Silver Soul

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Hatchling One, Egg Two

             That night I took out the stone and studied it with extreme caution, trying to find the source of the jolt. I finally decided that it was from some creature that was hiding under the rock, when I went to pick it up from the creek bed that had stung me. What amazed me the most was there was no mark anywhere on my skin, neither fresh nor scared. I shrugged my shoulders giving up on the problem for the night; I turned the light out and went to bed with Cora by me all the time. I awoke that morning to see Cora standing over me as always. I knew this morning I wouldn’t be late for the bus because it was still kind of dark outside the house. I got ready as slowly as I could because I had a test today that I didn’t want to take as numbers were my worst subject of them all. I walked out the door, down the drive, and wait for our new driver and the bus. Cora waits with me as she always does when I’m alone or with Vivian. You see as it turns out Vivian lives quite close to me actually she’s probably my closest neighbor within five miles at the least.

              By this time in the school year Vivian, Cora, and I have become quite popular when we get off the bus in the mornings. People are always waiting there when we get off the bus, but not so many as that very first day with Cora. I stopped trying to ignore them since they’re always there some of them have introduced themselves but none ever talk to me after that. Vivian was the only one to continue to talk to me every day. She was my only human friend. Maybe even my best friend if I don’t count Cora. Vivian and I waded through the crowds of people until we got to open air then we walked arm in arm to out spot behind the gym. Today Cora was waiting for us there when usually she flies above us until we got to our spot. When we reached her, Cora totally ignored us and continued to stare at something around the next corner of the gym. I walked over and looked over to see a boy with brown hair and blue eyes standing there just staring at Cora with wide-eyed terror that was rather evident. I called Cora up to my shoulder, and obedient as ever she did. I could see that this boy was slowly going into shock at having been so close to a ruthless killer. I asked him if he needed something, but he didn’t answer. I waved my hand trying to get his attention.

“Oh……..hi,” he said looking rather like a startled deer at the moment.

“What are you doing?” I asked as calmly as possible. No one ever comes around this side of the gym at all.

“Um, I was just walking up from behind my house when I saw this bird just sitting here and it was just watching me and doing absolutely nothing else. I thought it was going to attack me. Thanks for coming to get it. My name’s Felix. Sorry if I bothered you,” he said.

             I shrugged and said no bother. His eyes went all wide in amassment. It was apparent that he expected something terrible to happen to him for daring to come into my territory. But I wasn’t that kind of person, especially to someone who obviously was easily frightened. He said that he heard that a Merciless Raptor was following you, but not that it was actually mine. I said that nobody was close to me except Vivian so no one else could have the true facts. The bell rang just then and with Felix following us we went inside. As we went inside Cora took off to do whatever it was that she did while we were at school. That was one of the only times I had spoken more than a sentence to anyone, but Vivian, Mom, and Cora. School was okay, but I noticed that we had a prominent shadow that was seemingly followed us through the school as well as the entire day. I only started to notice Felix as we went from class to class. I think Vivian noticed him too but didn’t say anything. The next day when Felix came from around the school past our spot, Vivian invited him to take a seat next to us on the wall.

            Felix sat on my other side, even though Vivian had invited him. That was the first time I’d ever invited anybody to sit with me. I know that Vivian actually did the talking, but it was like we had a connection and she too had a good feeling about this one. We didn’t talk but just sat, and I hoped that Cora was as right about Felix as she was about Vivian. Throughout the week I soon realized that she was right about both of them. I still studied the stone at home but it wasn’t any different than the others but something told me to keep hold of it instead of just tossing it back into the creek where I had first made contact with this strange stone. I usually waded in the creek after school by myself wondering what kind of creature might have shocked me so. I came home after wading in the creek with Vivian and Mom was already home cooking dinner. She asked how my day was and I told her fine.