Earthbound (Slow Updates, Sorry Guys)

Chapter Ten- Muttation Attack

He'd been there. The stranger or whoever was living with us was still there, watching, waiting.

I'd side stepped all the looks Dawn gave me which meant I had a troubled expression written all over my face. I'd been able to keep our visitor's presence a secret which was number one priority until I figured out how dangerous this guy is. If he's just some homeless mutt I'd rather get him to calmly leave.

No need for Navi then.

I'd become more observant since the intruder incident and had noticed a few mutts hanging around the house. They looked up at the windows sometimes but never got close enough to get a good look at.

I ran my fingers through my hair. It had been days since I found the broken window and I could still feel the cold chill on my spine. It was like a looming cloud.

I'd found myself several times running a hand over the door. I'd once gotten my hand to close around the door knob but then Navi screamed at me from downstairs and I abandoned the thought.

If I could only get one look.

I sat at one of the tables in the west ballroom. I had the table to myself since Navi and Ty were both avoiding me like the plague. Dawn was a neutral participant. She listened to us rant about each other but never chose a side. If she did have to choose, Navi would most likely frighten her into joining her rebellion against me. Then I'd have no one I thought to myself.

Dawn walked by the glass doors that led out into the backyard. She'd been pacing as if she was guarding that area.

We caught each other's eyes and I quickly looked away. It was hard enough looking at her when she didn't look so pathetic.

Navi was scribbling something down on paper at a table across the room while Ty stood watching her over her shoulder.

He leaned down and whispered something in her ear which she shrugged to. I glanced down at my own sheet of notebook paper. This was how we were to entertain ourselves.

Matthew had stopped by when I was asleep so I'd missed him a second time. I'd have to stay awake hoping to catch him before Navi.

He'd left us some paper and pencils, also food and some books from the days before the virus.

Dawn had started a book by Jules Vern. It had something to do with the center of the earth I think.

Ty had taken to a book called Tom Sawyer and had finished it in almost a night.

I smiled when he closed the cover, leaned back in his chair and sighed loudly. Navi didn't appreciate it but I thought it was funny. Even though we were basically pitted against each other I still thought the little quirky things about him were cute.

He'd always liked reading manuals and studying human behaviors when we were back in the labs. He actually breathed for that kind of thing. I couldn't ever get into the manuals or books that were available. They were either just too boring or too cliché, but Ty got so engrossed into them every time.

I did have to read manuals, blue prints and strategy maps for class but beyond that for recreation time I had no interest.

A hand touched my shoulder and I looked up. Looking down at me, Ty said "We need to talk."

I blinked. I was shocked he actually spoke to me.

"Okay," I finally said. "Talk."

"Not here. Let's go for a walk."

I pushed up from my chair and followed him down the hallway. I looked back at Navi who was still attacking the paper with pen. She never looked up as we walked out the door and into the front yard.