King of Creatures

Chapter 3

Amari dropped off Buster to a very confused Gladys, who had said that nobody even came in or out of the pet shop, so how Buster found a way out was odd. Amari agreed but didn't stay to try and figure out a reason why or how the cat had escaped. Instead, he told Gladys that he'd be back later and headed home.

"So, how'd it go?" Devon asked once Amari entered the apartment. He was sitting at the "dining table," which was just a plastic box with two metal folding chairs. Amari shrugged and collapsed on the couch, flipping, and twisting around until his feet on dangling over the back of the couch.

"Bizarre." Amari said with a sigh. "They wanted me to go with them to train. Apparently, my birthday isn't even my birthday and all this other weird stuff. Like how I'm supposed too be this guide or something."

"Sounds interesting." Devon said nodding. "Maybe you should do it."

"What? No way. Besides, I've already got plans. I'm moving remember? Getting off the couch." Amari said pulling at a loose string on his shirt.

"Did you pay the deposit yet?"

"No. She said that can just be for first month's rent."

"Then I think you should go. With the people I mean. Adventure and stuff man."

Amari sat up to look at his friend. Devon was known to be a "go with the flow try new things" type of person, a bit impulsive and whatnot, but this just seemed crazy. "Dude, I don't even know how long this quest is going to be. What if I get evicted?"

"Dude, all you did was sign the lease, no deposit, your stuff ain't moved in. Besides, prophecies rarely get made anymore. Just dumb ones about marriage and whether or not you'll succeed. Eight ball stuff."

Amari shrugged and laid back down, unsure of what he really wanted to do now. "This old guy, Nixus, he said that I was supposed to see some sorta path or something on my eighteenth birthday. And the girl – the one from last night, she said that I was supposed to guide them. To defeat some 'big bad' or whatever."

"Then you should definitely go; and get that girls number for me." Devon said standing up. "I'mma go get coffee, you want anything?"

"Nah, I'm okay." Devon nodded before giving Amari a reassuring pat on his shoe and leaving.

Amari let out another long, deep sigh. Unsure what to do. His stomach was up in knots, his heart was hammering, and he was beginning to feel clammy. Finally, he decided a good nap until work would be good for now.

He arrived to work a bit earlier than usual, not that Gladys had minded. He gave Buster a pat on the head before signing into the register. After a few minutes of biting his lip and tapping his nails on the counter, he decided to call Ms. Markle.

"Hello?"

"H-hi. Um, this is Amari?" Amari felt his mouth go dry as his stomach did front flips. He couldn't believe what he was doing. "Yeah um, I'd just like to apologize, I-I won't be able to rent from you I'm sorry."

"Well, that's quite unfortunate. Is there any reason why?" Ms. Markle asked, clearly annoyed at this boy who waisted her time.

"No, I um...just found another place. I-I'm sorry."

"That's alright but I will have to send you an email, to pay a seventy-five-dollar cancellation fee."

Amari agreed and gave her his email before hanging up. He felt sick.

"Cancellation fee? Why would an apartment building need a cancellation fee? Not like it's the internet or something." Aoshanay said walking in, Max trailing behind her.

Amari looked at her sullenly as Aoshanay shot him a bright smile. "I'm so glad you've made your decision! I already knew you would cause of fate and all that." She said happily, adjusting her sunglasses but not taking them off.

"I'll have to give my job a two-week notice." Amari said, already regretting his choices.

"For what?" Aoshanay asked, her mouth turned into a slight frown. The parakeets began making noise as Max began whistling at them.

"Um, because this job is important." Amari said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "This job is important to me, okay? Besides the owners and nice and it would be messed up to just leave abruptly."

"Eh, we'll leave them a note. Hi pretty." Aoshanay said, turning to a cage of mice. Buster hopped down from his scratching post from the door.

"Leave a note?" Amari questioned, Buster hopping onto the counter, which was pretty impressive considering his size. "I can't just leave a note."

"Sure, you can. You're apart of a prophecy, technically, they can't stop you. Its interrupting fate or whatever." She began to give Buster scratches, who flopped on his stomach.

Amari let out a sigh and looked at the cat who seemed to say, "Don't worry about its kid, besides, I'll be with you the whole time." Amari nodded and pat him on the head.

"So, when?" He asked finally.

"Tomorrow. At twelve. Penelope will swing by and pick you up. We'll just need you address." Aoshanay answered taking out a piece of paper from her skirt pocket.

"Oh no, please anyone but her." Amari said, he strongly disliked Penelope, even if he barely knew her, she just seemed to do too much in such little time.

"Oh, well, I'm busy with healers' classes and Nixus is teaching the littles tomorrow I think..." Aoshanay said straightening up.

"Or you give me the address and I can bike there." Amari suggested.

"I can take you. I can probably fit your bike into my truck." Max said walking up to the counter.

"Oh, that works! Here, write down your address here. And don't forget to pack some clothes. Not a suitcase, maybe just a small bag. A bookbag. But not one of those clear ones, those ones suck." Aoshanay said excitedly sliding the paper over towards Amari. With another sigh, Amari grabbed a pin, and wrote down his friend's address.

"I wont regret this right?" He asked handing the paper to Max. Max and Aoshanay exchanged a look. "Right?"

"You shouldn't!" Aoshanay said reassuringly. Max just nodded at the ground before they made their exit.

"I hope I don't regret it." Amari said to himself, already regretting every other choice he had made that day.