(GE Copy)

Chapter 28: The Flavour of False Light (Part 1)

“Light, it glances off every object, and off every surface; no matter how matte or how dark... but water... Water is a different breed entirely: Brighter than the sheen of any diamond, pulled from the caves of the deepest mines, and yet can be as muddy as a clay mill or a tailings pond. It’s sensational capture of warmth bounces back to the eye, and blinds the soul with it’s brilliance. It is ever moving, ever changing, ever beautiful with it’s concentration of the light, and reflection of sky. It’s brilliance has caught the world over, unable to replicate the sheer dynamic glory that is this liquid mass, that we take for granted; even as it glistens to the ends of the world, rippling with the tides, along a sunny ocean horizon. They are diamonds that pour through our fingers, captivating by the light of the sun...”

The light bounced onto the car, casting invisible caustics against the morning cliff sides, and penetrating Aaron’s eyes. His Father had the blinder to his left, holding hands with his wife between shifting gears. Houses overtook the lake view, and past the Penticton channel came the network of street lights. At least the road ran along the peaceful river, where you could squint to not see man overtaking the natural treeline on the other side. Down the second turnoff, which was actually the third, but ten years ago it wasn’t (so everyone called it ‘the second’), yes it still confuses us too... No one uses the new road they built either –but hey, it wasn’t our tax dollars that paid for it, we just drive there... They arrived and stopped the car in the familiar crowded parking lot, not too far off from Aaron’s rooftop portal.

Aaron could smell the city air, with the blistering moist overtones that their little oasis valley was known for. Felicity gasped with a stretch, and kicked off with Aaron’s family. Aaron followed in behind, wondering how they managed to fit a mall in this old parking lot; back then, tiny little him used to think it was massive... Now, the single superstore that took it’s place, just looked scrunched in, like wrong foot for a glass slipper. I mean, this used to be a mall, but how?

“Can you believe this?” Paul commented, filling his bags with more broccoli than warranted. “The extortion they charge the tourists back home sure ain’t promoting local business. It’s no wonder it’s always rotten when no one is shilling out four dollars a head, what are they thinking?... And look at this, tomatoes on the vine, one dollar per pound. Unbelievable... You’d be paying twice that just for bloody romas.” Continuing his rant down all of the food isles.

Well, it took about as long for Felicity to get board as it did for Aaron, until they excused themselves for a while. They passed isle after isle looking for a stimulation from the petty protests over pricey produce. They were buying it anyway, not like anyone cared what it was like elsewhere. “And here your folks were embarrassed to bring me!” Felicity boasted, laughing as they passed three fine surfer dudes. “Those guys totally thought I was cool... Let’s live in this store, you and me, and all the food we could ever want.”

“You gotta pay for it, you know...” Aaron reminded.

“They need to catch you first.” Dodging the social contract, as he picked up a ball and planted it in Aaron’s face.

“You know, it’s a good thing I don’t actually need glasses...” Dryly putting up with Felicity’s shenanigans, as another ball planted between his eyes, then opening his mouth he was interrupted by another, “That’s it! Get over here and take your own medicine!” Aaron returned, playfully chasing with the inflatable rubber murder weapon in his hand.

“Aaron, Aaaa-aron...” Felicity called out from the unknown. “You gotta find me!”

“You’re inside the plushie box...”

“Noooo...”

“I literally see it wiggling.”

“You’re getting colder...”

“I am literally hearing it come from the box you’re sitting in.”

“I wouldn’t hide in such an obvious box... Filled with pillows and paradise.”

“I’m dragging you out of there.”

Aaron walked down the old toy isle. It wasn’t the same growing up, it even got squished in a few meters to make room for other things; there’d always be children, but it was as through fun had fallen out of style, even as he grew. Aaron would come here with a couple of dollars, short, just to split fifty-fifty with his mom, for whatever magnetic interactive scam that befell his eyes. Everything glowed out to him back then, but the cheap plastic no longer held his imagination. He heard the crack of something smacking over his head, and after the stun, Aaron turned to see Felicity whistle, as he hid the prop play sword behind him; then heard the plastic piece that broke off, finally land behind him.

“You’re a menace.” Aaron informed, finally leaving the confines of the superstore.

“You want to do these things too; just admit it...” Felicity instilled, “you’re too chicken to actually enjoy yourself.”

“You’re lucky my folks didn’t catch you pulling a wheelie down the international foods isle.”

“They can clean up the mess, they’re paid to do it; see, I gave those poor underpaid workers some hours this week. How would they pay their rent without me?”

Down the road came the new mall, then the drug store which was arguably connected to the mall, and finally the road home. The first road off, which is now the second, was closed for construction, and Paul pulled off for down town. “Quite grizzly, isn’t it?” He commented, driving by the remnants of ground zero. Weather had stained the exposed drywall, making musty the already low grade apartments. Some of the flooring had fallen away, and relics from the legendary site were looted, until only large furniture laid between the weakened cracks. “Hard to imagine I was on the Scherzinger patio when it happened, never even heard a thing. All I heard was the radio when we all figured it was a bomb... But... How could a bomb do all this?” Marvelling at the clear cuts of stone, as the ample jaywalkers jumped in front of their slow car to photograph the site.

Booths and street vendors posed themselves before tourist traps, hosting stickers and mugs, shirts and everything else that could profit them from the incident. Aaron could see one customer, berating, screaming at the top of their lungs at the entrepreneur for his blatantly offensive enterprise. Even down the road there stood a picket of people protesting against the “SEEPS”; Calling for it to cease, and leave their children alone... Whatever that was about. People of scanty fashion, and baggy clothes alike, gathered by street corners and soaked in the merchandise. Hippies and hipsters, players and straights; every walk and class was gathered by the event, for every selfish purpose that they could usurp for themselves. The actor and stagehands, profiteering for coin and pride of virtue. In the ally stood the unstable, taking the law into their own hands, as they reduced a car to scrap and painted their mark on the alleged oppressors.

“I think we should go to the ice cream place down by the beach,” Paul muttered in disbelief, “...and skip this part of town.” As people carelessly crossed the road with grave disregard.

Aaron tried to understand it all: how men could be so united, yet selfish and utterly divided; passing blame as though their eyes, that never witnessed, seemed to be proud for the side they stood... where no side understood, or ever could. Only a springboard, which to soapbox their own egos, over the loss and the rubble. Aaron could swear that he could see a crack in the window. It was small yet rather wide, like a chip were missing but when he ran his finger over, it was flat –and then missing. Aaron could have figured it no more than a bug; but the convex distortion of the colour was like that of water, by how it could be both brilliantly bright and sharply void of light. Then came a spackle, and Paul marvelled at the drizzle falling overhead.

It was cold when they got their cream, as the lake winds blew a north breeze. Storm clouds appeared in the distance, and the protests were about to be washed out. A small spattering pelted on their windshield, as the bulk travelled down the centre of the lake, coating it in a cold matte finish. The sun shone once more when they passed the old coffee shop coming into Summerland, and home seemed to have only gotten the tail end of what passed through. It may not have watered their garden, but at least the cherry orchards wouldn’t be split and wilted. Fame and fortune was a fickle war of thieves and roadside robbers; and with the rising competition down the lake, the town could use all the tourism it could muster. Maybe the rain would pass by Oliver, and wreck their highway price gouging for once.

Paul lifted in the fresh produce, “heh, fresh... That’s a laugh”, Paul chuckled to himself, and put the store veggies away. Kissing Crystal, he walked back to pick up the next sack, and sure enough, to no one’s surprise: Aaron had already made like a hoser, and took off. “DAMMIT KID!”

The sheen of light that shone off the pavement, was a pleasant sight, with the fresh aroma of flowers lifting into their lungs. It didn’t really matter where they went, but the trap of chores and constant interruptions were the last thing Aaron wanted today. There was something about the rain, though malpleasant and asinine to be rained on, it’s leaving left such a lovely lacquer upon the earth. He jingled the change in his pocket, and sighed, it wouldn’t last forever. Rich today, poor tomorrow. Aaron didn’t feel like eating out anyway.

He cruised through the hardware store, but it’s paints and ornaments were useless to a hiking adventure, or a busy creator. He checked the second hand store, and found only skis and golf clubs. Aaron was beginning to wonder where he could gather the materials to finish his creations, or patch up the sopping cuts to his travel bag. He mopped as he wondered, until catching his eyes on oddly open door. It was Sophie’s door, having instinctively passed by the street, he couldn’t help but be dumbfounded. They never left their door open, it was always locked, with space age security. Something had to be wrong. He could hear shouting from inside, and began running to it’s orifice to hear the conflict within. His shock was held to fight with his disappointment, as standing, fought Sophie and a familiar feline form.

“Stop fighting it!” Sophie commanded, reaching around, as her hands cupped over Enonya’s breasts. “You need to sit still.” As she lifted the moaning anthropomorphic creature above her head, and staggered back, falling onto the ground. Sophie regretted that, she definitely... No, wait, actually I think she enjoyed that more, being crushed under the giant furry headrush. Enonya tried to crawl away but Sophie clung to her, receiving about fifteen flicking kicks to forehead, and a well deserved hiss.

“You’re so clingy!” Enonya spat back.

“B-b-but...” Sophie teared up, “You are my only reason for existing!” She clung tightly around the cat’s waist. “Now give me your liquids!”

Felicity turned, walking out of the room to reveal the mess that Aaron was blinded from. Tables turned, couch cushions laid like the beaches of Normandy, and fur clumped like bullet holes; with poor Zack on the floor, huddled together like he was about to die of embarrassment. He looked up to Aaron then back down at the hot mess taking place in front of him. “I’m just gonna sit here and die...” Zack mumbled, helplessly pinned between the attraction, and the horror of watching the sexy confrontation, whittle away his chances of keeping his girlfriend.

“Should... I interfere?” Aaron inquired, looking at the scrapes and bite marks left on his friend, “You alright?” Taking a stern look from Zack. Still scratching his head, Aaron returned to view the cat fight taking place behind the couch, with many grunts and moans awkwardly filling the air. “How the heck did she get here, anyway?” As the syringe flew across the room and stuck in the wall like a dart.

“Remember that night when we took the portal home, and I went through the thing last?...” Zack confessed, twiddling his index fingers, “Well... I wasn’t. I kinda snuck her through when no one was looking, coz I was scared you’d make some kind of brash insulting remark, and think I was some weirdo... Which... I am... I’m sorry, I didn’t think you’d understand... I’m a coward...” Dropping his head.

“I’m not here to condemn you...” Aaron assured, still sorting his feelings about it, as he sat down beside Zack. “Haven’t heard you like that, in like... Ever, what happened? Your folks chewed you out again, didn’t they? Say, how’d that go anyway? Come on man, don’t go silent on me now.” coaxing his friend to answer.

“It didn’t... But conversations starting with ‘Where were you last night?’ and ‘You’re grounded’ never really do... Once they saw her, they figured she was some kind of cosplay deviant and laughed like I was a hopeless dweeb; but after they discovered she was real...”

“Wait.” Aaron interrupted, “So, you actually showed them? We’re not exactly known for accepting mystery at face value.”

“They tried reporting her to SEEPS, expecting reward money, and I knew I had to get her out of there... Spent the night sleeping beside a creek with mosquitoes and burned pallet boards.”

“The what now? SEEPS? I saw that all over Penticton, what’s that about anyway?”

“You remember that scary emergency magical... friggen... defence organization? It’s pretty much just red tape at this point, but people give them power anyway. The one that they started after the Penticton thing, with stupid arts degree acronym? The one that people were freaking out over, in front of city hall like last week? I guess you’ve been away for a while, huh? They had those mandatory hearings in the gymnasium few weeks ago... Yeah, not that they can really do anything but moan, and change bylaws but... they’ve been sending people fridge magnets and everything. It’s got hotlines, seminars dates; they’re even talking about curfews, because most freak incidents happen when it’s too dark to take a decent picture. Great excuse, am I right? You owe me five bucks by the way. It’s getting so bad, I’m surprised they’re not monitoring our water usage to see if we’re flushing abnormally.”

“That just makes me happier that I’m not here wasting my days like the rest of the world...” Aaron dismayed, withdrawing the blue bill from his wallet. “So, that’s why people down town were up in arms. You know you didn’t have to sleep by a creek, right?”

“Yeah, but... retrospect is a bitch like that, right?” Putting the well needed fiver in his pocket. “Only time my folks ever cared about that bureaucratic waste of time is when they think it’ll pay off their next car.”

“So when did you realize that Sophie existed? You didn’t sleep the last few nights there did you?”

“I realized it roughly around the same time she came back from your place... been crashing on that couch ever since. You wouldn’t believe the plead bargaining that takes place when Sophie wants a new kitty. So; despite the fondling, and fighting for her affection, everything was going just fine... at least until Sophie decided she was going to EXPERIMENT ON HER!”

“I need her!” Sophie defended. “She holds the key to making more of them!”

“Then go in the forest and find one!” Zack fiercely cowered by the window. “And leave my kitty alone!”

“Why do you think I need the DNA sample, and her fluids!? After I reprogram the nymoal resonator, there won’t be a realm created, where they can escape me!”

“She’s going to leave me...” Zack collapsed, tending to the alien bite marks on his hands. “Say, Aaron... How about she stays at your place?”

“Hoe-lee...f-fuk, mate...”

“I know...

Looking back, Aaron caught eyes with Felicity, “Yeah. I’m still here...” Felicity reaffirmed his presence, closing the door behind him. “No, no, don’t let me interrupt your drama; just go right on ahead without me...”

“I mean, they don’t even know about Felicity.” Aaron admit. “It’s not like I can just introduce them to two of society’s greatest genetic achievements. I think the shock would kill them, never mind what mom would do...”

“Yeah... They are pretty great, aren’t they?...” Zack chummed, fighting with his lamentations. “You got one of those secret outposts somewhere?” He pleaded, desperately holding it together. “Maybe one with a honeymoon suit, or something? Honestly, anywhere without mosquitoes would be a blessing...”

“I mean, if you don’t mind the radiation poisoning, sure. I’m storing all my gems and equipment over there though. Was going to pick up some supplies to finish my projects, but there’s not much in this one horse town for accomplishing that.”

“I just don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“Have you tried the phone book for a kennel?”

Water, what a pleasant thing. It’s aroma and lovely lacour was a luscious reminder of the good days behind him. Belship fixed the grip on his empty cylinder, as he reached for his keys. He stopped, caught by the surprising breeze that blew off his neighbours new petunias. Such a trite and underwhelming flower he had thought, until the scent reached his nose; perhaps he should buy a couple to put in the back yard, where they might be smelled and not seen, for the sheer embarrassment of a warriors stature. His eyes veered down, having instinctively unlocked the door, and somehow did not activate the asinine beeping of the secondary alarm. Surely, he must have activated it before he left, didn’t he? Oh well. The door opened into the darkened room, as Belship’s eyes adjusted much slower than his ears did. Before him were five screaming children, “Good Thalar, they’re multiplying.” Belship dismayed, as Zack held Aaron in a rolling cradle, despite the backhanding of Felicity every lap around the sofa. Moans cried out with intermittent hissing, and the booting of a wall for traction.

“HAHA! I GOT IT!” Sophie fell out from behind the counter, knocking the end table over, and that morning’s cold tea “...Why does it smell like ammonia?” She questioned, as Enonya crawled out ashamed, and hide in the next room. Belship stood in disbelief as fur flew to every corner of the house, floating in the air like spring cotton, and the boys making angry snow angels on the carpet –Oh... And there was the vase, cracked, leaking slightly, also turned completely upside down with the plant cleaving for moisture as it slid out.

“OUT!” Belship shout with a mighty shaking roar, “GET OUT! ALL OF YOU, OOOOUT!” He shooed them, dragging Enonya out the door, “And take you FUCKING cat with you!” Belship demanded, chucking her down the stairs unharmed; unaware of Kraytoes who casually snuck back inside from his ally prowl, for the kibble dish. He knew where the food was at.

Belship sighed, recuperating himself amidst the war zone. Closing the door he turned to meet with the unruly feline, who mrowed himself a syllable more than his welcome. From the window behind the oblivious group, flew from the one furry screaming freeloader, performing a perfect acrobatic pirouette; until landed defiantly, though nothing had happened. Don’t worry, Belship will be well aware of the present Kraytoes leaves for him.

“Guess we’re out in broad daylight now...” Zack panicked under the false bravado that could be seen cracking. “Think she can pass for a fur suiter?”

“Not in this heat, rain or not...” Aaron confessed, “So, what’s the battery like on that size changer of yours?”

“Not enough for what I want done with it... It’s also at home, probably confiscated by the prison guards of the Third Reich... I’ll love them when they’re not trying to hunt me down on every street corner.”

“That bad, eh? Well, I’ll keep my eyes peeled. Not being cynical this time, but... What does a bipedal cat eat, anyway? They still carnivorous, or are we safe if we die around them?”

“Trust me, we already discovered her preference in cat food a while back, and Twixie brand ain’t gonna cover it.” Counting his reacquired couch change from five years ago, Zack added the fresh fiver to the tally. “Couple cans tuna, pack of noodles, should have food for a week... Or until I get cold. Mind lending me a couple bucks just to be sure? I just don’t know what I’m going to do after that. I’m scared to go home, find some men in suits on the trail of a mystery to quell from the public... Do you think they’d interrogate me in some kind of Area Fifty One place; pin me to a cell and do some kind of water torture test until I’m a useless shrivelling shell? This political overtaking stuff is getting pretty scary, I’m starting to not doubt it.”

“Well, I am... Kind of.” Aaron admit, “I’d pitch it to our nature of being chicken shits, and making everyone else pay for it... But it’s possible, yeah. Honestly, I’ve been pretty hesitant to try to market off any of these gemstones, lest someone come looking for the supplier...” Slowly cracking, “Actually, no, now that you mention it, yeah, I’m quite certain someone’d have a canary; maybe two of them. They’re love birds after all, one fearful action leads to another, before you know it, you’re making pruno in Guantanamo Bay.”

“You’re not helping...” Zack moped, “All I wanted was my furry girlfriend.”

“I’m in the same boat, but... Well. I guess no... Not a girlfriend issue –and I guess the feds aren’t sniffing my bed sheets either but... Look metaphor is not my strong suit. It’s like two war vessels, one combs the coastline while the other goes out to sea; the enemy is still the same, just one of them is a lot further out than the other.” Rethinking his analogy throughout the long pause that weighed over them.

“You’re right... That’s a terrible metaphor.”

“It’s the concern I mean, that I can’t be open about everything I want to be, especially now, and not about what’s important to me because something bad will happen if I do.”

“Look, I know what you’re getting at, it’s just the reassurance I need right now... I can’t just run away from my problems like you do. I can try, but you got a pretty good lead on me already. I mean I barely survived being a hobo for a single day. An... Hold up –Hey!” Shaking his fist at Sophie “Knock that shit off.” Trying to pick the climber off Enonya’s back.

If her alien instincts went feral, so did Enonya’s, with Sophies nose inhaling the air from the nape of the cat’s neck like it were incense. Looking terribly offended, Enonya’s legs went weak, ashamed for the public disgust that curdled through her. She spun around viciously, as Zack managed to pry the two apart long enough to breath, but not before Sophie slipped her fangs into the cat’s flank stake. “Sorry.” Sophie retreated, “That one got out of hand...”

“And the shit before wasn’t?” Zack exclaimed in disapproving confoundment.

“Not so much fun with it’s someone else’s nose, is it?” Aaron smirked, before assuring Zack and his dwindling mental state. “When we’re near a portal, I’ll check your room for you if it makes you feel better; let you know if there’s any suits, or where they put your toys.”

“Thanks man, an... I said get off!” Shooing their friend off the cat again. “I can’t keep Sophie around for this...”

“Imagine if she was a bangle tiger or something, wouldn’t be much Sophie left to swat off... I think if you give it time, things’ll settle out at home. Suits don’t have time to waste with prank phone calls, so if she’s not there, they can cry cat all they want. I think mistrust is a great defence if weaponized properly... I mean, If you don’t mind the anguish and personal guilt that your parents still love you, even if they want to kill you; maybe it’s their time to realize what matters more than their own prides and paychecks. They’ll still make it your fault and punish the heck out of you, coz they met each other in Bedlum or something, but...”

“I suppose... Guess every so often, a man is defined by making a stand for what he believes in...”

“Not every man gets his title because he won the fight either...”

“Maybe I’d enjoy her home world more anyway...”

“I’m not saying Tapia is any better place, but they seem to survive out there somehow. Worst case, you and I, we’re outcast. Not just a high school title anymore, but legally, reprehensibly outcast... That’s not what scares me anymore, the... outcasting... but it still feels wrong telling someone to do what I’m doing. I wish that my life was here, even as it changes and becomes worse. Everything drags me away, like it’s telling me how to escape, but I feel like I’ve failed every time I give in. Fighting takes too much strength, and nothing seems to reconcile me from my conscience. You’re... In a place where you’re going to have to choose, and from my experience, there is seldom any clean cut answer... Only living with the turnout, as others hate you for it, or worse, yourself...” Feeling the sharp cut in his chest, as he turned to close his heart with a tear.

Zack witnessed the sorrow, and put away his own to empathize with Aaron. “I’ve had a feeling for a while... Just, hearing those words makes a lot of sense lately... Coz I know that I have the option of either making a stand that’s destined to fall flat, or accept my losses without ever trying and have no one to blame. It’s growing up, right? You’ve uh... Been living so much faster than I could see... You’ve already been here, haven’t you?”

“If it were a different skin, at a different time... Yeah...”

“You’re both a bunch of pussies...” Felicity returned. “Get stronger, forge a badass sword out of the molten core of a falling star, and no one’s gonna mess with you. Personal strength is what keeps the doctor away! Apples are for chumps!”

“Yeah...” Zack dismayed, chuckling under his breath. “I’ll just swat the government away with a sword, coz that’s always worked out peacefully in the past...” Turning back to Aaron who’s empathy seemed a paler shade of grey. “Hey... No one has to be the victor for their sorrow, we can grieve together... You know, once I live long enough to regret it that is. I’m not giving up; but this world sure has. I want to become stronger, like you.” Appealing to Aaron.

“Trust me, you don’t want to be like me.” Aaron warned, “You see the scars, but I saw what made them. Why couldn’t it just be simple...”

“I know right...” Zack wallowed, agreeing, yet somehow out of sync.

Aaron shook his head, wishing it we so straight forward. “It’s what comes next that’s the real bitch... If... If it comes.” Turning back from their lead on the group as Enonya stood confused at the undulating tantrum of their nuty party member, who’s senses seemed to misfire without reasons.

Overwhelmed in Sophie’s fluster, her every fiber was pushed to it’s limits. Even her breath was erratic, and salivating into a dry mouth. She gripped her chest, unable to stave the craze put over her, though her heart had began to wimper. Her muscles agitated, clenched when they felt loose and floppy when they felt viced. Her hands could not release the spell. Every sensation to reliever her, only dug the hole deeper and she was left uncertain of what to do. “Agh!” She groaned helplessly, feeling the world inverted through her senses, crisscrossed, mismatched, haywire and short circuiting. “You’re the only thing that can take it away...” She cried with a worn limp throat, cleaving to every inch of the cat, immune to it’s batting, praying that the cat would submit to her anguish. Yet no matter how much she clung to her cure, the remedy only made worse the infliction.

Over her head, Zack’s hand cuffed across Sophie’s mane, slapping the invisible tentacles and all. In a stunned shake, Sophie toppled over onto her back in confusion. Her eyes laid awake, staring up at the sky.

“I swear, I didn’t think I hit her that hard...” Zack defended, looking at the star struck daze of their friend. “I only grazed her, I swear!” Sophie’s eyes began to twitch and return to focus, and her breath slowed to a gentle pace. Sophie laid there submissive, like a child waiting for a hug, too exhausted to move, and her mind utterly scrambled. Finally coming back into clarity, something finally managed to resolve inside her, as the vicious cycle stopped long enough to recover. “How many ‘loops’ was that in your head this time?”

“Infinity... A googleplex in the very least... Maybe even Grahams number...” Astounding at the sheer number, “Probably more... I’m surprised you remember my analogy...”

“You’ve mentioned it like twenty times since I arrived with Enonya... E... En...” Watching his girlfriend stamper away, furiously. Zack’s heart fell out of his chest, as he ran out for her. “Please, wait up. Don’t leave me! I’m so sorry about what happened, I just don’t know how to handle any of this. You mean so much more to me than you know, I can’t let this be the end. Give me another chance, we’ll leave her behind, live alone together. I’m just such a stupid, stupid man, with a stupid head and a stupid... S-s-s... stupid... face...”

Looking back utterly confused, Enonya returned to Zack, “What are you talking about?”

“You’re going to leave me, aren’t you?... I know we’ve pushed you so hard these last couple of days, I just don’t know what to do, and I’m just so powerless to do anything right... Please don’t leave...”

“You mean because of Sophie?” Enonya inquired, still vexated. “I’m not like Sashila, I don’t have the distinct hatred for humans that she has; in fact I think they’re quite cute... But there just ain’t nothing human about that girl, or her owner...” Enonya vented.

“Really?”

“Yeah, you should see the crap I put up with around my brother... He’s such a glam queen...”

“So you’re not leaving me?”

“Oh course not, you’ve been really nice to me, everyone else though is an asshole as far as I’m concerned...” Enonya failed to finish as Zack picked her up and hugged her. “Do you have to make it so embarrassing?” She denied, not-so-secretly revelling in the embrace.

Sophie crawled up to her knees, as she watched the two become sickeningly snugly, nuzzling, hugging. Tears erupted from her, between being proud to witness the fantasy of cats true love, and the loneliness of rejection.

Cynically staring, Felicity motioned to Aaron, “You remember what I said about Zack, and Sophie?”

“I’ve got enough drama with Zack,” Aaron instilled, “I don’t need it from you too...”

“How about we just head back. They can sort it out on their own.”

Aaron thought about it, awkwardly standing in witness. Something came over him, and instead of giving into the sappy story, he staggered back and shied away. Aaron stood himself separate, calling off to Zack, “I got some things I need to take care of, were heading back...”

“Hey!” Zack returned, “Can... I get you to pick up some things. so I don’t have to drag these two through a store? I’ll call you later to drop me off. I’m going to find somewhere we can pitch a tent.”

“I’m...” Aaron stopped himself to reconfigure his sentence, in a cynical tone “I’m more than well aware of that, Zack...” walking past Sophie, “You guys can sort things out, I have faith in you...” As he distanced himself from the awkwardness. “Like two love birds, squawking very loudly so the whole world can hear them, eh?”

“Like two annoying pieces of meat playing with their food, instead of cooking the other on the barbecue like their supposed to.” Felicity corrected, “Don’t think she ain’t got instincts telling her to eat him alive right now.”

“Yeah, but I’m not so certain that’s what she’s being driven to eat right now.”