Animal Ribbons

Chapter Five:Eagle

I wake up, my back and head aching from all the physical and mental gymnastics I did yesterday. I groan. It's Saturday. I won't see Connie for another two days! I groan again, more loudly this time, and roll over slowly so I'm facing my alarm clock. 4:20am! That's early even for me! I toss and turn for a bit, trying to fall back into my world of dreams, (or nightmares), except, after having no luck, I swing my legs out of bed and shuffle to my desk, my duvet trailing behind me like a cape. I turn my rubbish old laptop on and turn to Lottie's terrarium whilst I wait.

She moves to the glass as if to say, "good morning!" I open the door and she sits on my desk, watching my laptop wake up. It finally loads and I log onto my facebook page. I click on the search box and type in, "Connie Fern." Nothing. "Heather Fern." Just as much information. Darn. I was so sure that Connie would be on Facebook. I search the web for nothing in particular for a while, except quickly tire of this tedious activity.

I open my bedroom door and creep down the stairs. Past mums loud snores, away from Kasey's quiet music. I reach the glass sliding door that leads out to the back yard and unlock it. I walk onto the grass, damp with morning dew, and make my way towards the big tree in the garden. I bang my forehead against the hard bark for no reason, a random wave of gloom overcoming me.

After a minute of despair, a sudden feeling of vulnerability takes over my body, as my legs and arms move without my mind commanding them to do so. I feel my skinny limbs scrabble up the tree flawlessly, like a spider monkey. I reach the spindly branches at the top, the ones no larger than twigs, and my body finally decides to let me control it. I'd climbed this tree before, of course I had, you haven't had a childhood unless you've climbed a few trees, except I've never been this high before!

You can see everything from up here! The school, the park, the mueseum, the gymnasium. Houses are scattered around these big buildings like guards surrounding castles and palaces. But the thing that takes my breath away the most, is the forest. It stretches for miles and miles, a dark green rug on a grey and brown carpet. I drag my gaze away from the forest towards the rest of the city. All the lights are starting to come on in the major buildings, and I stare in awe as the gymnasium starts to glow.

I find myself wanting to go to the gymnasium; to balance along the beam, to flip on the floor, to bend on the bar, to leap on the vault. I shimmy down the trunk, jumping the last couple of metres. I head back to my room and check the time; quater to five. I should have remembered that the gym opens at quater to. I dig through my closet and exchange my cotton pyjamas for an emerald green tank top and plain, black, 3/4 length leggings. I pull some trackie bottoms over top and a matching grey jumper. I pull on some socks and put Lottie back into her terrarium.

I scrawl a note onto some refill paper, explaining to my parents where I'm going. I tape it to the pantry doors, knowing some one will find it, and pull on some mud-encrusted, too-small, pink and white trainers. I head out the door carefully, so as not to wake anymore, and start jogging towards the large gymnasium. I think about my note, hoping it was enough to prevent mum from worrying.

(The Note:)

Mum,Kasey, I'd written in my messy scrawl, I've gone for a jog up to the old gym. Please don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll be back b4 lunch. Love you lots, Sienna. :)

I knew mum would worry anyway, it's just who she is, except I manage to calm myself. I reach the big grey building in mere minutes, and swing open the large doors. I go into the changing rooms and place the grey track pants and jumper into the locker that I haven't used for months. I enter the code and look at my self-decorated locker with misty eyes.Childish mirrors, stickers, and pictures, indiate how long it's been since the poor thing's had a make-over.

I head down the stairs to the glossy wooden gym and breathe a sigh of relief when I recognise that no-one's in there. Having run to the gym, I don't need to do a major warm-up. After a few attempts at the splits, and touching my toes, etcetera etcetera, I make my way over to the bouncy blue pad that marks the floor area. I launch into a complicated self-made routine, and end satisfied. I hear clapping as I make my way over to the bar. I whip my ponytailed head in the direction of the stairs.

Standing there, in bike shorts and a tight t-shirt, was the person I least wanted to see; Dan Smith, my ex-gym instructer.

"You still have it Sienna," he notes, "you should never have left." I'm hit by a sudden storm of nightmareish memories, and have to bite my tongue to keep from screaming. Instead of crying, though, I just blush and hide behind my hair from his compliment.

I ignore him and head to the unparalell bars, the thing I've always been worst at in gym. I circle-up rustily and start to gain momentum slowly, working up towards a handstand. I see Dan shake his head and walk over to help me.

***A Few Hours Later***

"You should really join the team again. We definitly aren't as strong without you," Dan pleads. I shake my head as we walk up the stairs.

"You know why I left," I start, "I just don't think I could handle the pain." Dan looks at me seriously.

"One slip ruins you're career," he mumbles, stopping in his tracks.

"But it wasn't just one slip," I say quietly, stopping as well. He shakes his head.

"Nothing I can do will change your mind, will it?" the 16 year old sighs, staring at me with his brown eyes. I shake my head slowly.

"I'm sorry," I whisper weakly, then run off before he sees me cry.

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to come here.

A/N: I'm really sorry, it's a bit gymnastiky at the moment. Don't worry, it will get more magiky and animally. Please vote and comment, thank you! :)