Abducted

20

California brushed herself off, heading out of the plane. She'd left the cabin with the men, and was now in her home state- in California. She'd managed the fare through a favor- she knew one of the pilots was descended from someone born in the valley, and he'd accepted her first class.

It seemed fair, since mother had paid for his college.

She would be traveling back to Ohio soon. That was something she knew. But now, it was time to go to her personal 'home'.

She waved a taxi, since she didn't have a phone to call an Uber, watching as the airport scenery turned into shops, and later, homes. He pulled up to a big gate, emblems of large fish edging the top of it in cold iron.

"I can walk from here," she said, fishing out 60$ from her pocket and handing it to him. He took it graciously, eyeing the large gate as if it would kill him as she got out. She had no bags. Just the clothes on her back.

She opened the gate as he drove away.

They creaked to life as the code was put in, and she walked into them. She made sure they closed completely before she started walking down the paved road. She was surrounded by dark, green trees. Some held moss, others were molding, the forest taking them back.

After a quarter-mile of walking, she came to the house. Something adjacent to a church rested to its right, although god was not what it hailed too. She ignored the Priory for now.

The house was in good shape, though it needed a new coat of paint. She walked up the stairs to the deck, before knocking on the dark red door.

Tongva opened it, seeming to be irritated. She smiled when she saw him, wrapping her arms around him. Tongva didn't seem to be very awake, looking down at her confused before wrapping his arms around her.

"California," he said, "you never said you were coming."

No language came from his tongue besides his own, so it took her mind a second to process what he had said.

"Sorry," she replied, "I was in a bit of a pickle."

"Oh, dear," Toypurina, the Kizh tribe, said. She walked up to her, placing a hand on her cheek, "are you okay? Tell me everything, my darling."

California nodded, starting to recount her tale. The two tribes looked at her with fear, and she knew they felt her pain. A firm hand grabbed onto her shoulder, and she looked up to see Semu. They were listening as well.

"That's horrible," Toypurina said, shaking her head, "I'm glad you're here now."

"I'm glad that didn't happen to us," Tongva said, and she smacked him against the chest.

Semu continued to look at her, before sitting down beside her. They looked at her as if they were trying to deconstruct everything going on in her mind, like the thoughtful pibling they were. She looked to them, daring to let the fear she had felt, the desperation, into her gaze.

They looked away from her, seeming to be angry with what they saw. With a brush of their skirt, the Chumash tribe was out of the room.

The other's eyes followed them, before they looked at her.

"Are you really okay?" her aunt asked, walking across the room. A hand reached out to touch her cheek, and California's eyes started to sting with tears. It was so simple. Why was this bringing her to tears? It was only contact. This should not have so much-

She curled into Toypurina, sobbing. Her chest heaved and her throat clenched, and she did not stop crying. Toypurina waved to Tongva, beckoning him to call the mansion, and he nodded, walking over to the kitchen to get the landline.