Chapter 6

Rye opened his eyes to see Matika pulling herself out of the sleeping bag. He stretched himself out and sat up in his sleeping bag. �Morning Matika.�

She smiled back at him. �Morning.� She stretched out her arms and walked out of view.

Rye nodded his head. �She spoke.� He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and glanced over to Dan who is still asleep in the bag that Matika had just emerged from. He frowns seeing Jang and John still sleeping. �I�m hungry.� He walked over to the food bag and poked his head in.

Dan slowly opened one eye hearing rustling noises that Rye was making. �How�d you manage to get up before me?�

�I don�t know. Maybe because I heard Matika getting up?� Rye asked back.

Looking around Dan squints his eyes. �Speaking of Matika. Where is she now?� Rye plopped something into his mouth before pointing Dan to the direction Matika had just walked off to.

�Thanks Piggy.� Dan yelled out as he hopped over Jang and John as the continued to sleep.

Matika ran the water over her hands and washed herself clean. �Might as well finish the bathing process.� Dan watched as Matika began a soothing song all the while washing herself. She pulled up the tip of the sheer fabric over her arms and gently dipped it into the water. Dan drops has jaw seeing that once the fabric has the water it went from it�s honey color from the day before to an almost light blue. After Matika was done washing herself, she stood up at the rocks and faced the sun. And slowly the light blue sheer fabric Dan had thought was her clothes fanned out towards her sides. And it eventually stretched far enough to fan itself out.

�Wing?� Dan murmured since he couldn�t take his mind or eyes off of Matika as she turned around towards his direction. The honey colored streaks in her hair were now that same light blue color as her wings. He took a step closer seeing that her eyes were both shut. She opened them abruptly hearing Dan�s foot step. The moment she opened her eyes, Dan only seemed to be amazed more of not only her beauty that she had washed herself from. But her eyes were now the matching colors of her streaked hair as well as her wings. A smile as well as a gasp escaped his lips seeing now that her blues were now a blush tone of pink. Matika kept her pink eyes on him as he circled her pink wings and reached out to touch her wings. He quickly jumped back as her wings fluttered. It only took another second for his courage to build once more and reached out to feel her wings. His heart skipped feeling the wings were like feeling a silk fabric. Unlike birds, her wings felt no bones were in there at all. He stopped seeing the tears and rips in her wings and ran his fingers lightly over them. Dan stopped seeing that Matika was wincing from pain.

�Hey Dan!�

Dan turned around to see Rye and the two men following close behind.

�What?� Dan yelled back and turned around to see Matika back in her honey shade. �Huh?� He thought seeing Matika back to her usual shade. Matika twisted her lips slyly and made her way pass Jang, John, and Rye. �What is it?� Dan asked once more.

�John just found a newly put out flame. Our group just left.� Rye explains seeing Dan in no hurry to leave. �Aren�t you coming?�

�I just realized something. How are we going to explain her to the professors?� Dan asked Rye.

�Rye covered his mouth. �I forgot all about her!� He starts to laugh after a moment. �We could say that you bought her.�

�Making me look like a pervert.�

�You did buy her and it�s the truth too.� Rye reminded.

Dan rubbed his hands together and walked between John and Jang. �We�re going to find them soon?� The two nodded their heads. �Okay, a few rules for Matika then.�

John frowns and Jang scratches his head. �What�s he talking about?�

�ARGH!!� Jay yelled as she threw her canteen down. �I hate this assignment!�

Aong got up from the stream and handed her canteen back to her. �We all know why already�� Jay angrily shoved him into the water and storms off. He smiles at the others around him screaming out, �you just mad Dan isn�t here!� He laughed and stops hearing Jay yell again. This time the canteen hit his head instead. Now everyone else was laughing at him.

�Matika looks around as the horses did the walking. Dan stared at her hair and wings. The wind was blowing it lightly. Appearing as if her wings were scarves gently waving to greet the winds in return. He noticed her wings were turning the shade of light blue. Looking upwards to see her honey streaks were changing too. �Matika?� She turned to face him with the question in her eyes. �If you�re going with me back home.� He ran his finger tips through her hair and stops at the now blue streaks. �There�s a few rules that you�re going to have to follow.� Matika looks from Dan to Rye who was busy looking ahead on his horse to notice anything.

Aong rubs his head as another canteen struck him. �Jay! Stop it! I didn�t say anything about Dan for the past hour or two!�

�What was it that you were saying about me?� Dan asked placing his hands on his hips and tapping his toes on the ground.

Matika laughs and mimics Dan�s postures �Who�s she?� Aong asked seeing Matika in Dan�s sweater with a hood over her head.

�Someone we found along the way.� Rye answered grabbing Aong�s canteen bottle. �Didn�t want her to be alone out her to be alone out there in the forests now do you?�

Aong scratches his head and shrugs. �You find the professor yet?�

�Yea,� Dan replies turning Matika around to walk further into the camp sight. �Rye and I have to turn in our research papers for the animals since we�re going home now.�

�What? You yucky bastards!� Aong screams.

Rye threw the canteen back at Aong and followed Dan and Matika on out. �Dan!� A high pitch rang through the neighboring trees. Jumping out of the way Matika watched as girl run pass her and Rye to hug Dan.

Matika arched her eyebrows at Rye his response was a shrug. �Once again another shrill laughter echoed through the forest. �Rye!� Matika once again jumped out of the way to let another girl run in to hug Rye. �Interesting�� Matika thought as Dan and Rye pried the two girls off.

Kitty and Jay pointed at Matika, �Who�s she?� They asked in unison.

�Matika.� Rye and Dan responded also in unison. She smiled and pulled the hood higher over her head.

Kitty eyed Rye as Jay rounded Matika. �Are her eyes pink?!?!�

Chapter 7

Dan bulged his eyes open. �SH!T! I forgot about the sunglasses.� He turned Matika around to look at her eyes. He remembered at the water when he touched her wings it changed color. Keeping his eyes directly at Matika�s eyes he reached out to touch her hands. Instantly her eyes turned back to it�s honey color. �No,� he spins Matika around by surprise, �her eyes are light brown.�

Jay walked up closely to Matika and stared into her face. �I guess I was seeing things.� Matika giggled and got her face closer to Jay�s face making their nose touch. �Watch it giggle.� Matika laughs again and squints her eyes shut laughing so hard. Once her eyes opened back up Jay rubs her eyes seeing that her eyes were now blue.

Dan noticed the few strands lose to the side of the hood was blue. �Not again!� He thought quickly and grabbed Matika�s hands to leave. �Come on. I got to change your clothes and clean those stitches up.�

�Her eyes are blue!� Jay screams out as Dan drags Matika away. She ran after the two to turn Matika around to face her again. �Close your eyes.� Jay ordered seeing her eyes were light brown. Matika obeyed and opened them again when she was told to open her eyes again. �Light brown.� Kitty and Rye caught up with the three and pulls Dan away from the girls.

�What do you think you�re doing?� Rye asked. �And what�s Jay talking about? Eyes a different color? All I saw was light brown.�

Dan shrugs. �I don�t know. Maybe its something in the water. Making her think or see things differently.� He walks back grabbing Matika�s hands pulling her away from Jay and Kitty. �Come on. You need to wash yourself.�

�Who is she?� Jay demanded from Rye.

�I told you already, Matika.� Rye replies and yelled out for Aong.

Kitty pouts, �they�re not paying attention to us.�

�They never did.� Aong says as he walks by the girls. Rye Shook his head at Aong as he follows him to Dan and Matika.

Rubbing his head Dan gave up on trying to wipe Matika�s face clean. �At least let me clean around the stitches Matika.�

�Whatever for?� She asked back giggling and held out her left hands for him.

�Look at all if the dirt and mud on your hands.� Dan muttered as Matika used her other hands to run through the mud. �What are you? Three years old?� He took his hands with a damp cloth. Looking up he noticed she was wiping her right dirty hands all over her face. �Matika. You just dirtied your face even more. It was a waste of time washing yourself if you slap some mud back on yourself later.�

�You shouldn�t be watching people bathe in the first place.� Matika replied wiping mud back onto Dan�s face. �Hah! My turn to wash your face. Here.� She laughs extending her hands for the cloth.

Dan pulled the cloth away. �let me wipe your other hands first.� Matika pouts through her mud skin face. �All right. Bring your face over here.�

�Pretty is bad.� Matika whined feeling the damp cloth caressing her face.

�Don�t you whine.� Dan said as he watched Matika�s face distort in disapproval. �I washed your face last night. I wake up, you�re bathing then you cover yourself up with mud.� Matika bounced around on the rock as Dan finished cleaning her up.

Aong dropped his jaw open seeing Dan cleaning Matika, �hey! She�s pretty!�

�So what?� Rye asked going down to the water to Dan�s side. �It�s not a crime to be pretty.�

�Speak for yourself.� Dan grunted. Rye laughs seeing Matika wrestling him for the cloth. �Stop Matika I'm almost done.�

Aom walks over to the three on the rocks and handed Matika his handkerchief. �Use this.� He went to sit behind Rye and watched Matika soak the cloth in water. �She�s a little nuts isn�t she?�

�Dan?� Rye asked as he three a rock watching it skip in the water. Dan tried to look up at him but Matika pulled his face back so she could wipe his face clean. �What are you going to do with Matika when we get back home?�

Jay watched from behind the trees as Matika wipes the dirt from Dan�s face.

�Are you going to really keep her?�

Matika stopped what she was doing and looks over at Rye. �If not him, then who would I live with?�

Aong lets out a cry as he heard the tone of Matika�s voice. �What�s wrong with you Aong? Crying like a fat baby.�

�Rye.� Dan reminded, �Aong is a fat baby.� Turning his attention back to Matika Dan nodded his head. �What am I going to so? Send her back to Jud? Leave her alone? Take her to a shelter?� He shook his head and though about Matika�s unnatural behaviors. �They�d only make a guinea pig out of her or cut her up in the name of research and science. It�s what I'm doing now. I cant let anyone do that to her.�

�Dan? Hello?� Rye waved his hands a few times.

�What?� Dan hollered falling over to the sides as Aong shoved for his attention.�

Chapter 8

Aong pretend to wipe his hands as Rye sighs. �What are you going to tell your mom?�

Matika plugs her fingers into her ears hearing Aong laugh. �Your parents are unbelievably supportive of everything you choose to do. What problem would you get for bringing a girl home? They�ll only throw their hands up and welcome the girl.�

�Matika wants mom. Not your mom. Matika�s mom.� The sad tone of her voice only made Aong cry even more. As if he was feeling her pain and sorrow also. �Matika�s mom�� Her head fell between her knees as she wept, making Aong cry uncontrollably with her.

�What�s wrong with Aong?� Kitty asked as she and Jay walked in closer to see what they were all talking about.

Jay crosses her arms and snorts, �yea, what�s wrong with the fat baby?�

Aong stops his crying and stood up, �Maybe because I have a heart, unlike some people?�

�Watch it fatso!� Kitty screams clinging onto Rye�s arms as Aong swung his arms about the air carelessly.

Jay, Aong, Kitty and Rye verbally fought with one another as Dan tried to comfort Matika. �Stop crying. I�m sure we�ll eventually find your mother somehow.� Dan smiles seeing Matika rub her eyes and wipes the tears away. �Now to clean your face again.�

�Again?� Matika repeated and opened her eyes.

Dan drops his cloth seeing her eyes once again a different shade other than honey. He adjusted the hood on Matika�s head and led her away with Dan. She made a quick eye contact with Jay before Dan tugged her to leave with him.

�It can�t be!� Jay screams rubbing her eyes. �Matika�s eyes!�

Aong rests both hands on his hips and asked, �what about it?�

�They were glowing! Like an eerie looking yellow!�

Kitty shades the sun from Jay�s eyes, �maybe it was the light? The sun was making it glow like that.�

�Yea. First you thought her eyes were pink? Remember? But we all saw light brown.� Rye said as he pulls Kitty�s arms away from his. �Come on Aong. They�re about to walk back to our pick up destination. You better rest up before you roll down the side of a mountain from exhaustion.�

�Thanks for looking out for me.� Aong laughs and follows Rye away from the girls.

Jay took Kitty�s hands, �you got to believe me! Her eyes really were a different color! I think her eyes changes color! Like� like a chameleon or something!�

�Maybe, you�re out with nature too long and need a long bath at home to soak your brains up with expensive soap bubbles?�

�Maybe you�re right?� Jay nodded her head and walks away with Kitty to pack up their belongings.

�Thanks for the hair band Sara.� Dan smiles and walks away from her tent to Aong�s tent where Matika was sitting and playing with the ants on the ground. �Matika, come here.�

She looks up at him then went back to playing with the ants, �why?�

�You need to put your hair up into a ponytail or something to hid in that sweater.�

Matika formed her eyebrows together, �why?� She ran through her hair. �you don�t like Matika�s hair? Is that why you�re hiding it?� Dan watched as instantly her hair turned yellow as well as her eyes. Taking a deep breath he walked on his kneed over behind Matika and tried to figure out how to use the hair band. He managed to get it to stay in a sloppy bun and threw the hood over her hair. �That should do it. For now.�

�Am I able to pack my tent up yet?� Aong yells out from the side of the tent.

Dan stared at Aong�s silhouette through the tent. �It makes no difference. I see you already taking it apart Aong.� He looks Matika over once more and her eyes caught his attention. A glowing yellow it was. �I almost forgot!�

�Forgot what?� Matika asked seeing Dan dig around in his bag. She opened her eyes widely seeing Dan unfold a pair of sunglasses. �What�s that thing?�

Dan smiles and puts it over Matika�s eyes. �It helps protect your eyes.�

�From what?� Matika asked holding her hands out in front of her sunglass covered eyes. �Hey! My hands got darker!� She glanced up at Dan tilting her head. �Everything else got darker. And you did too! Even if you already were dark.� Dan laughs and pulls Matika out of the tent before Aong would try to roll him and Matika into the case for the tent.

 << Chapters 3 - 5       The Sweetest Days Main       Home       Chapters 9 - 13 >>