Animal

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It takes more then twelve hours and me having to ask direction four times to reach home. The car is on 'E' and keeps beeping at me when I finally pull pass the sign that reads You're now entering New Mexico Town A and into town. I get stares from the few people around, no one approaches. Its not everyday someone new showed up to our towns, usually just the government debt collectors and no one would willingly approach a collector, so I'm not surprised. I take a deep breath, my eyes briefly flicker to my hands. At the last store I stopped at for directions I used money Oliver had in his dash to buy a pair of gloves. It was absolutely ridiculous looking in the heat on this side of the canyon, but I just couldn't keep looking at those claws. Honestly, I didn't want anyone else to see them either.

I take another breath and step out of the car. Its early in the afternoon now, most people would be working at this time of day. I was thankful. I really didn't feel up for meeting everyone again right now. The car wasn't going to go any further. I would have to walk home.

"Who is that?" I hear someone whisper.

"I dunno... someone from the city from the looks of it."

They didn't recognize me. It must be the 'sun' glasses and my hair, which is still straight and hangs loose around my face. I find myself thankful for that as well. I start walking following the familiar walk home. I avoid anyone who looks as if they want to speak to me. I push the Oliver's glasses further up my nose.

I reach my house ten minutes later. I stare at it from the dusty lawn, my heart tightens in my chest. It hasn't changed at all. I move towards it before I lose the nerve and knock on the wooden door that's older then me. It wasn't my house anymore after all, I just couldn't walk in.

No one answers. I smack myself in the forehead and curse. "They're at work dummy," I berate myself a loud. I turn back around and sit on the front step and look up at the glaring sun. I didn't have long to wait. I sigh. I cross my arms and stare at the clan houses surrounding my parent's. I stare at my dust covered feet.

I do everything in my power not to think. I don't want to think about anything from the Other Side of the canyon. If I could, I would forget any of it ever happened, pretend I never left home, pretend I had been here the whole time, pretend Mr. Anderson had never chosen me, heck, I can even pretend I had stayed and married Leaf if I have too. I would do anything to forget that nightmare, to forget what I did. But that can't happen... it won't happen. Mr. Anderson will come for me.

The sun has moved and is shinning down on the right side of my face when the first of my clan members start to trickle down the road. They stare as they pass, and I push the glasses further up my nose and turn my face away. I really don't want to talk to them.

My back straightens when I see a familiar man holding his back and making his way down the road. Daddy. His gray work shirt is drenched in sweat and his dark skin is covered in grit from a long day of work. I stand and he stops, catching sight of me.

My chest soars and something lifts off my shoulders. I can't help the smile that spreads across my face. I take the 'sun' glasses off and hook them on Oliver's shirt.

"Daddy..." I say. A few of the clan members moving by stop as well. I ignore them and focus on my daddy. His confusion transforms into surprise. He moves towards me and wraps his arms around me, hugging me tight. I instantly hug him back, burrowing my face into his sweat drenched shirt.

"Amelia?"

I freeze. Daddy unwraps his arms from around me smiling a big grin. "Looks who's home, Tia." He chuckles.