Crissa's Mate

Chapter Seventy-Five

"What?"

"The car keys, Mom! Leave them on the table."

"Oh. Alright. I'll tell your father."

"Have a great trip . . . take a lot of pictures. But got to get to class now!"

"We had another crazy night with the wolves out here. Guess you heard."

"No mom . . . How so?"

"They were just going crazy! So many of them. Something really seemed to set them off. All night long. It was strange!"

"Yeah, well . . . I don't have time for . . . for wolves right now, Mom. So see ya. OK? Have a good trip!"

With this, Crissa closed her phone and quickly went into the bedroom to see David's progress. He was fortunately starting to show positive signs of recovery—wanting to sit up and mumbling quietly to himself. She backed up quietly and went into the living room. There she could see that Julie was still in a fairly deep state of unconsciousness, lying on her back with the blanket not quite covering her nakedness.

As Crissa came closer and leaned over to adjust the cover over the girl's body, she suddenly opened her eyes. She looked at Crissa blankly and her cold stare was terrifying. It showed no emotion. No recognition but seemed to follow Crissa's nervous movements back to a safer distance.

"Julie?" Crissa asked softly.

There was no response. Just the continual stare. It was if Julie was trying to put together who, what, Crissa was to her.

As she walked away and back into the bedroom, Crissa saw David now sitting on the bed with his head in his hands. She watched as he gingerly touch the wounds still deep and significant on his forearms. Then he ran a finger exploringly along the narrow gash to his nose.

"David?"

He brushed his long, dark hair back out of his eyes while she waited nervously for his recognition of her.

Slowly he looked up in her direction and a faint smile came over his boyish face. He ran his fingers again through his hair then smiled more fulsomely.

"Come over here, lover," he said in warm, weak voice.

Crissa walked then ran to him. She embraced him with all her might.

"God, David!"

"Guess, I'm back, huh?"

"Yes. You really are!"

"I had a few . . . scraps I can see," he said, again looking at his injured arms."

"Yeah. A few. We'll get those tended to, don't worry. I'm just so glad you're here . . . all of you, my love."

"David, seeing he was naked, took the comment self-consciously and covered himself more carefully.

"Don't worry, you're beautiful," she said with lightness to her voice.

"Ok. Well my memories are slow . . . but their coming back. I mean . . . about the wolf stuff."

"Don't try to remember any of that now, David. I'll tell you all I know when you're . . ."

"Hey, did Julie make it back?

Crissa's light voice quickly disappeared

Yes. She's in the other room. Recovering."

"God, Crissa. She was such a pain!"

"I know . . . For both of us."

" Crissa? . . . About that . . . Well, I didn't. I want you to know that. I didn't give in . . . or pursue to her."

Crissa hugged him again and began to cry. His comment seemed to release a floodgate of emotions.

"I knew you wouldn't, David," she answered, trying to dry her eyes with the back of her hand. "Our love is strong. We both showed that."

"I remember all of it. Well now. We never even got close."

"I totally believe you," she said, standing up. "But we must now get you cleaned up, into those extra clothes, and back to your place. While I make sure that Julie . . ."

Just then, a loud scream emanated from the living room and Crissa turned and ran to investigate. As she entered, David was quickly at her side with the blanket around him.

They found Julie walking around in the dim room, naked, and still trans-like. She seemed to be interested only in going outside. Crissa and David guided her away from the door and back to the blanket on the floor. While she sat, Crissa covered her shoulders with the blanket and hid as much of her bare body as she could—in preparation for the girl's modesty and all else human about her to return.

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