Anthro: Chapter 3

Third Chapter in my novel in progress.

CHAPTER THREE

(Five months later)

                Terra had been dreaming for several days now about getting into the new institute known as PictBridge University, meeting new students, being educated in exotic and unusual classes, and more. Just as 7:30 rolled around, her delusions of grandeur were shattered when she heard her mother let out a blood curdling scream from downstairs. Terra leapt from her bed and bolted down just as the front door slammed shut. Terra searched outside but nobody was in sight, she closed the door again and dashed into the kitchen to find out what had happened.

     “Mom! Mom! What’s going...on?” Terra asked but then realized that her mom was sitting at the table with some coffee meanwhile her dad was feverishly making up some pancakes.

     “Oh! G-good morning dear...did you h-have a nice sleep?” her mother asked hands shaking, she looked only slightly pale as she carefully raised her coffee mug to her lips.

“Err...fine I guess, why you suddenly screamed is what has me confused. I heard you from all the way from up stairs.” Terra asked scratching the back of her pointed ear.

“Oh, it was nothing just a mouse in the cupboard, gave me a little fright.” Her mother said waving off the conversation.

Terra’s father suddenly cleared his throat as if hinting at a tall tale. Terra eyed her mother, who obviously refused to make any eye contact with her.

“It was a representative from your college hon; he just came to pick up the registration forms they sent awhile back, he just surprised your mother, that’s all.” Terra’s father finally spoke as he began serving up the pancakes around the table.

“Eric!” Her mother complained.

“Well Sophia, she has every right to know the truth! Besides, we never get mice around here.” Terra’s father said eyeing Terra with a pun intended.

“Oh, ha-ha, you're such a riot dad. Anyway…so a representative was here? Why did they send a member of the school to pick up my registration? Great batch of cakes by the way.” Terra asked drinking down some milk.

“Beats me, but my guess is that since we’re heading out tomorrow, they probably wanted your registration sooner than later is all.” Terra’s father answered serving up some more pancakes from the griddle.

“Well, I should go and start packing my bags, huh.” Terra asked as she cleaned off her plate and slid it into the dishwasher.

“I thought we told you to start that last night!” Terra’s mom asked with a worried look upon her face.

“Uh...yeah, you did, but I’m not finished yet.” Terra answered calmly as she headed up the stairs.

Terra closed her room’s door behind her and looked around, in truth she hadn’t even started packing, she slid back her closet door and began yanking down papers, folders and clothes and stuffing miscellaneous objects into spare bags that she had lying around.

Hours, and several heated arguments later, everyone stayed up late to help her finish packing. The following morning the Cheltari family finally headed out on the road for their distant destination.

 

Heading out as early as they did, the trip still took over three and a half hours to arrive on the campus itself and the time-consuming self tour of the entire campus had knocked off another hour or so from their scheduled arrival time they had hoped for. The family car eventually pulled to a stop in front of the Campus Visitor Center. Terra had fallen asleep in the back seat some time ago.

“Up and at ‘em kid! We’re finally here!” Terra’s father said patting her leg to wake her.

“*Yawn* W-what? Where’s here? What happened?” Terra asked sleepily then looked out the windshield at the towering building in front of her.

“Well you conked out on us a while ago, and we took a look about the campus while you snoozed away. We’re finally at your soon to be new, temporary home!” Terra’s mom replied unfastening her seatbelt and getting out of the car.

Terra then realized some of the students passing by the car; there was a humanoid toad that had a spring in his step, an eagle-male with feather-covered arms, a doe who had the stature of a teenage girl and more. Terra had a double take when she saw a towering moose like human with a full head of branching antlers clomp by on thick hooves.

“Un…be…lievable!” Terra whispered to herself.

She suddenly recalled a part of the university letter stating something about her fellow peers; you will learn and live among other students much like yourself, or something like that. Terra got out of the back seat and stretched out her sore joints on the curb.

“Well, let’s not just stand here admiring it! Aaaannnd march! Hut two, three, four, hut!” Terra’s father began announcing loudly and took the lead heading inside.

“Stop it dad! You’re embarrassing me!” Terra hissed looking about at other students who stared quizzically or snickered at her father.

“Ha-ha! In that case I have only begun! Hut! Two, three, four! March!” Terra’s father continued loudly.

Terra sighed dismissively contemplating on how she could act out that they were not related.

The visitor center was equal to that of Grand Central Station at the time they arrived; there wasn’t a square inch of floor that wasn’t currently occupied by a student or a family member. It was also just as loud in the center with people and other animal resembling students yelling and talking with others around them. Terra and her family struggled through the crowd to the registration desks as quickly as possible.

“Once again! For any new students just arriving, enter one of the lines at the registration area over here to my right under your last name! Parents please come in and be seated over here in the waiting room to my left! Thank-you once more for joining us here at PictBridge University!” An announcer yelled through a mega-phone upon a podium in the center of the room.

“Guess that’s us hon! We’ll catch up to you later and help with the unpacking into your new room, kay?” Terra’s father shouted a bit over the commotion giving her a big bear hug and then letting her mom kiss her good-bye.

“Bye mom, dad!” Terra called out with a wave as her parents disappeared into the mass of adults passing by.

Terra got into the line behind a gigantic ape that looked very dignified in a bright white shirt, gray strap dress overalls and sharp black blazer. The line moved quite quickly and soon Terra was second in line.

“Name please sir?” The lady at the desk asked the student before Terra.

“Gregory Anderson.” The Ape answered with a regal voice as expensive as his outfit.

“Gregory, Gregor-aha! Here you are, you are in Dailuc hall, room 582, thank you for joining us at PictBridge University and have a nice first year!” The woman replied pleasantly handing the student a miniscule key far too small for him to keep track of. The ape stared from the receptionist to the key. He wasn’t the least bit amused.

Terra snickered to herself as she moved up to the front of the line.

            “Name please miss?” the Desk receptionist asked.

     “Oh, uh, Terra Cheltari” Terra said focusing on her objective.

“Ahh yes, we were wondering when one of you special ones might show up! You are in…Safters hall, room 427; please keep your key with you at all times it will be crucial to have it with you next week Tuesday at…five thirty in the morning I believe. Thank you for joining us at PictBridge University, and have a wonderful first year!” The woman explained and handed Terra a name-embodied key sporting the neon green and aqua blue school colors on its surface.

     “Special? How am I…wait, what‘ll happen on Thursday? I can‘t just free up my schedule…is this some kind of joke?!” Terra exclaimed. Before she could get any answers she was pushed out of the line and back into the crowd of various students.

Terra stared at the key in her palm; then clutched it tightly and slipped it into her back pocket. How was she unique from any of the other students here? Whatever the case, she quickly pushed it out of her mind and waited for her parents to meet back up with her again.

 

The drive over to Safters hall was uneventful, besides seeing several other types of students; Terra almost regretted dozing off on the ride here.

     Once the car had pulled into the back lot of the Safters dormitory Terra’s father popped the trunk of the car. Terra suddenly realized how much stuff she had actually packed for college. She moaned with disbelief when she also realized that her room was on the fourth floor.

Her dad whistled as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Well, this is gonna be a real doozy! We might as well get started. Here Terra, you start with your computer box and we’ll grab your…uh…desk parts I guess.”

Terra’s father heaved as he slid the large PC container from the back of the van, and then started yanking out the sidings and top of Terra’s desk.

     Although she knew that her parents were carrying a lot more than she was, the PC box still seemed unimaginably bulky. Terra gripped into the box handles and pushed up with her legs, balancing the load with slight disadvantage. She carefully trudged to the doors and squeezed inside as her mother held the door open for her with her foot.

“Thanks mom.” Terra managed to get out before having to put the box down for a moment.

     As Terra stretched her back for a moment she had the nagging feeling someone was out to get back at her for some reason. Before her were several flights of stairs leading upwards endlessly. Terra gulped as a bead of cold sweat ran down her neck. She looked about and then noticed an elevator nearby. She grinned with relief as she shoved the box over to the doors and once again she was disappointed at what she read.

“Handicap use…only, great, just…great.” Terra sighed as she dragged the box back over to the stairs.

Her father and mother had already started up with their loads and Terra had given them the key to get into the room. She lifted the box once more and carefully began ascending the stairs step by step.

     By the time she had managed up to the third floor Terra was nearly out of breath and her legs and arms were starting to feel like water. Terra slid the box to the bottom of the next flight of stairs then sat down against it to take another breather.

“I can’t believe this, my room just had to be on the fourth floor, not the first or second or even the third, no it absolutely had to be on the fourth!” Terra mumbled sarcastically to herself. She laid her head back against the box and closed her eyes to relax.

As she did, the third level door banged open as two students walked out from the corridor.

     “I’m telling you man, this Alaskan malamute gal is beyond hot! I saw her on the way in, she is like…a total goddess!” the student on the left, who resembled a German Sheppard, explained to the other student to his right who had the features of a red fox.

“Are you having girl fantasies again Shawn?” The fox chuckled slugging the dog-like student in the arm playfully.

“I’m serious! And I told you the name’s not Shawn…its Shep okay? Believe you me, I will ask that girl to that university-wide bash tonight!” The one apparently known as Shep swore as he headed down the stairs ahead of his friend. The fox started down the stairs but then stopped and looked back to Terra who was once more attempting to heft the PC box up the stairs.

“Um, do you…need any help with that by chance?” The fox asked at the bottom of the stairs as he continued to watch Terra struggle.

“What? Oh, no thanks, I got it. Thanks anyway!” Terra called back even though her mind and back was crying out for assistance at that moment.

“You sure?”

“Yep, no problem here, I’m all set!” Terra said over her shoulder.

“Okay…well good luck.” The fox said as he began to turn away.

“Thanks…I think.”

Terra suddenly lost her footing and slipped on the next step. She could feel herself tumbling back. No sooner had Terra begun to let out a cry for help the fox caught her from behind in his arms, the box was being held up by his foot.

Terra looked back and stared into the fox’s emerald almost sea-green eyes. He was actually quite attractive looking up close. Terra could feel herself blushing as the fox grinned.

“You gotta be careful on these steps, they can be quite tricky. You alright now?” The fox asked placing Terra back onto her feet.

“Y-yeah, um…thanks.” Terra mumbled as she felt her face cool off a bit.

“No prob here let me help you with that. What floor you on?” The fox asked hefting up the box and starting up the set of stairs.

“Err…fourth, thanks, again.” Terra answered clearing her throat as she followed close behind the other student.

“Sure thing…here we are, think you can make it the rest of the way?” The fox asked pushing the box onto a solid surface.

“Yeah, I can’t thank you enough for all you did!” Terra said gratefully.

“Glad to help out.” The fox replied with a charming grin that Terra responded with a smile of her own still feeling her face getting hot as she looked at him.

“YO SLY! I AIN’T GONNA HOLD THIS DAMN DOOR ALL DAY! GET YOUR FURRY A*S DOWN HERE!” The voice of Shep called from way down at the bottom of the stairwell.

“Oh crap…HOLD IT A MINNUTE LONGER ALRIGHT! Sheesh!” The fox called down then rolled his eyes.

“NO PROMISES!” Shep roared back.

Sly made a mock of Shep’s words quietly to himself then looked back to Terra. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay, so, is Sly your real name?” Terra asked as Sly started down the steps.

“Nah, it’s Skyler, but all my friends call me Sly for fun, What about you, I should probably know who I just helped shouldn’t I?”

“Terra, Terra Cheltari.” Terra answered shaking hands with Sly.

“Skyler Grenherst, well it was a pleasure meeting you Terra Cheltari.” Sly introduced himself with a warm smile.

“Likewise, Skyler.”

“Call me Sly, it sounds better. I’m sure we’ll see each other again, later!” Sly said with a slight wave as he turned down the steps to catch up with Shep.

“Yeah…seeya.” Terra called down.

As Terra began to push the box into the corridor, she picked up a bit of the two boy’s conversation on the way down:

“What’s with the holdup bro?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing, just giving a helping hand.”

“Right, anyway as I was saying I’m gonna ask that girl I was telling you about out for sure! What about you? You got a date for tonight?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Who?”

“Terra Cheltari, just met her a little while ago.”

“Sure man, whatever.”

Terra grinned widely as she felt her heart skip a beat. She then began to hum a little tune to herself happily as she dragged the computer box the rest of the way to her room.

Author's Note

Corrections, advice, reviews and constructive criticism are welcome.

3/27/11 Update:
I'm pleased to see that I've received quite a few views on my story here but unfortunately still no reviews or criticisms. Again I would be most pleased to see someone even offer minor input of any kind! In hopes of getting this I will be adding another chapter to the list and see what comes of it. Please make an effort to review or say something so that I can further improve my work!