I'm Not an Animal (Slow Updates)

Chapter 7

"Okay T, spill it. What did you want to tell me?" Misha took a bite of her sandwich. I swallowed hard.

"I understand if you don't want to know this, but-"

"Get on with it Tora!" Misha took another bite and I imagined her spitting out her food.

"Before I tell you... What I want to tell you could end up getting you killed." There, we go. Misha spat out the little bit of food still in her mouth. It landed in her lunch box and I had to force down my laughter. This wasn't a laughing matter, far from it.

"What?"

"You don't have to listen. But if you do... I can't guarantee your safety."

"Tora, I..." She looked up into my eyes and nodded. "If you're risking your life for it, I will, too." I smiled weakly and pulled the Guide Book from my satchel.

"It has to do with this."

"'The Guide Book to Big Cats?' This is a joke, right?"

"Read it."

"Okay..." Misha opened the cover and skimmed the pages. "I don't see what-"

"Read it, Misha. Read it. Don't skim the book, read every word!"

She nodded and went back to the start. A few sentences in she went wide-eyed and nearly dropped the book. By the time she had finished the Introduction her hands were shaking so badly that I didn't know how she could hold the book. She looked up at me and went to speak, but nothing came out. I flipped to More on The Great War and Misha looked down at it. The first paragraph had tears streaming down her cheeks and the last one saw her slam the book shut.

I lifted it and threw it back in my satchel, then pulled Misha into my arms. She shook violently, her whole world crumbling down. Misha had never known betrayal, lies, injustice. For all I knew, her whole world had just fallen apart and she was questioning whether or not anything was true. She barely had to suffer lies, or betrayal. Injustice seemed almost nonexistent. Her world was a lie. And she seemed to be, only now, realising.

I held her tightly, comforting her. I hadn't felt this emotional, and it was my kind that was culled. She looked up at me with tear-filled eyes and I whispered comforting words to her. I thought over what I had read and felt the tears threatening my own eyes. I pushed down the lump that rose in my throat and wiped away her tears. She pushed the heel of her hand into her eyes and rubbed them fiercely. I smiled as she pulled them away, trying to look casual. She glared at me and I rolled my eyes. We had a silent conversation, using eye and facial expressions to communicate. We did this often. Finally, Misha asked the question she couldn't ask with her eyes.

"Is that why you wanted me there tomorrow? Are you gonna tell 'em?"

"Yes. But you know nothing about it." I stood up, swinging my satchel over my shoulder.

"Tora... Why? I... I can help you with this."

"Misha... I'm probably going to die tomorrow. If you really want to help, you'll pretend I never told you this." She tried to protest, but I gave her that look that said 'please, just do what I ask.' She sighed and smiled.

"I'll come to your funeral." She said, jokingly.

"There's my friend." I put my arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. She grinned widely.

~#*#~

I threw myself on my bed. Jack had gotten home before my parents, so we had snacked on fruit-sweets while he told me about his camp. His group had won the scavenger hunt, the climbing and the teamwork challenge. I had later gone out into the back yard and hidden a candle, a bowl, a plate, a book, one of my dolls and a ring, saying that if he found them all in under thirty minutes, he could have half of my dessert. If he failed, though, I got his daily chocolate piece, as well as my own.

He was a German Shepard, so I said he could only use his strong sense of smell for the ring, since it was small. He immediately rushed off to find them and I started the timer on my Viewer. I got through all my homework before the thirty minutes was up. A few minutes later Jack cried out in happiness and ran up to my room, holding the six objects.

"Oh, you win." I cried. "It only took you... Twenty-six minutes, thirty-two seconds and seventy-six milli-seconds." Jack laughed and ran downstairs to put the objects back where they had come from. When dad got home, I ran down the stairs to greet him, my satchel slung over my shoulder.

"Hey, dad! I've finished my homework, can I go shopping with Misha?"

"Sure thing sweetheart." I grinned and rushed to the Air-Train. A few stops later, Misha stepped on and sat down beside me.

"Where to?" She asked.

"Hmm... Clothes shop, then that beautiful chocolate shop on the corner. Their chocolate is to die for! Anywhere you want to go?"

"Oh, you read my mind!" We got off at the next stop and walked into our favourite boutique.

"Miss, do you have any PC themed clothing?"

"Um..." She checked the ComScreen and smiled. "Ah! We have some over by the changing rooms."

"Thank you." I walked up the back while Misha looked over a series of pastel-coloured clothes. I found the racks and located one with Tiger-stripe shirts. That was all they had in Tigers, but I hadn't expected much. I walked into a few other sections until I found some clothes that matched. I tried them on in the changing room and smiled to find they fitted.

I knew what I was wearing for my presentation.

Misha had selected a pale pink sweater and some purple tights. We bought our clothes then walked to the chocolate shop. Misha bought a bag of her favourite chocolates, and I bought a family pack and a small bag. I started to tuck into the mixed chocolates then Misha and I walked through the Suburb.

When I got home, mum was making dinner. I set the box of chocolates down on the counter and she smiled. Jack and I found it funny trying to explain to mum and dad why he was getting half of my cake, but we agreed that, since I bought the chocolate for everyone, we wouldn't have to share it.

I already had several family photos, but I took another one before I went to bed. I slid in between the sheets, knowing that my world would change tomorrow. For better, or worse.

~#*#~

I pushed the classroom doors open and all eyes turned to me. I was wearing a Tiger-pattern shirt, black tights, a black mini-skirt, headphones and black flats with orange bows on the toes. Class started and the students seemed to whizz through their presentations. They were all the same. All the same...

"Tora, it's your turn." I smiled and walked up to the front. Misha nodded to me and I mouthed 'you know nothing.' She nodded again and I lifted my eyes.

"Today, I'm going to tell you about the real Great War."