Forever Haunted | ✔

Chapter 5: The Dog and a Story

Chapter 5: The Dog and a Story

Dedicated to VinnieDeJesu for voting, reading, commenting, and giving me good advice on writing and just generally being nice and awesome! YOU ROCK GIRL! :):):):):)

"Ready?" asked Jean.

The Professor had left them at a beach where Cerebro had last picked up this strange new mutant. He had then gone off to the apartment of the mutant to talk to her parents.

"Of course," said Sariah. "Now, tell me, is my shoulder completely covered? Because I don't want that girl to see my shoulder and think that this place we wanna take her to is dangerous."

"You look fine," said Jean. "Now, c'mon. The Prof says we'll find her around here." Jean gestured towards the beach with a "Dogs Welcome" sign.

"What's her name?" asked Sariah.

"The Prof says it is Claudia Heathe." 

Sariah got a strange look on her face as Jean scanned the beach.

"Do you really think she'll be here? I mean, it's 8:30; it's too cold to swim."

"I don't think she came here to swim."

"Do you know what she looks like?"

"Black hair, green eyes. About your height."

"Got it."

Sariah and Jean split up.

"Claudia!" called Sariah. "Where are you?"

Sariah found herself calling, looking, and then staring at the ocean a bit before looking again.

Meanwhile, Jean was having so success. No sign of the girl could be seen.

"Claudia!" she called to no avail.

Meanwhile, a stray looking dog let out a low growl as Sariah walked past. She stopped dead in her tracks.

"That's no dog," said Sariah quietly.

She knew the dog was frightened, trying to get away. And Sariah knew that this was not the emotions of a normal dog. It was the emotions of a mutant.

"Claudia, wait!" Sariah yelled after the dog, who had begun to run. "I know it's you! We won't hurt you! Please!"

The dog barked but stopped running. It turned around slowly and began walking hesitantly to Sariah. The dog lingered a few feet away from Sariah and cocked its head as if to say, "How did you know?"

"If you come here and become yourself we might tell you how we know and how we can help."

The dog walled over to Sariah and transormed into a frightened young girl.

Her medium length black hair was in simple, elegant curls. Her green eyes were wide and round and had a look Sariah had seen in her own eyes when she had once looked in the mirror.

The girl was as tall as Sariah but obviously older by at least a year or two- 15 or 16, by the looks of it.

"How did you know?" the girl squeaked out nervously.

"Hang on just a minute," replied Sariah. "Jean! I found Claudia!"

"How do you know my name?" asked Claudia.

"Just a minute," replied Sariah.

Jean came into view. "Hello," she said kindly. "I'm Jean, and we have a lot to tell you."

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"So, this institute place can help me?" asked Claudia. She had been very hesitant to sit down, as though she were afraid Sariah and Jean would jump on her unexpectedly. She was now staring at them with the green eyes that reminded Sariah so much of her own.