Locked Inside-out: Ch.6 Subsided fears
#6 of Locked inside-out
Don't grade me wrongfully on this story. It is my first one here and it's been a while since I last attempted to even start one. First person view has never been my forte but I thought it might help to expand, and this story was thought up on a point to point plot. I don't plan for it to go too in depth.
Consecutive rules apply: If you dissagree, please refrain from leaving your anger in a comment. Please don't plagiarize, it hurts knowing that credit was given to somebody else for my work. Otherwise, if you feel something could be improved or have any requests, just feel free to say so. I have some standards but I'm otherwise really open to anything.
Whatever demon posessed the power to control the weather knew his own evil intent, for the storm grew stronger as the night encroached upon my master's home.
Jessica had pulled me close to her that night for false security, yet I remained fearfully awake. My ears constantly twitched and turned towards every gust of wind that blew against the brick house and every bolt of lightning seemed only to stiffen the fur already raised on the ridge of my spine.
Never before had I experienced such a horrific occurance these humans call a hurricane. I closed my eyes and wished for it to stop, unable to sleep for most of that night.
--
I woke up in Jessica's tight grasp, her arms wrapped around my stomach for her sense of safety. The room was filled with a newfound aura of soft light and the sound of silence that was at peace once more. My muscles were stiff as I pulled myself out of Jessica's warm embrace and sat on the edge of the matress, letting her slowly wake up from a calm sleep.
I reached up at my collar and felt the two loops holding it tight around my neck. Silently, I pulled at it, letting me slide it up until it hit my jaw and tighten before it could reach over my ears. I wanted it off, but knew the price of not having it on, so I hatefully left it on.
" Good morning foxy!" Jessica said, reaching out towards my blurred image but unable to touch anything. She sat up and rubbed her eyes before she looked up at me again as I quietly pawed at the window blinds to try to get a view of the outside world." You wanna see it too?"
--
" C'mere." Jessica urged me towards the front door, carrying a leash in her hand. I knew no point in fighting it after trying the first time, so I willingly let her clip one end to my collar.
She opened the door and I was immediately blinded by sunlight shining from behind the few remaining clouds from yesterday's storm. The air held a fresh essence of rain and pine that occupied the absence of the other smells that the storm had swept away.
I followed her on all fours down to the road when she stopped at the sidewalk intersection and kneeled in front of me." It's time you earned your wings." she said as she unclipped my leash and looped it back around her hand.
I- I felt nervous. I looked up at her and then back at the front door of my home. I was so close and I had the chance. But it was so refreshing, had it not taken an entire storm to eliminate everything that convinced me to stay away. Once again, it felt open and free, excluded from the barriers that mainly limited me to the sidewalk.
--
Jessica smiled happily as I took a step closer towards her, as if she was expecting me to return home without the leash to keep me hostage." C'mon. Let's go look at the damage." She called to me while patting her leg, hoping for me to follow. The hurricane's destruction was already visible from here though.
Ahead of me, and behind me, it looked as though no house or yard managed to escape being littered with the debris left behind from yesterday's storm. There was so much laying around that shouldn't have been, things usually on the ground were seen claiming the trees and that which was reaching up to the sky found themselves among the grass.
Such a force, suprised me to have ever seen, assuming there were worse than this since there would've been a greater warning of danger, that the wind could scatter small objects great distances and tear larger from their foundation. For I haven't had the slightest clue how the cardboard ad of an appartment ended in the suburbs or the large portion of a nearby tree managed to halt me and my owner's travel by laying down across the sidewalk.
"Wow." I said silently as I wondered how anything could be strong enough to pull this limb down and break it to keep it from returning to where it came.
" Amazing isn't it." Jessica said, looking over the remaining leaves still clinging for dear life." Huh?" She looked over her shoulder to see nobody there and then down at me." I thought I heard something. Must've been the wind."
She made her way around the broken tree shortly after letting the car pass by first. Left alone, I ducked under higher branches and stepped over the lower to meet back up with Jessica on the other side. Thanks to versatile bones and a small frame, I enjoyed being able to slip through these tough scenarios, even if they were unnecessary, it was still fun to know you could.
" Showoff." Jessica chuckled as I trotted behind her with a grin on my face. We continued down the sidewalk, hidden beneath the bits and pieces of leaves, twigs and cut grass that the wind and rain had gathered together. It dragged lazily beneath the pads of my hands and feet as we looked over the rest of the neighborhood.
Others had also taken advantage of the better environment, sitting in their lawns and sunbathing as I would. Then the radio next to an empty lawnchair cause me and Jessica to pause in front of it. The music finished and faded away as the DJ gave a traffic report and newscast." Enjoy the calm while it lasts. Johnny D here sees the finishing blow of a desperate hurricane Nathan."
The news didn't fully make it across my mind. I'm not a meteorologist, but if I heard correctly, the storm we witnessed was just one of the extending arms of the hurricane still expected. Even though it is diminishing on land, I expect it to be much worse than what I've already seen.
The music started up again and I suddenly felt Jessica reach her hand towards my neck. My grin faded as my attention was directed to the forest across the road and the brownish-orange figure sitting just past it's shadowline.
--
Jessica loosely held onto my collar as we both watched the fox steadily staring back at us. No, her eyes were lower. She was keeping her focus on me, as if she wanted something of me. I lightly pulled against Jessica's hand, and she willingly let go although her breath sounded cautious.
I looked back at her once more as I slowly crossed the road. Her face expressed weakness. A doubtful, "I hope I am wrong" countanance.
I felt nervous.
Nearly eight months since I've seen my own kind.
It felt like I couldn't reach the other side of the road.
--
" Hello Acsol." The fox greeted me almost seductively as she stood up and approached me. Her scent was strong- I didn't have to struggle to control it- yet I recognized it- Mostly.
" Glad to see you again, Felicia." I replied coldly, rising to my feet to meet her eye level. I could tell- the scent, her bust, and her swaying hips-" You've changed, sister." I said to her as she moved in closer.
" And you haven't." she answered back as she looked me over up and down." So how is father?"