Asylum

Starving Dogs

Ren Walker

After restoring energy, I didn't feel different. Well, I was a little tired, but I'm pretty sure I was a little tired to begin with. Sarah said she was going to wake the others and Kya said she'd get food. I asked if she knew how. Her answer was no, so she's tagging along with me, unfortunately.

"So," she says, footsteps light on the grass. She's in my blind spot, which makes me uncomfortable. "Excited to go home?"

"No," I answer.

"Why not?" she pesters. I can almost feel her face morph into some calming, caring expression – which irritates me because my home life was everything but.

"Because." My eyes scour the forest for any signs of life. Maybe a squirrel or a rabbit for food? But they also search for the starving dogs. They must've caught our scent by now. How many are there?

Kya sighs. "Maybe if you opened up a little, we might actually find something we have in common rather than fight all the time. You haven't even given me a chance."

The only thing we have in common as far as I know of, is that we both hurt our families. What a great bonding subject!

A memory hits me; a quick one that I would've logically forgotten. Come on, Ren, a high voice of a puberty-hitting teenager coos. Give Dad a chance. He means well...I think.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I grit my teeth and shove the memory out of my head. My ears feel hot with anger and my heart stings with pain. If a similar phrase can revert me to the memories I have two years ago, I wonder what actually being at home will do to me. I have to get out of here. Why didn't I last night?

"Ren?" Kya questions. "You're literally radiating heat and I'm a foot away from you. I'd ask if you were okay, but I doubt you'd answer."

Oh, yeah. I didn't escape because Kya's supposed to help me somehow. I'm pretty sure she's supposed to get rid of my visions, but I can't be positive. Whatever it is: it better be worth it. "Kya, can you keep it down? You're scaring off game."

She snorts. "What game?"

Grunting, I whirl around and yell. "The game that we'd be eating by now if you didn't talk so much." Kya's taken aback, mild shock on her smooth face. Sighing, I roll my eyes. "Great, now I'm the bad guy." She doesn't answer, but looks everywhere except for at me: the trees, the ground, the sky. It's as if she's thinking, this guy's nuts. "Look: no matter what commonalities we may or may not have, it won't change our energies. They influence our nature to the point that there's no point in being BFF's, Kya. We can only hope for acquaintances."

Disgusted, Kya sighs. "This whole, 'sun versus the moon' thing is kind of ridiculous, Ren. It's all in your head. We could be friends if you let it happen."

"Well I don't want it to happen," I bite. If I had fangs, they'd be coming out and my eyes would start glowing red. "I didn't get trapped in Asylum to make friends. I don't want any. So back it up, midnight."

Kya frowns and looks away, sadness engulfing her soft features. What I said was true and in the moment, I'm glad I snapped at her. Maybe now she'll leave me alone and drop the idea of us braiding each other's hair or whatever. But when I continue my trek with a silent Kya behind me, I feel a little bad. It annoys me that what I said hurt her – for someone who is so accepting of people, she should really just accept my desire for space. But I didn't think it would bother her that much.

I push a branch out of my way and hold it back for Kya, who doesn't look at me or even say thank you. She passes me and starts to lead the way. I search for movement, and I swear I see the flicker of a shadow dart between trees. "Huh?" I sound, scrutinizing the area.