First Breed

  John's eyes flitted open to the heavenly light filtering through the shack's window.  Bichop was gone, but he soon entered the shack with a gray lump in his hands. It was circular, but was bumpy, and looked like a 5-year-old made it out of clay. Bichop prodded Samana awake.

  "Wha...? Ugh! Bichop, it's early! Let me sleep." With that, she buried her head in her pillow. Bichop snapped the gray lump in half and handed one half to John. The inside looked the same as the outside.

  "Eat up," said Bichop. "We've got a long day ahead of us."

  "Wait, we're supposed to eat this?" John took a nervous bite, and recoiled at the unexpected, but delicious, taste. It was juicy, sweet, and tender, it tasted like a rainbow would taste. In seconds, it was gone. 

  "Gimme some rainbow fruit," muttered Samana's voice, muffled through her pillow. She held her hand out, and Bichop put a small piece in it. Samana scarfed it down, then collapsed back on the bed. "So... tired..." she muttered, then fell asleep.

  "Women," Bichop gruffed, then left to find more rations in the forest. John thought as he watched Samana sleep. He knew he couldn't stay in the shack with Samana and Bichop for the rest of his life. He knew he had to find Santa Lea, then go to the labratory and get changed back into a human, and they could be together again. But why was he not as excited as he was before?

  When Bichop got back with more rainbow fruit, Samana was just waking up. "Hey,  you guys," said John, "Any of you know where the labratory is? Where they turn humans into different species?" Bichop looked at him suspiciously. 

  "No one knows where the labratory is except for the Great One, but if you find him, you will die after you ask him your one question. So naturally, no one has searched for him. He likes peace and quiet." Said Bichop.

  "But it was told he lie near the Corobite clan," explained Samana, sitting up and eating more rainbow fruit.

  "What do the Corobites look like?" asked John.

  "Oh," said Samana, "They're, like, palish, they don't have veins like us. And they have multi-colored balls jiggling around their insides."

  "Green, blue, and pink balls?" Asked John. Samana looked at him with surprise.

  "Yes," she said. "How do you know?"

  "And why do you ask?" said Bichop, still looking at him suspiciously.

  "Oh, um, I just thought I saw a Corobite... somewhere. And I was just wondering." John decided to not confide in them his plan. He had to do this on his own. 

  This was perfect! He just had to find the Great One, who happened to live right by where Santa Lea was, find out where the labratory is, and go there with Santa Lea and get changed back into a human so that they can be together again! But he just needed to ditch Bichop and Samana... but why did he feel guilty about it?

  "So," he said, trying to sound casual. "Where is this Corobite clan?" Bichop still looked suspicious, and it was Samana who answered. 

  "I think it's North from here," she said, glancing out the window.

  "Again, why do you ask?" Said Bichop.

  "I told you guys, i'm just wondering. trying to make conversation. Hey, I'm still hungry. I'm gonna give you guys a taste of human fruit for once. I'll get the rations."

  "No, John!" Cried Samana. "On normal circumstances, I would let any man go into the forest and kill himself. But you're nice." John took that as a major compliment from her. "Bilatrin can't eat human food. They'll die."

  "Oh. Good to know. Well, I'll get some more rainbow fruit, then." John couldn't believe his luck. Bichop looked suspicious, but Samana looked totally relaxed. He felt guilty that he was betraying her trust.

  "You know where the rainbow fruit are?" Asked Bichop, narrowing his eyes. 

  "Oh, yeah, I watched you do it. Um... bye." Forever, he thought, but didn't say. John looked at their faces one more time. Then he sped off into the forest.