Chapter 18: Don't Leave Me
#18 of The Mating Season 5
Chapter 18: Don't Leave Me
Kel shielded Aliona with their sleeping furs as they ran together up the dark, torch-lit streets of the sun village. They had left the others on Yuri and Enya's doorstep after giving Yuri a brief greeting. Yuri had insisted that they come in, but when they said they must hurry away to see Zaldon, a strange expression crossed her face. As if her worst nightmares had come true, Kel reflected. Did Yuri know something? Should he have stuck around and questioned her? Kel pushed the thought aside. They were almost there now.
Zaldon lived near a small bunch of banana trees just a few blocks from Yuri and Enya's home. For a retired Grand Sorcerer, his home was a modest one-story building, square and made of mud like the rest of the sun village huts. Bright pink flowers crowded the mud-brick steps either side as Kel and Aliona hurried up the gravel walk leading to them. All the windows were shut against the storm, but they could see through the slats in the shutters that a fire was roaring in the front room. So someone was home.
With the rain pelting them in icy sheets, Kel and Aliona hurried up the steps and huddled under the wooden awning that reached over the door. Most homes had actual doors in the sun village now. Doors made of wood and painted bright greens and blues. Only the poorest still possessed curtains for front doors.
Holding Aliona close and trying not to shiver in the chilling rain, Kel banged on Zaldon's door. He prayed that Julyan would answer. Perhaps Julyan was against what Zaldon was doing. Perhaps Julyan would be on their side and let them in, tell them Zaldon was just being a fool because he didn't want them seeing how old he was or something. Zaldon couldn't be leaving him. He couldn't. There had to be a reason for this madness! Kel spun all sorts of hopeful outcomes in his mind as someone shuffled around behind the door.
Seconds later, and the door opened a crack. Kel recognized Zaldon's black eye at once. He was peeking cautiously out - as if he was afraid of them! The black eye closed wearily, as if Zaldon had dreaded Kel's coming and now was deeply disappointed. The door started to close, but Kel stuck his foot in, ignoring the sudden burst of pain.
"Zaldon! What is going on? Why won't you see --?"
"How dare you come here!" Zaldon hissed in a voice that was not his own.
Zaldon's voice, in fact, frightened Kel and Aliona. They had never heard him so angry before in their lives. They stared up at that burning black eye with their ears back flat in disbelief.
"Zaldon . . . it's us!" said Aliona, touching a paw to her chest. She shook her head sadly. "Us!"
The black eye looked at the steps, almost as if Zaldon was ashamed. But as if Zaldon had gained his nerve, the black eye looked up again and he barked for them to leave.
"No!" Kel said at once.
Zaldon nudged Kel's foot from the door with his big white toes. He tried to close the door again, but this time Aliona reached out and braced her arms against it. Zaldon looked as if he hadn't expected this. The black eye blinked at little Aliona, startled by her determination. But the eye narrowed as Zaldon once again gathered his nerve, and quick as the lightning flashing above, a big white paw shot from the door, shoved Aliona just beneath her neck, and the door slammed shut again.
Aliona had been pushed so hard that she fell heavily in Kel's arms. He fumbled to catch her, dropping their sleeping furs in the mud as he did so. His spear had clattered to the gravel walk behind him in the scuffle. Aliona sagged in Kel's grasp, her ears back flat and her mouth hanging open. Kel helped her to her feet, and together, they began the sad walk back to Yuri and Enya's.
I don't know if I can yell any louder
How many times have I kicked you outta here?
Or said something insulting?
da, da-da, da-da
I can be so mean
when I wanna be.
I am capable
of really anything.
I can cut you into pieces
when my heart is . . .
broken . . .
da, da-da, da-da
Pleeeeeeese
Don't leave me
Pleeeeeeese
Don't leave me
I always say how I don't need you,
but it's always gonna come right back to this:
Pleeeeeease
Don't leave me.
How did I become so obnoxious?
What is it with you that makes me act like this?
I've never been this nasty.
da, da-da, da-da
Can't you tell that this is all just a contest?
The one that wins will be the one that hits the hardest!
But baby I don't mean it . . .
I mean it . . .
I promise.
da, da-da, da-da
Pleeeeeeese
Don't leave me.
Pleeeeeeese
Don't leave me.
I always say how I don't need you,
but it always gonna come right back to this:
Please
Don't leave me!
I forgot say out loud
how beautiful
you really are to me.
I can not be without.
You're my perfect little punching bag.
And I need you . . .
I'm sorry.
- by guess who