When You Wish Upon a Borrower

Chapter 4

(EnderShadeMCs as le writer)

A sullen nine year old marched through the door, slamming it behind him with his free hand, his other hand in a loose fist. His parents looked up in surprise as he dropped his backpack to the side, glaring at them both. His mother stood up first, running over to him and crouching down to his eye level.

"What's wrong Tyler?" She fretted. "Are you hurt? I smell blood." Trembling, the small child opened his fist, revealing a still figure in the center of his palm.

"Did you catch your first Borrower?" His dad asked in an impressed tone. The kid looked up from the tiny limp body, his eyes filled with sadness and disgust.

"... Th-they were poking it with a stick," He whimpered. "Th-they wouldn't leave it alone. I-it didn't do anything wrong, it wasn't annoying them... wh-why..." His mother frowned in understanding, taking the still Borrower out of her son's hands and setting it on the end table behind her, hugging him. "Wh-why did they torture her!?" He wailed. "She had a name, she had a conscience! A-and she had a life...." He cried into his mom's shoulder for a few minutes, unable to produce anymore words and only small whines. "Why are we so mean to them?" He whispered. His mother hugged him tighter.

"... Because we eat them." Ty felt his heart quicken its pace.

"... we... e-eat them?" He echoed in disbelief.

"I know it's a lot to take in, but yes, that's what our kind is meant to do." He pulled away from her, anger flaring in his eyes.

"N-no! I won't! I'm never eating a borrower!" He shouted, picking up the borrower's still body before running up the stairs, ignoring his mother's exclamation of, "Tyler!" and locking himself in his room. He leaned against the door for a few minutes, staring down at the little cold body in his hands before sniffling and starting to shake, and he slowly slid to the floor with his knees, sobbing as he hugged the Borrower. It wasn't fair! It wasn't right!

Ty's eyes flew open, and he sat up with a gasp, taking in deep fast breaths as he woke. He sighed, covering his face with his hands for a minute before his pulse finally slowed, and he slowly laid back, resting his head against the pillows before looking over to check on Adam at his usual sleeping spot on his desk. He wasn't there.

He sat up again, glancing around for his tiny friend when he heard him mumble beside him, "Nn... Five more minutes..." He stiffened a little when he felt something press against his flank, then relaxed as he looked down, seeing the Borrower nestled comfortably against him. He rolled his eyes in humor and gently pried him away from him, feeling him squirm in his grip until he set him down closer to him. He smiled a little as the borrower let out a content sigh while Ty laid down, closing his eyes peacefully. He laid there for a few minutes when he felt his stomach growl, and he let out an exasperated sigh. It was difficult around this time of year, he knew pretty soon that he'd slowly slip into a deep sleep that would last until February, but then who'd take care of Adam? He knew his small friend would refuse to be treated like a prey would usually be at this time of year, and he also knew he'd surely get his nose into a lot of trouble.

He started in surprise when Adam suddenly scooted over to him, gripping Ty's shirt and curling up against him. He relaxed, shifting his hand to hug the little Borrower to his chest, hearing him sigh peacefully. He let out a soft giggle-like laugh, the sensations his friend was giving him as he shifted against him sleepily was crediting him with a giddiness, an odd pleasure. It made him want to never let the borrower out of his sight. Ever.

He gently ruffled Adam's hair, glancing down at his peaceful expression as he slept in his arms. He never did like the cruelty predators were to Borrowers, but now he was certain of his beliefs. They were innocent, before predators started hunting them, and now they had adapted to be afraid, afraid of... Well, everything. Even if Adam was his friend in an alternate universe, he already felt a connection to him, like they were destined to be best friends, or as if they already knew each other subconsciously...

Sighing inwardly, he closed his eyes, hugging his friend as he slipped back into sleep, dozing in the afternoon sunlight that shone through his window, warm despite the cold temperature outside.

It was almost winter. He only had so many more days before he could find a way to keep Adam safe in a proper way and not... Vulgar-like. Maybe a meteor shower would show up again, and Adam could go back home, far away from this deadly universe, or maybe Ty could find a way to stay awake. He needed to find something somehow, but he knew one thing for sure though.

He cared about his friend.