Young Writers Society

Corbin~

I peeked open one of my eyes and was shot with bright sunlight. I squinted and sat up, after the fight with me and Ester I had decided to take a nap. Apparently I had slept until mourning. "Rise and shine, sleepy-head!" Ester said playfully. I blinked and her face came into view, I smiled at her. "So are you still sore from the fight were I kicked your sorry butt?" she asked.

"Hey, don't push it," I warned her. Everyone else was still up from last night and I wondered if they would be ok with out getting their sleep in last night. Instantly I scolded myself, that wasn't any of my business. But I was just thinking about my families well-being, still, I was sounding to much like a over-anxious mother.

I got up and walked to the center of the clearing and sighed, we'd been here for days and even though the rest was good, I was used to having challenges thrown at us from every direction, I was bored. "We should go exploring," I said to no one in particular. "From what I remember, humans don't live in forests," And besides I thought we don't have wings any more so we don't have to sneak around..

"Um..." I heard Jakie say, "No offence, but if you guys are going anywhere you might want a change of cloths." I looked down at my clothes. My jeans had to many holes to count and my T-shirt had stains and rips everywhere. Looking around, I saw that no one was better off, some of us even had to patch our clothes with animal skin. "Our clothes?" I said sarcastically "What's wrong with our clothes?"

Jakie just ignored my joke. "And besides," she continued, "You guys reek." I shrugged, I didn't smell anything, but maybe that was just because I was used to the unwashed smell. I lifted up my shirt and buried my nose into the dirty cloth. Instantly I jerked back and blinked. Wow!

"Ok, so maybe we do need some new clothes, but where will we get some? We don't have any money." I pointed out. Just then Ellie and Ashton walked into the clearing, they sat down to join the conversation.

"You guys could stop at my place. I have some extra clothes that you could use." Ashton suggested, and then he muttered, "and a shower."

It sounded good to me, but I wondered what everyone else would say.

~Ellie May~

I laughed as Ashton said we needed a shower. I knew it, but I didn't dare say anything. It was a good idea to get new clothes...and take a shower.

~Ashton~

I hated to say it, but they needed to...freshen up. I watched as El laughed at my joke, though it wasn't really a joke. I was glad she was laughing. By the way they looked, it seemed like they hadn't laughed in a while, though maybe I was wrong.

Ester Alice:

I practically jumped at the sound of having a warm, inducing shower and new clothes! Finally I could get out of the rags that I called clothes, or liked to call anyway. Jackie tried her best at a modest smile, as she tried not to turn green as we all lifted our arms in happiness around her. I couldn't smell an offending odor, maybe none of us could! Ashton and Jackie on the other hand, could.

"Where is your house?" I asked, smiling happily at Ashton.

"Not far from here, it'll only take us an hour to get there." He replied casting an over viewing glance into the deep blue sky. Kaylee nodded, her eyes giving off a determined flash.

"If we all agree then, we'll be off." Ellie, Blake and Michel nodded simultaneously. Blaise shifted his stance, his stomach grumbling loudly.

"Will there be food?" He asked, Corbin instantly looked up from the ground. A wide gorgeous smile flew across his face.

"Yes, there is plenty of food. The winter in comin' and Mom usually stock's up on things we don't even need." Jackie laughed nodding in agreement, "My mother does that too."

I kicked at the dust on the floor, "Well Kaylee often does that too!" I commented, getting laughs from everyone around but Jackie and Ashton who didn't really get it. The fact was, we had no Mom's or Dad's to get us food.

"We'd better start walking if we wanna beat night fall," Anika muttered. I grinned childishly, skipping towards a large cedar oak, "I am going first for a shower!" A chorus of "No, you're not" followed in return.
"Well then, you're just going to have to best me there," I retorted placing my hands on my hips and pouting my lips sulkily.

"You don't even know the way!" Corbin laughed, his rad hair fluttering in the wind.

Michel

I walked a smile on my face. The swim really hadn't gotten me clean. It had just washed away some of the mud. Washing my hair would feel like heaven. I couldn't smell myself or any of the others though, we must have gotten used to it. I looked up at the sky. Today was going to be really hot. The temperature was already rising. I looked at some of the others. They really needed sleep. I was glad I had rested for a few hours.

My stomach rumbled. I realized I hadn't eaten in at least a day, but there would be food at Ashton's house. My mouth watered as I thought of hamburgers and DQ. I hadn't tasted store bought food in years.

~Ellie May~

I held Ashton's hand as he lead us through the forest, behind the buildings, and to his house. It was a long walk, and my legs already hurt, so, by the time we got there, my legs weren't the only one killing me. I think I'd gotten used to the no winged thing a little. But who could seriously get used to a big change like that?

It was nice to finally be inside a house. I hadn't been inside one for so long. But even then, I couldn't really go outside unless it was night time. Now, night time is when we're hiding. My stomach grumbled, and brought me back from my thoughts. We were all hungry, and I was glad Ashton would have food. We wouldn't be counted as pigs, just really starving. I was literally skipping and Ashton was laughing at me. I wanted food and a nice shower.

Blaise

I stood a bit outside the door. For me it didn't feel right to go into a humans house after what they had done to us. Frig, I had just gotten used to having Ashton and Jackie around and now this. I stood there, holding Anika's hand and glancing nervously at the door. I admit it, I was kind of afraid. I didn't want to get hurt, more importantly; I didn't want Anika or Kaylee to get hurt.

Kaylee stood by the door, and looked at me curiously. "Aren't you coming in?"

"I... don't like this," I muttered, staring towards the door where I could hear laughter and voices inside. "I really, really don't like this."

"Blaise-" Kaylee stepped back down and took my hands. "I know you don't want any of us to get hurt but its fine, really. I trust Ashton. And anyway, we're hungry and we seriously need some showers," she added, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, I know... I just..."

"I know you don't like it, Blaise... but this is what we'll have to do. Now come on," she said, smiling. "Lets go in."

Michel

I stopped waiting for Blaise to go in. Kaylee was trying to talk him into it."I know you don't like it, Blaise... but this is what we'll have to do. Now come on, lets go in."

"Yeah," I added "You lived in one of these for years bro." He hesitated for a moment then slowly stepped in. I gave him a small shove. "See, that wasn't so bad."
"Yeah, yeah. Get your hands off me." I smiled.
"Whatever." I turned Ashton was saying something...

~Ellie May~

Some of us didn't trust being here. I didn't, but I trusted Ashton. He wouldn't hurt us, would he? I shook the thought away, looking around. The house was huge. There were two staircases, leading up to the second floor, one on each end of the room, curving to meat at the top. A huge chandelier hung in the center of the room, an elegant rug under it. I looked at Ashton, eyes wide. He smiled at me.

~Ashton~

I looked around, looking for any sign of my mom. I didn't have a dad, so my mom had gone way out on the decorating. They all seemed surprised by the look, though I was way too used to it.

"There's a bathroom that way, there, and through that door and to the left." I pointed them out. We had several showers in this house. My mother had a thing for dating rich men. I pulled Ellie upstairs as the rest of them followed. I pointed out the showers as we went.

Anika

A house. A pretty human house, with lots of clean stuff and pretty flowers on the shelves. I liked this house. I wanted to live somewhere like this....

Sorry i haven't been on. I mean, it's summer vacation and I've been hanging out with my friends. Can someone fill me in?

~Ellie May~

It felt so good to have the clean warm water running down my body. My hair would thank me majorly. When I felt the water turn cold, I turned it off, and got out, wrapping a towel around me. I looked ten times better in the mirror than I did before I'd gotten a shower. My hair wasn't a tangled mess like before, and my skin wasn't brown with dirt. I was actually very pale.

I was used to looking at my reflection and seeing wings, but I wouldn't see that unless it was night. Then, I'd see the moon behind my reflection and look that much better. I loved looking at myself in the moonlight. You couldn't really see any of my features, and that was the best part. I touched my face. I was clean again. My shoulder had a cut still from where the stupid shark bit me, but I could cover it up easily. It wasn't deep. I was sure my wings would need to be cleaned too.

~Ashton~

They looked ten times better after a shower. I could actually see their skin color, and I couldn't smell the smell from before. Of course, I thought Ellie looked the best. Not choosing, but I loved her. She looked human now. They all did. They seemed normal.

We were all just sitting in the living room, watching some TV. They were amused by it, they hadn't seen it in so long. Ellie seemed uninterested. She was too busy asking me questions. I heard someone come in the room, and my mom cleared her throat. Everyone looked at her.

"You could have asked before you invited friends over," she said. I smiled at her. She was eyeing Ellie, who was in my lap.

"Sorry, I knew you wouldn't mind," I said. She smiled, shaking her head.

"Well," she said expectantly. I looked at her. "Introduce?" I smiled again. I wasn't sure if I knew all of their names, so I let them do the introducing.

>Sure thing fantic. We're at Ashton's house, taking showers and borrowing some clothes. But from what I know, I think his mom is giving us some money to get some clothes of our own (can't wait to go shopping!)

Corbin~

The house was really cool. I hadn't been in one for years. It was nice and would protect us from any storms, but I couldn't help feeling like I was trapped. But, oh well, I trusted Ash.

I headed over to the bathroom that the boys were using and yelled at Michael to hurry up. Then I leaned against the door and waited.


15 minutes later:

I took a deep breath, I had just got done with my shower and, even though I hadn't noticed it before, I noticed now that we really did stink and that this was clean. My hair was still damp and some drops of clean, fresh water dripped off my nose.

I sat down next to Ester, who was sitting on the couch watching TV. "Hey," I greeted her casually, "Doesn't this feel great? I mean, we haven't had a shower in, what? 7 years. Maybe longer."

She smiled at me, "Yea."

Suddenly we heard a click and some footsteps and a middle-aged women walked in. Ashton's mom. We all tensed but she seemed cool with us being here.

Michel

I felt awesome after the shower. I still wished I could die my hair though, like I had guessed it was grown out. It looked awful. At least some of Ashton's clothes fit me. They were tight, but they would do until we could get some new ones. I slipped my necklace back over my head, then stepped out of the bathroom.

Most of the others were already done. I found them watching one of the big screen TV's every room seemed to have in this huge house. I sat down beside Blake on the lazy chair.

"Hey" I whispered. Ignoring the TV. I had never liked it before so why should I now.
"Hey back." She moved over so I could sit with more then one leg then turned so her legs were in my lap. I fingered a piece of her hair. "coconut," I smiled. "My mom used to buy that." I looked up, someone had cleared there throat. My arms tensed. A woman stood eying us all, but particularly Ellie.
"You could have asked before you invited friends over," I relaxed a little bit. She must be his mom I thought.
"Sorry, I knew you wouldn't mind," Ashton said.
"Well, Introduce?"
No one said anything for a moment so I started.
"Hey I'm Michel. Hope its all cool that we came over to hang out. You just have the biggest house. This is Blake." I stopped I didn't know what to say after that. I was going to say girlfriend, but the term seemed weird. She was just 14.

.. I said Blake was 14. Can her birthday have passed. Just so she and Michel are closer to the same age.

~Ellie~

His mom seemed to be staring me down. Then I remembered that human parents didn't like strange girls sitting on their son's laps. But Ashton kept his hold on me, not letting me go. He seemed calm about all of this, like asking his mom for a wad of cash was something he did everyday. Though, knowing him, it probably was!

~Ashton~

"Hey, mom, we need some money, could we borrow a few hundred?" I asked. I'd never asked for this much before, but I had faith that the man she was dating this time was a millionaire by the gold ring on her finger and the diamond necklace around her neck. She smiled and dug through her purse, finding her money pouch.

"Don't spend it all in one place, bye some food, and whatever, you know the drill," she said, waving me off. I loved my mom, because she never asked about anything. She simply gave. She tossed a wad of cash to me, then slid off her shoes and headed up to the third floor, her shoes in her hands. I could tell she had had a long day by the way she took her shoes off right then. I turned to the rest of them, holding up the money and smiling.

"Who wants to go shopping?!" I asked. Smiles spread across their faces. "How bout a cheeseburger?" Ellie asked, and they all agreed. I could go for one myself.

>Sorry I haven't been on. I've either been gone, or my internet's been down, leaving me with only a couple minute intervels when it's working<

Blake

My hair's blonde. That was my first thought when I got out of the shower. Even with it sopping wet it looked lighter than I had seen it in years. I thought my hair was brown. It was amazing what a little--or lot--of dirt could do. And it turns out I wasn't tan. At all. Like the dirt was a sunblock or something.

I walked into the living room and sat down. Michel came by me, and I ended up on his lap. It was nice.

A few minutes later Ashton's mother came in and practically flung money at us. We were going shopping!!

Wait... we were going shopping. Ugh. My wanting to get out of something that wasn't blood stained temporarily made me forget my deep hatred for malls. But it would be worth it. And I was uber excited to eat something fatty, fried, and greasy. And a shake.

I looked at a calendar on the wall. Whoa.

"Is that right?" I asked Ashton. He looked.

"Yeah," he said. "Why?"

"Nothing. Just... my birthday was two weeks ago. I'm fourteen."

Birthday. What a strange word. I hadn't had a cake since I was... I can't even remember the last time I had a cake.

Fourteen. Really? Surely I was middle aged or older. I felt older. I wasn't even old enough to drive yet. That sucks. Not that I had any thing to drive anyways.

I shook my head slightly. What was getting into me? Cakes, birthdays, driving... those were all normal kid things. I wasn't normal.

Ashton's voice shook me out of my deep thinking.

"Well, we should celebrate."