Chapter 9: Jasper

I opened my eyes to see that it was light outside and that is the first thing I noticed. The second thing I noticed was that I was alone in the bed; Ciri wasn’t in the room. I sat jet upright and looked around the bedroom, but there was no sound in the room. I stood up slowly and it did not hurt nearly as much as last night she did a good job. I looked around and went into the bathroom, but there was no one there. I started to get worried about her so I decided to call her name. “Ciri,” I called and she peeked out from around the corner chewing on something.

“What are you doing?” I asked relieved.

“It is breakfast time,” she said showing me a can of mangos.

“Oh,” I said fighting to keep from smiling.

“Do you want some?” she asked stabbing more mangos.

“No thanks, I will be in the bathroom,” I said clearing my throat.

“We are out of toilet paper,” she called after me and I laughed quietly to myself. I got to the bathroom and my stress came crashing down on me. I needed to know what was in that letter; Ciri seemed to be more trusting of me, but she still hadn’t told me the truth in detail. I could hear Talia’s cries in my mind and I saw the monster, who caused her pain. He couldn’t find her first. I went over to my pants and took out the knife that Ciri had given me.

 

“I’m sorry,” I muttered then flipped in my hand before heading into the main living. I liked Ciri, but I wasn’t endlessly patient. “Ciri,” I looked around and she wasn’t in the room. I lowered the knife and I heard a cry. I almost dropped the knife in my rush towards the source of the noise. I found her standing on the bed with a black wolverine with blood on its sharp teeth circling the bed.

“Watch it,” she took out the gun, “It’s a hybrid.”

“Hybrid,” I said fear clutching me. I’d thought they were an urban legend; animals that had procreating with other species to survive and adapt to the harsher environment.

“Its teeth rip flesh,” Ciri crutched down watching it.

 

“How do you know this stuff?” I said and it turned on me. I tightened my grip on my knife then it lunged for me. I heard the shot then the beast fell down in front of me and Ciri was holding the gun steady.

“I read books; they have a lot to say,” she climbed down, “It came at me from behind; I should probably go and check how deep the marks are.”

“Yes, you should do that,” I nodded.

“That was the plan,” she left the room and I looked down at the wolverine hybrid. It didn’t seem as menacing now, but Ciri had never been more dangerous to me. I left the room and raised my knife as I entered the bathroom. I was stopped dead by the scars on her back. They were covering it entirely and I could see the blood dripping out of the claw marks. I dropped the knife this time.

 

“Elite,” she spotted me and put her shirt back on, “What do you want?”

“Your back,” I managed to say.

“Reality isn’t very pretty, is it?” she brushed her hair out of her face, “Maybe you should go back to your fairytale girls and life’s mission, Jasper; do yourself a favour and run as fast as you can.”

“I am not afraid of you; I know the risks I am taking,” I replied.

"Whatever, Elite,” she said walking over to me with a pile of clothes, “Get dressed.” I’d forgotten that I left my clothes in the bathroom last night.

"Fine sweetheart,” I said and she stopped in front of me. She seemed to be looking lower than my face and I looked down to see she was looking at my bare chest. "My eyes are up here,” I said trying not to smirk.

"Do what you’re told,” she said tossing me my clothes and I rolled my eyes. She started to leave and I started getting dressed. "Oh and by the way, thanks for the jacket,” she said peeking back in and I saw she was wearing my jacket.

 

"Hey,” I said quickly putting on my clothes and then put my shoes back on. I went into the bedroom, but the blanket was gone. I went into the kitchen and grabbed the knife and the can. "Alright give me my jacket,” I said seeing Ciri sitting on the edge of the deck.

"Nope,” she said still working on the same piece of wood.

"Come on,” I said going over to her, "That is mine and you know it.”

"It is cold out this morning, do you always let people freeze to death while you stay warm?” she asked.

"Fine, but I get to carry the food,” I said taking the sac away from her.

 

"Trying to prove you are a man,” she guessed.

"Maybe, but that is my business,” I said hoisting the blanket bag over my shoulder.

"Very well,” she said then started walking off past the house pocketing her knife and her piece of wood.

 

"So what exactly are you doing with a piece of wood?" I asked as we walked.

"Just a little project of mine,” she said casually.

"So cutting up wood is a hobby of some sort,” I questioned.

"It is no stranger than shooting targets as practice,” she replied.

"What do you do with the wood anyways?" I asked pulling the object out of her pocket.

 

“Hey, watch your hands, buddy,” she said jumping away.

“What is it?” I said looking at the shaped object.

“It is just a project,” she said trying to grab it and I looked at it. It looked like some kind of cat or something. It was a well done basic shape for whatever it was, but it was missing details or maybe it wasn’t I wasn’t sure.

 

“What kind of cat is it?” I asked putting it above her head.

“You can tell it is a cat,” she asked stopping jumping.

“I’ve read books about animals as well,” I said looking up at it again, “I cannot tell yet what kind of cat?”

“Yes you can; I made it three dimensional,” she said trying to grab it again, “Oh and congratulations on learning to read.”

“Yes I can read; what kind of animal is it?” I questioned.

 

“It is a lion now give it back,” she said jumping up and tried to grab it then fell on top of me. At first there was a little pain from the sharp rocks on the ground and then I looked up at her. Her blue eyes were looking down at me and I looked up into them for a long minute. Her eyes were a supernatural shade of blue and in the light her hair looked into fire. She had a strange way about her. I felt her arms on mine and I tried not to be effected by the girl on top of me. “Sorry,” she said trying to push herself up, but her hand were now on my lower belly pressing it in and making breathing harder.

“Watch your hands,” I said and she grabbed her figurine and stood up.

“Come on,” she said helping me up.

“Thanks,” I said standing up again.

“No more stealing my stuff,” she said as we started walking again.

“Understood, so why are you creating a lion?” I asked inquisitively.

“I do not know why,” she shrugged.

 

“Where did you learn to do that?” I asked curious despite myself.

“Where did you learn to fight?” she said looking over at me with a look on her face.

“I practiced,” I said mood sinking into oblivion.

“So did I,” she replied, “Now what exactly do you do when you are not being an Elite?”

“I do not know,” I said puzzled, “What type of things would be considered being an Elite?”

“Fighting, shooting, bossing people around, avoiding emotion, being sober all the time and always doing what you are told,” she said pulling her hair back again.

“I do not always do what I am told,” I said defensively, “for example I helped you, which is actually against the law.”

“You cannot deny the bossing around bit though,” she said quickly.

“I do not boss you around,” I said annoyed.

 

“Do not go down into that cellar again it could fall down at any second,” she said in a manly voice and I rolled my eyes.

“I do not sound like that,” I said.

“It is great if you want to wake up with the roof on your head let’s move on,” she continued.

“Okay sweetheart,” I said and I pinched my house to keep from laughing.

“Keep your hair back from now on understand; I will not have any mistrust in the house,” she said in a macho voice.

“Okay already I got it,” I said nudging her.

 

“Now I have to ask,” Ciri said looking over at me, “what is the eye to eye thing about?”

“It is part of my training,” I said honestly.

“Training I should have known alright; what do you learn from this?” she said looking me in the eye.

“I learn who are my allies, equals, enemies and rivals?” I told her.

 

“So where do I fit in?” she asked crossing her arms and walking backwards in front of me.

“Oh definitely rivals,” I said and she stuck out her tongue at me, “Very mature, sweetheart, where in your training did you learn to do that?”

“I do not know it just comes naturally,” she smirked.

“Figures what are you five?” I said returning the smirk.

“I guess you are two then huh,” she replied.

“Why would you say that?” I asked suspiciously.

 

“Because girls are three years ahead in maturity,” she said then turned around and started walking, “I am ahead of you.” “Literally,” she said looking over her shoulder.

“I guess I am tall for my age then,” I said catching up with her.

“Yeah right, Elite,” she sighed.

“I guess you’ll have to grow more too, shorty,” I said looking over at her.

“Shut up,” she snapped and I laughed. Ciri was such a strange girl, but I guess that is why I enjoy her company. We stopped at the end of the day and hid out under a giant cement underpass for the night. There was one word I am going to use to describe my feelings about Ciri. Dangerous! They could get me killed; how could I protect Talia then?