Cassie
"Jack what are we going to do!" I cried.
"You're going to calm down, for one. Then, you're going to tie me up in the yard like you're supposed to. I can handle three weeks on a chain."
"It's inhumane!"
"I'm not a human Cassie."
"I don't care!" It's not common for me to yell. I suppose Jack and I are similar in that way. He very rarely barks. Generally, a growl is enough and I don't talk to people very much (beyond polite conversation with some adults). So really, who am I going to yell at?
"So, you talk to your dog. Is that your big secret?" I heard Greg's voice and turned around. Why was he in my cabin? "Don't worry, I'm not stalking you. I'm in your cabin because it's the one assigned to me. Looks like I'll be your roomie for the next three weeks."
How does he do that? It's like he's reading my mind or something. I wiped the tears away and pushed my sunglasses back on my face. I hated wearing them, but people seemed less freaked out with them on. Something about sightless eyes staring at nothing.
After all, how can the eyes be the windows to the soul, if they remain shuttered?
"I heard about a yogi mystic in India who could talk to animals. Seems like a much cooler superpower than 'stepping over logs and picking up litter echolocation.' So, does Jack speak English or do you just understand Dog?"
What was that in his voice? I could hear his smile. That cocky, smirk broadcasting that he knows something I don't. Something humorous, apparently.
I frowned. "My room is on the left, you can take whichever of the other two. I just need to go tie Jack up."
I really didn't know how I was going to cope without him. I hadn't been anywhere without Jack in over three years. The longest we'd ever been apart was when I took that really long bath back in February. Why didn't I have the good sense to buy one of those stupid harnesses and just keep it on him!
Probably for the same reason why you don't want to tie him up.
What in the-
Was that Greg's voice? In my head... Greg?
I only received a sharp shooting pain through my temples as a response. For just the briefest moment, I felt an emotion that was not my own. Curious.
No I must be imagining it.
I apologised to Jack again and kissed him on his forehead. He brushed it off like it was nothing and I went back inside, albeit with more stumbles than usual.
My memory was excellent, but Jack had always filled in the blanks, given specifics. And with my mind elsewhere, I tripped on the hallway runner. Who puts a rug in a handicap building? I swore under my breath.
"Cassie?"
"What?" I snapped at him.
"Do you need any help?"
"NO!" I yelled.
I do not need help! I'm fully capable of walking in a room that was built specifically for people like me.
As I was screaming in my own head, I walked straight into my bedroom door. Wait? Didn't I leave that open?
"Oh shit Cassie! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." I spat out through gritted teeth.
"I closed the door when I put your duffle in your room. You kinda ran off without-" He paused, and I felt his fingertip touch my forehead. "You're bleeding."
"I'm fine."
"Do you have a bathroom in there?"
"In my room? Yeah. Why?"
"Come with me."
He took my hand and opened the door to my room. Greg dragged me into the bathroom and lifted me up onto the countertop. I heard him rummaging around in the drawers and cabinets and he finally spoke up.
"I'm not going to lie. This is going to hurt you more than me." And I felt a sharp stinging on my forehead. I cringed, but before I could even say "ow" he was standing between my legs. He blew lightly on the cut and bandaged it after a moment. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"
"I don't think so."
"Would you tell me if you were?"
"No."
"I could make you tell me." I felt his hands slide up my legs, then to my hips, and up to my waist. His hands kept trailing, teasing but lazy and not nearly as thorough as I might have wished for (but certainly wouldn't vocalize).
"Greg- what are you doing?"
"If you won't tell me what's wrong, I'll have to find out myself." I felt his breath in my ear. It tickled and was, oddly, very intense. I couldn't focus on his hands with his face so close to mine. I didn't dare move. Everything about this boy was intense and I was beginning to accept that as fact. I finally refocused, as his hands made their way to my face, and he removed my sunglasses. "You have the most amazing eyes I've ever seen."
"They're just blue." I breathed, finally. How is it that I've had more real human contact in these last three hours than in the last three years?
"Just blue." He scoffed. "That's like saying the ocean is 'just water.' You captivated me as soon as I saw you."
"Are you sure you're not the blind one?" I tried to laugh it off, but everything about this encounter was making me uncomfortable.
This boy comes out of no where, treating me like I'm worth... something. He didn't call me a freak when he caught me having a conversation with Jack. He shared his music with me and expressed concern over a stupid little cut. It all added up to a terrifying conclusion-
"Cassandra I think you're the one I'm looking for."
And there it is. The boy is nuts.
"You haven't even known me for half a day. That's just ridiculous."
"That's not what I mean, but you might be right about that too." He chuckled as he picked me back up and set me down on my feet. "I put your duffle at the end of your bed so you wouldn't trip over it."
"Um, thanks." What on earth did he mean? Was he looking for someone for some specific purpose? Something nefarious? (Oh, good use of SAT Vocab Cassie!) He said himself that he was covered in tattoos. Aren't tattooed guys usually trouble?
Then his presence was gone and I felt utterly alone for the first time in a very long time. The air around me seemed stagnant, dead. It was as though I were surrounded by a void. Is this what the other kids felt when they were around me? Is that why they hate me? I had never really given it much thought before, but that nothingness was familiar. Like I could walk into a room and suck the light out of it. It was as if darkness were the true state of my being, of everything.
Feeling disturbed by my own train of thought, I reached down to pet Jack. Oh, that's right, he isn't there.
I took a deep breath and shook off the loneliness. Jack was only a few dozen feet away. It's no big deal. It's not like I'll die without him. Right? I went into my bedroom and rummaged through my backpack looking for my phone. I found it and spoke into it, activating the voice command feature.
"Call Mom's Work."
I waited for someone to answer. "Campbell County General Hospital, how may I direct your call?"
"Hi, this is Cassie Black, is Doctor Black in surgery?"
"Let me check in with the nurses station, please hold." I heard the telltale click and too loud elevator music started to play. I held the phone away from my ear and waited for her to come back. "Doctor Black is available, I'll patch you though."
"Thank you."
"Doctor Black speaking."
"Mom, it's just me."
"Is everything okay?"
"No." I'm not going to cry. "They won't let me have Jack."
"I know sweetie. They called me about an hour ago, but then we had an emergency. 6 year old girl with a severe asthma attack: we almost lost her. I couldn't call you and let you know."
"She's okay though?"
"She's resting comfortably now. I've got a great team." She raised her voice. My mom always made sure the people around her knew she appreciated them. It's one of the reasons why she has the lowest turnover rates of ER staff in the state. "As for you, your white stick is already in your duffle. I put it in last night and there's money in your backpack if you want to get something to make Jack more comfortable. I'll send for the registration kit when I get home, but he won't be verified for 5-10 business days. I'll make sure it's a soft leash and not the harness."
"Thank you Mom."
"That still means, he won't be able to be off-leash for a while. Maybe not even during camp if the kit takes a long time to get to me."
-Doctor Black please come to the nurse's station-
"Sweetie, I have to go."
"Yeah, I heard."
"I'll call you after my shift. Love you."
"Me too." I hung up and flopped down on my bed. It's only a couple of weeks.
-
Author's Note-
What would you do if you lost your best friend? I know I would be devastated.
I'm dedicating this chapter to jamesblue01 who was the first person to comment on this story. Thank you so much for voting and commenting!
To everyone else reading, please don't be a silent reader. Your votes and comments mean the world to me!
- Allyse