>< Chapter 1 ><

I waved goodbye to a few of my friends as I walked out of the main building. Today was physical training, and I was exhausted. They definitely don't go easy on us, that's for sure. It's for the best, though. I pulled my water bottle out of my bag. I personally think that water is pretty underrated. You don't ever really realise how important water is until you actually need it. I downed a few gulps as I walked to the old gas station on the corner of Wilcox and Cameno. The stuff they sold there was pretty cheap. Along with that, the gas station manager is pretty cool too.

When I finally arrived at the gas station, my legs felt as though they were about to fall off. I stared at my relection in the glass doors for a few seconds before pushing them open. The doors creaked as I pushed them open, and then the small bell at the top of the door jingled. The store manager, who was sorting scratch off lottery tickets, raised his head. He greeted me with an enthusiastic smile. " Hey Savanna! How's the day been treating you? " I sighed, and then smiled back at him. " The same as always, I suppose. " I sighed once more. " How have sales been, Mr. Enriquez? " I asked, sitting down on one of the bar stools in front of the counter. " Business is going well. " He had a dazed look in his eyes. I could tell that he wasn't speaking the truth, but I dropped it.

He put a coke bottle on the counter in front of me. The condesation that the bottle left on the counter told me that it was cold. I grabbed hold of the bottle, and as I twisted off the cap, I asked the store manager, " How much for this? " He raised an eyebrow as he watched me practically chug it. " You already know that it's free, what's the point in asking? " He chuckled, and I swallowed. " Just making sure, I guess. " I made a goofy smile at him, and he made the same goofy smile right back at me. The store manager and I are pretty close. Many believe that people get along much better with other people in close age range as them. I'd beg to differ. Take me and the store manager, for example. Me, at the age of 18, and him, at the age of 53 running on 54, have a friendship greater than most.

We spent a while talking. Maybe an hour or so passed, and it had gotten dark. Mid conversation, we heard a bang on the glass. We stopped talking and looked over towards where the sound came from, but saw nothing, so we continued our conversation. " And that's when commander J.D. slipped and almost did the splits. It was really funn- " THUMP! I was stopped mid-sentance by the same noise as before. This time I decided to check out the noise. I walked up to the glass and crouched down slowly. I was a bit suprised to find a small black cat. It's forest green eyes met mine. It's fur was matted, and it seemed to be hurt. " Hey little guy.. you're in pretty bad shape, huh? " I bit my tounge. I knew that I didn't have the time nor money to take care of a cat, not to mention that there are no animals allowed in my small apartment. Still, a part of me couldn't stand to see this poor cat in this condition and not help it.

I put my hand up to the glass, and then stood up. I walked towards the glass doors and pushed them open. As they creaked the cat stepped back. " It's okay little guy.. " I mumbled under my breath. I reached out towards the cat to attempt to take it home, and what do I get? I get scratched, that's what. I tried again. I was almost there when the cat bit my hand. " Can't you see that I'm trying to help? " I grumbled angrily. The cat wouldn't let go of my hand. It was beginning to bleed, and I started to wonder if this cat had rabies. I hope not. I attempted to pull the cat's jaws apart. No luck. It only bit down harder onto my hand. I thought of the second best thing. The tail of a cat is pretty sensitive. I grabbed ahold of the cat's tail, and I felt it flinch. And then I yanked it as hard as I possibly could. The cat let go of my hand with a yelp of pain. It was asking for me to do that from the moment it first scratched me.

Even if this cat had a nasty attitude, I still couldn't leave it here. I slipped off my jacket and held it out in front of me, forming a kind of wall. There was no way that I'd try to handle this cat bare handed again, not until it learns how to behave itself. The cat backed away from the jacket, and I grinned. I had trapped it against a corner. I froze, and the cat eyed me suspiciously. Wait for it.. I suddenly grabbed it with the jacket, holding it up to my chest. I could hear the cat hissing. It wriggled in the jacket, and occasionslly I could feel the cat's claws prick through it. As I carried it out of the gas station parking lot, it seemed to calm down. Time to go through the horror of taking this little devil home.

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