Gone and Come Home Ch.3
#4 of Gone and Come Home
I woke up eerily, expecting myself to be dead and awake to glittering stars and nice fluffy clouds. I was halfway there, as there was fluffy white things that I did not recognize. But, when I tried to move, a searing pain in my knee, neck, and side revolted against my brain and caused me to be fully awake and aware. During this heightened moment, I realized I was in a room with band posters, a nice soft bed, a closet, and a small attached bathroom.
Basically, somewhere I did not know.
I was scared enough to try and get out of the room as fast as I could. I threw off the warm sheets, and tried to run for the door. But, as soon as my left leg felt weight, my knee buckled under me and I slammed to the floor with a whine and loud yowl that surely everybody heard inside the area. I was not going to be kept here, and I tried crawling towards the door. But as I was trying to escape, I heard rushed footsteps up the stairs, and I feared the worst. But, when the door opened to a concerned looking tiger, I was nevertheless scared to hell, but I was calmed by not seeing my two parents ready to thrash me to death. I nevertheless started trying to run in the opposite direction, again my leg buckling under me and myself falling face first on the floor, yelping and whining again.
"No, no, please, it's okay, please, stop hurting yourself, you need to rest!" Said a very concerned, soft voice, followed by soft but fast footfall behind me, and strong but fluffy, orange and black arms picking me up and carefully placing me back on the soft bed. For the first time I was able to look into it's eyes, the soft, orange tiger eyes immediately making me calm and warm inside, giving me the feeling I was finally safe.
"Really, you need to rest, your leg is badly hurt and you shouldn't be trying to walk on it. Please. Are you hungry at all?"
All I could do was feebly nod my head to the soft voice of the tiger.
"Okay, I'll be right back, don't go anywhere." The tiger said with a smile. She left the room, and calmly went back down the stairs. I heard the soft sound of a refrigerator opening, and the opening and closing of a microwave followed by the beep of the button and the insistent hum of the machine working, I waited a few minutes before the little ding of a bell signaled that it was ready, and the soft feet coming back up the stairs. As the door opened, I instinctively huddled under the sheets a bit, but did not try to run again. The tiger brought in a bow of something hot, and laid it on a bedside table I had not noticed before, which also had on top of it a small clock, and a picture of a three person family. On the left was a feminine looking tiger, the middle was a shorter one, which I recognized as Jim, and on the right a very tall, masculine tiger. Both on the outside were Jim's parents I presumed, and looking back up at the tiger who had brought me the soup I could tell that she was Jim's mother.
"So, you found his picture, huh? This was taken four years ago, and Jim has grown so much since then. He's almost as tall as me now." She said, picking up the picture."
"Where...is Jim?" I asked, cautiously.
"Oh, Jim is at school as his father is out at work. I took the next few days off to look after you. You were in pretty bad shape when Jim brought you in last night. You're knee is all messed up, and will take a few days to heal. Everything else is just minor, except your tooth. You lost one of your fangs when you got beat up."
Shocked, I pit my tongue where I felt some odd sensation. There was nothing where a long, pointed tooth should be on the left side of my mouth. Whatever, this was the least of my problems. I knew my parents would come looking for me, they would not let their investment run away from them.
"Excuse me..." I said, shyly.
"Oh, yes, sorry. I was just thinking of something, continue." She said, snapping back to attention.
"What....what is going to happen to my parents? Will they get me back? Do I have to go back?" I asked, genuinely scared for a 'yes'.
She sat down on the side of the bed, curling her tail around her body to keep it convenient, and looked down.
"I hope this doesn't make you angry at us," She said, hoping for the best."But we are taking them to court for child abuse. Nobody should have to go through what your parents did to you, and we hope they don't do it to anyone else and that they never do it to you again. We have already filed suits against them, and they are not allowed custody over you until the trial is concluded in their favor, which I doubt will happen."
"Thank you." I said softly, nodding my head slightly. A few moments of silence passed, and she spoke.
"Here, go ahead and eat, you need it. I'll leave you alone now, if you need anything, just call, I will be right downstairs. Don't try to get out of bed, you'll only hurt yourself. The only reason you will need to is to go to the bathroom, and then try and only walk on your right foot. Okay?"
"Okay, thank you." With that she started to leave the room, before I called after her.
"Wait, what do I call you by?" I asked.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, just call me Tracy. Now eat and get some sleep, I'm sure you'll need it."
"Thank you...Tracy." With that, she left and closed the door, and my eyes returned to the picture and clock on the desk. I glanced at the clock, and it was only around 10:00am, and Jim shouldn't return for nearly five hours, and I ate my soup and quickly fell back to sleep, knowing I was in safe hands, who barley knew me, but cared for me more than anybody did before.