Falling

1 - Unexpected

"You can't beat me!"

Kazelle Casky let out a laugh, quickly clutching the bark of the tree with her fingers. She reached out her hand to grab the branch, swinging onto it. She stretched her arms up to another branch. She pulled herself up. She clenched her teeth, looking up. She was being so slow. Raubea seemed like a squirrel. He had taken no more than forty-three seconds to get that high.

If the Guiness World Records people saw it, they would put it in their book. Kazelle wanted to do a World Record, but she didn't have any impressive skills like the Kitsunes. The Kitsunes each had a unique talent, and there was a reason that Kazelle wasn't in the group. Most of her class were in the group. Any that weren't just didn't want to or they had their own group. Kazelle was the only kid in her school who didn't have any special talents; she couldn't join the Kitsunes because of it!

"Hey! Why are you waiting?"

Kazelle jumped, nearly falling off the tree. She was friends with Raubea, but he sometimes annoyed her. But she liked how he thought that she was unique by having no special skills at all. She shook herself, continuing to climb. Eventually she gave up. She had gone no more than three meters high up. She carefully slid down, the bark tugging satisfyingly at her clothes and skin.

Raubea came down from his twelve-meter point too, clutching to the bark, but speeding. He lept up into the air and landed perfectly. Kazelle had always wondered how he had lept and not hurt himself when he was like six meters up. Kazelle had tried before, ending up breaking her jaw and her right leg. Since then, her mother said Raubea was a "bad influence", and that she shouldn't be friends with him. But he was her only friend, and Mrs. Casky didn't want her to be alone at school.

"Hey, Kazelle?" Raubea said. "It's nearly in-time. Less time for the bullies to torture us!"

Kazelle nodded. "But more schoolwork. Bo-ring! Can't the teachers let us do something fun for once?"

As the bell rang, Raubea shook his head. They followed the other screaming kids to their class.

"Kazelle," Raubea continued. "You don't even have any impressive skills! Everyone would beat you in games! I'm sure no one wants you to experience that."

She narrowed her eyes. "I can draw. Very good. I can make up good stories. I even know how to code!"

"Do you really think anyone but you want to play writing, drawing and coding games?"

"I do!"

"Do you have any other ideas in mind?"

Kazelle realised he was right. Not everyone likes the same things.

"Now you understand?" Raubea asked.

"I guess so."

"Then lets get to class." He replied grabbing a book from his locker.

Kazelle followed Raubea to class, thinking of the boring day ahead. She would finish school and then go home. Then she would do her homework, which would drone through the day until 8:34. She sat in her seat, her eyes wandering to the window. A sparrow landed on the the windowsill. She realised it was Eri. She recognized him because he had an unusual white back and a puffy tuft on his head, like a mohawk. She had seen him when she had started school, and he had been coming back ever since. It was the same every school day. After first break, he would land on the windowsill until second break. She felt she had a special connection to him. He also led her to thinking of things. She felt like Eri could speak to her, in some secret language that only she and Eri knew and translated.

Hello, Kazelle. Eri greeted her. Anything new?

Kazelle shook her head. Not much. Just another school day.

Well, Eri replied. I think there might be someone in your garden coming to see you.

Really? Who is it?

It's a surprise.

Kazelle nodded to her friend. Soon she would see who he was talking about.

Rushing out of the school, Kazelle shifted her feet impatiently. What was taking her dad so long? Finally, a dark red car pulled up at the school. The door opened and her dad waved to her. Kazelle darted to the car, sitting in her seat with her bag next to her. Clicking on her seatbelt, she watched as her dad started the car. Years seemed to pass before the were home. Kazelle opened the door, dropping her bag and rushing back outside. Then she stopped. Who would want to meet her? And why? She ran to her back garden, expecting to see someone there. Nothing. Kazelle waited for a few seconds. Then there was a blast of colour. Confetti. And her family!

"Happy Birthday!"

Kazelle felt exited. Was this what Eri meant?

Happy Birthday, Kazelle.

Thanks, Eri, She replied to him.

"Happy Birthday to you!" Her mom sang happily.

Kazelle lept up and down in joy. Her Birthday! She gladly accepted the cards from her mother, father, grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. She didn't think much about the money exept that it was a gift from her family. She liked what the cards seem to say to her. Her presents were next. Tearing apart the wrapping paper, she discovered a new sequel of Howl And Screech, a new video game called Runaway, a guide to making your own restaraunt and a few other things.

"There's a sequel to Howl And Screech?!" She gasped. "And I've always wanted Runaway! And did you find that menu I was making, because I never told you I planned on making a restaraunt! Oh, this cat plushie is so adorable! And this YouTuber set is fantastic! I can't name all of the other amazing gifts you gave me! Thank you, oh, thank you!"

"No need for thanks." Her grandma chuckled. "Your cousins picked out the gifts, but paid with each person's money! So that means, they used their money on their presents for you. But then, they picked out the gifts! Ah, children!"

Kazelle smiled. She liked Grandma, even though she was old. Old means wise. Wise means knowing a lot of things. Somtimes those things confused her. She watched as her Mom brought out the cake. Kazelle sighed, not wanting it to be over.

Kazelle tucked herself under the covers. The delicious taste of cake was still on her tongue, even after brushing her teeth. As she thought about what happened that day and about her party that would come on Sunday, she heard hissing and tapping. Rain. And thunder. She got up and looked through the window. A storm. She was about to get back under the duvet when she saw something. Looking closer, she saw a box. That wasn't there before she went upstairs! The box looked ripped and wet, and there was something moving inside it. Then she realised.

Leaping out of bed and putting on everyday trousers and a bathrobe, she rushed downstairs. Kazelle flung on her jacket and boots, pulled up the zipper and ran outside. Heading for the back garden, she spotted the box. Carefully, she opened the box, taking a look. Inside was something she hadn't expected to appear in her garden.

Inside was a small, soaked, helpless kitten.

Not bothering to worry about wet clothes, she made a makeshift bed for the kitten out of the bathrobe and put him in it. Carrying him into the house, she hoped he would be warm for now. She closed the door and took off her jacket and boots. She ran upstairs and went to the bathroom. Grabbing a towel, she raced to her bedroom and wrapped the kitten in it. Gently, she rubbed him a bit with it. She remembered mother cats licked their kittens the wrong way to warm them up.

She started petting the kitten from his tail to his head, drying her hands when they got wet. Then, bone-tired, she put the towel-wrapped kitten in her old toy cot and covered him in blankets. She walked to her bed and fell asleep before her head hit the pillow. But she knew one thing.

She had saved and kept a kitten.