guard, his grip firm with both of them.

  (Director) It’s an honor to welcome you here.

  (Johnny) My father wants one of these beast-human kids to adopt. He says that it would look nondiscriminatory—

  (Director) Lying is bad sir. I know the reason why your father wants a beast-human kid.

  Pcing his cmped hands toward his lower back, he turned his body around with just the soles of his heels. Nudging his forehead forward, both Johnny and the female guard walked along with him, continuing to see every beast-human variant.

  Most of them gripped the iron bars with death-gripping hands, and some of them hid in the dark corners of their cells. Unbothered, Johnny let his hands drop to his sides, as he stared into the back of the director’s head.

  (Director) Sucks that we don’t have much money for normal bedrooms for these kids. We barely have enough money for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

  A small stream of mucus escaped out of the director’s left nostril, causing him to use the palm of his right hand to wipe it away. The more they walked, the more the smell assaulted their nostrils and lungs, causing both him and the guard to pinch their noses.

  Gncing at his right wrist, Johnny took note of the director’s golden pte watch.

  (Director) We have this one girl that we’re looking to finally get rid of. I think she’ll be perfect for you guys.

  Reaching the end of the cells, three of them looked toward a cat girl sitting down on her flea-ridden bed.

  Wearing nothing but a white ripped cloth, the ends of it reached down to her knees, and her bare feet were molded in bck at the bottom. Her brown hair and pointed cat ears all pointed upward, she eyed the three of them that just watched through the metal bars.

  Gripping the sheets tightly, her soulless eyes locked onto the director’s neck.

  (Director) Be warned though. The st time she was out of her cell was over a month ago.

  (Female Zirardge Guard) Why is that?

  (Director) She attacked one of the guards because one of them touched her. She’s lucky that we didn’t report it to the Haxouburg judicial system.

  Pulling out a metallic key, he jammed it right into the keyhole, releasing the bar door to creak its hold metal. Hitting the stone wall, the director kept his feet and body away from the door, as he took a step back to let the two of them in.

  Bowing down, he opened up his hand like what a server would do at a 5-star restaurant. Closing his eyes, a trickle of sweat dripped down onto the stone floor.

  (Director) After you two.

  Still having his hands inside his pockets, Johnny nonchantly stepped foot inside the stone-cold cell, as the female guard walked from behind. Looking her up from top to bottom, he scratched the back of his head with his smooth fingers, his hair flowing with his skin.

  Letting go of her bedsheets, the cat-girl pushed her body up, letting a low growl seep out from her throat.

  Taking both of his hands out of his pockets, he raised them to showcase a form of surrender, despite his eyes and cheeks being pushed downward. Clearing his throat, he kept his feet glued to the ground.

  (Johnny) We’re not going to hurt you.

  (Female Zirardge Guard) Words ain’t going to do nothing to her boy. She looks like she’s aiming at your neck.

  (Johnny) I don’t care.

  Keeping his hands up in the air, he slowly and mencholically walked toward the now hissing cat-girl, her cat ears trembling as he got closer and closer. Standing right in front of her, her cws began to grow and sharpen, with every hair in her body goosing up like she was about to attack.

  Putting his right hand inside his pocket, he pulled out a small box of raisins. Extending his hand outward, her defensive stance that she held soon crumbled like a leaning tower.

  (Johnny) I’ll give you this if you promise to come with us. Now—

  Snatching the box of raisins from his hand, the cat-girl ripped the top part of the box, hovering her button nose over the fresh fruit.

  Sniffing a couple of times, she raised the box to her mouth, allowing the clumped-up ball of dried fruit to enter into her mouth. The raisins touching her tongue, she began chewing the ball as her fingers circled the inside of the box, her nails releasing leftover raisins that were stuck to the box.

  Gulping down the ball, she had the rest of the fruit on her other hand, swallowing it whole as well. Dropping the box down onto the floor, she looked up at the furrowed-brow teenage boy.

  (Johnny) Never thought you would be that hungry.

  Extending his empty hand out to the girl, his palm slowly trailed downward onto the top of the girl’s head. Her knees buckled, her bare feet stuck to the stone floor, not a muscle of her lower body flinched from his hand.

  The beating of her heart was pounding against the ends of her chest, her ears spiked up, along with her eyes scrunching up to allow them to close. Seeing nothing but bck, her fingers slowly grew into cws yet again, her breath drawing heavy until…

  His hands were like silk.

  Opening her eyes, the top of her head was blessed by the teenage boy’s unworked palm. His eyes still unchanged, he noticed the dark blotches underneath her eyelids soon lightened up by his touch alone.

  (Female Zirardge Guard) Careful with beast-humans boy. Start giving it treats and pats then they’ll never let you go.

  (Director) Guess you have the magic touch.

  (Johnny) It’s called empathy. Probably the only thing that I’m useful in.

  Pulling back his hand, he turned around to see the director unclenching his hands, as he pounded the right side of his chest with a balled fist. Clearing his throat, he took another step back as he bowed down to the two of them again.

  (Director) I suppose that filing the paperwork wouldn’t be needed.

  (Female Zirardge Guard) We want to be discreet about this.

  (Director) By all means. Use her to your heart's content. It doesn’t matter if you work her to the bone as long as you get her out of here.

  Arching his back up to stand up straight, both of his feet were pinned together closely, as he opened his eyes to see the three of them walking out of the cell. Holding her dirt-covered hand, he kept her in check as she pinned her eyes downcasted onto the floor, her bare feet smacking the sticky unwashed stone.

  Ignoring the rest of the beast-human kids that began to extend their hands out of the bars, tear-eyes nestled on every face. Her grip tightening evermore, Johnny let out a low hiss from his lips, puckering them up from the strength of the cat-girl.

  (Johnny’s thoughts) I highly doubt that things would change with her around. I Hope Vivy doesn’t beat her around that much.

  Walking along the old wooden stairs, neither Johnny nor the cat-girl looked behind them, as the dim candlelight barely fought against the cold dark. Being in front of the door that led to the first floor, Johnny gripped the handle but didn’t push or pull as he kept his hand in pce.

  Her eyes still cast downward, Johnny stared at the handle, his fingers cracking the metal.

  (Johnny) Tell me your name…

  She let go of his hand.

  Clutching both of her hands together, she had them hover over her crotch, her nails as yellow as chicken feed. Opening her mouth, her breath alone swept into both Johnny’s mouth and nostrils, causing him to scrunch up his face.

  (Cat-girl) It’s Elizabeth…

  Her voice was quiet, her lips pale, and some of her teeth were thickened in a thick yellow yer of saliva. Pushing down the handle to the door, it swayed open, as both finally let the winter desert sun glow against their faces.

  Her eyes widened, she looked to the left of her, seeing the morning sun.

  Looking to the right of her, the boy continued to be by her side despite her entire body radiating the smell of rotten cheese.

  (Johnny) Sorry to break it to you, but there’s no way that you’ll be this smelly during the car ride back. We’re going to the hotel to wash you up.

  Gripping her hand yet again despite it being sticky, he tugged her body close to his, causing her to almost trip. Letting the motion of his tug drag her, her bare feet continued to push her onward, her throat soon releasing a low purr.

  A purr that didn’t match her soulless face.

  (Johnny) And also; welcome to your new life.

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  (Prosinec 6, 58 / 3:02PM)

  A fresh bck skirt repced her old ripped white cloth.

  Turning her hygiene a 180, her bck wedges cshed with the white marbled floor of the first-floor hallway of the ranch house. Her hair was swept clean from ticks and fleas, her teeth a yellowish white, and her hair straightened out, she kept her hands csped as some maids and butlers were seen in front of her.

  Keeping her distance, she walked past them, causing them to jolt their bodies away from her like a disease.

  (Elizabeth’s thoughts) At least it wasn’t a group of guards…

  In front of her, a group of guards began to descend the wooden flight of stairs.

  Her breath caught in her throat, she found the nearest unlocked wooden door to enter, keeping herself away from their line of sight. Having her back pushed against the door, both of her cws started to grip and tear the wood, her nails digging into the freshly carved oak. Their footsteps walked along the marble, their boots squealed the floor, along their burly voices boomed the wooden walls.

  (Zirardge Guard #1) So about that indentured servant?

  (Zirardge Guard #2) She always tries to be with that emotionless Boss’s son. She’s kind of like his pet, no?

  (Zirardge Guard #1) Doesn’t she know that he doesn’t give two shits about her? Honestly, that chick is like a lost maiden.

  Their conversation trailing with the presence of their bodies, the grip on the wooden oak was loosened by her pierced nails. Dropping her hands down to her sides, a small inhale of air swept into her small pink lungs, before turning her heels to the door.

  Pcing her right hand on the handle, she slowly opened it to let herself out of the pitch-bck confines of the closet. Her entire body pale, her body drenched in sweat, she slowly closed the door shut as her breathing intensified.

  (Elizabeth’s thoughts) Maybe I should’ve run into them…

  Arching her back straight, she turned her head up to see the flight of stairs. Her wedges creaking the fresh wood, she reached the third floor of the house, looking both ways before walking through the hallway.

  Keeping her hands close to her body, the evening sun’s rays still shined its yellow light, the heavy wind repced with a gentle breeze.

  The windows unmoved by the wind, a burst of air was seen right in front of her. Tumbling out of the wooden door, a teenage boy with blonde hair crashed onto the floor on his backside, clenching his teeth.

  His eyes and cheeks scrunched upward, hissing sewing out from his lips, as he held both of his hands down to his right knee.

  (Johnny) Ah!

  Coming out of the open wide door, a teenage girl a year older than she wielded a pan with her right hand. Having turquoise colored hair, followed by wearing the same bck skirt dress, the top of her head had a headband that encapsuted a golden star.

  With her left hand, she reached down to Johnny’s colr, pulling him up so that she was face-to-face with him. Pulling back her right hand, the metal pan barely grazed the wooden wall from behind, her eyes wide-eyed and red-strained.

  (Vivy) I told you to eat the damn banana!

  (Johnny) And like I told you, I don’t want to eat it!

  (Vivy) You fucking pussy!

  Both of her feet were glued to the white marbled floor, leaving her to hover both of her hands onto her mouth. Taking a step back, the only thing that she could do was just watch, seeing the girl drag him back into the room.

  Dropping her hands, she held her right wrist with her left hand. Moving a step forward, she tilted her head down, her hair blocking the rays that hit her eyelids.

  (Elizabeth’s thoughts) He saved me… so…

  Allowing her feet to push, she swayed both of her balled hands, her throat letting out a low growl. Stomping, the bottom of her bck wedges sprinkled and sparked beneath the floor, her ears pointing upward while her whiskers gleamed up.

  (Elizabeth’s thoughts) It’s my job to at least do my part.

  Reaching the front of the opened door, she stood in between the doorframe, her feet on the border between the marble and the oak wood. Her nose wrinkled uncontrolbly, the smell of cigarette smoke and alcohol assaulted the deepest parts of her small nose.

  Fluctuating into the corners of her lungs, she dropped her hands down, her eyes widening evermore.

  As the turquoise-colored-haired girl pinned down Johnny, hammering her right knee onto the center of Johnny’s chest. Saliva drooped down from both corners of his lips, and Johnny’s eyelids barely held themselves up as his hands held down her wrist.

  The object she now wielded was a white crystal banana.

  (Elizabeth’s thoughts) What is that?

  Turning his head, his vision barely took in the cat-girl who only watched from the doorframe.

  Seeing his head turning, the girl also looked at Elizabeth, her face churning more as she looked from top to bottom. Loosening her strength, the turquoise-colored-haired girl raised her eyebrow.

  (Vivy) You ain’t supposed to be here. If you’re trying to find some nip, there’s an outhouse near the stables.

  (Elizabeth) What are you doing to him…?

  (Vivy) I told you an order! So get going!

  Her head tilted downward, her eyes looking at a golden antique ring on dispy. Basking in the sun’s rays, its golden light trapped inside both of her pupils, triggering both of her cws to spike out.

  Opening her mouth, a loud exhale of air hissed out, her throat parched from the intoxicating cigarette smoke that continued to plow into her delicate body.

  Pulling back her knee, Johnny breathed slowly from his opened mouth, his hands restless against the old oak wood. Standing up, the girl pointed her trembling finger at Elizabeth, both of her knees trembling from the cat-girl’s hiss alone.

  (Vivy) I said—

  Elizabeth lunged forward.

  Pulling back both of her hands, she glided through the unruly air, her hair whistling along her back neck. Thrusting both of her arms forward, the girl only stood in silence as the two knuckled pierced hands…

  Grabbed a hold of the crystal banana.

  Yanking it out of the girl’s hands, Elizabeth kept it close to her, tucking it away between her right armpit. Low growling reverberating in her throat, she gnced down at the peeled banana, its crystalized fruit sparkling in the sunlight.

  (Johnny) What are you doing…?

  His vision returned, his hand was already extended outward, ying it ft on the wooden floor. Widening his eyes, his breathing fastened while pushing his toes to crawl himself toward the cat-girl.

  Crawling like a worm, leftover drool from earlier continued to sink onto the floor, his other hand clutching the left side of his body. His left rib cage going numb from the pain, started to push the bottom of his heels to carry his crawl.

  Almost as if a pan had unched itself prior.

  (Johnny) Don’t … take that …

  (Vivy) Do you like my useless brother that much?! Are you going to strip his only way of being useful?!

  Bringing it up to her mouth, Elizabeth eyed both Johnny and the girl, her eyes snting inward with her cws digging deep into the peel of the fruit. Making eye contact, she opened her mouth, licked her lips…

  And ate the fruit in one gulp.

  Moving all around her mouth, the contents of the crystal fruit littered every used-to-be cavity spot they could find. Gulping down the majority into her stomach, both of the girl’s hands slowly drooped down to her thighs, balling them as steam hissed from her lips.

  (Vivy) You ate it … you absolutely disgusting piece of—

  A hand gripped onto her boot. Having his face lying ft on top of the floor, his entire body shook and twitched geometrically.

  Looking down, the girl pulled back her boot, letting the boy’s hand tackle the wood below. Scoffing, she knelt to where the sun’s rays were blocked by her head.

  (Vivy) Got anything to expin?

  (Johnny) Whatever punishment she gets … I’ll take it.

  Elizabeth stomped with the bottom of her wedges, creaking the oak wood as she moved to the front of Johnny. Bending over, she instantly grabbed Johnny’s pushed-away hand, pulling him toward her so both of his feet kept standing.

  Wrapping both her arms around his single arm, something awakened in him.

  Gncing down, he took in the sight of a gring girl, her cws barely rubbing the tip of his skin.

  His breath stuck in his throat, his stomach felt as if he ingested an entire kitchen's worth of hot tomato soup. Unable to even scrunch up his fists, let alone his core, for the first time in his meaningless life…

  His cheeks glistened red.

  (Vivy) Disgusting…

  Arching her head down, she stomped her way out of the room, bumping into Elizabeth’s shoulder forcingly. Not even wanting to look back, she continued her steaming walk, as both Johnny and Elizabeth saw off the short-tempered girl.

  Trying to pull away from her grasp, it only caused her to tighten her hold on him, her gre soon being repced with a purr.

  (Johnny) You could let go now, she’s gone.

  (Elizabeth) No.

  (Johnny) What?

  Looking down at the leftover banana peel nestling itself right in front of her feet, a low groan came out of his throat. Puckering up his mouth shut, he let himself submit to her grip, his eyes staring into that littered banana peel that resonated within him.

  Like a shell opening up from within, it released something that was long suppressed.

  Tilting his head up toward the ceiling, he casually looked at the bnk white paint that was littered with spiders, seeing an abundance of small dots tched in a colony of webs. Breathing in the old smell of cigarette smoke and alcohol, he exhaled it out as he coughed dryly.

  (Johnny’s thoughts) I guess … there is some meaning after all…