Chapter 4: Inhuman
.....It had been a month and a half since Kayly moved in. She and Tendal have become best friends by now.
....."Hey, hey Tendal. Wake up." Kayly said as she gently shook him awake. "Get up Tendal." She was sitting on his stomach with her knees at his sides. "Get up."
.....Tendal yawned as he rubbed his eyes. "W-what is it? Am I late for work?" Tendal asked.
....."No. It's Saturday. And there is no school next week."
....."Then what is it? What do you want?"
....."I want to go do something. I'm bored."
....."Well what time is it?"
....."6:12"
....."I don't even get up his early for work. Can't it wait till later?"
....."No, we gotta leave soon. Come on. You can sleep on the ride. It'll be long"
....."Okay, okay." Tendal quickly got dressed and followed Kayly to the car. He didn't notice it was packed with bags in the trunk and back seat. He just sat in the passenger seat and fell asleep.
....."In a few hours Kayly stopped driving. She stopped in the woods. Tendal just began to wake up. He looked around. "Where are we? Why are we in the woods?"
....."We're camping!" Kayly said joyfully
....."If I knew this is what you wanted to do I would have said no."
.....Kayly looked sad. "Why? Don't you like camping?"
....."No. Why would I want to sleep outside when I have a home?"
....."You don't like anything. And camping is fun."
....."Its just the two of us... alone... in the woods..."
....."I have friends coming."
....."I don't know any of your friends. Why would you bring me along if you wanted to hangout with your friends?"
....."Because I feel more comfortable around you."
....."I hate new people."
....."You hate everything."
....."I do not."
....."You hate me."
....."Hated you. I like you now, therefore I don't hate everything."
....."Awe. Thats so sweet."
....."Everything is sweet to you."
.....Tendal and Kayly set up their campsite. "Why don't we have a tent?" Tendal asked.
....."Why? Because it's more fun and romantic to sleep under the stars." She said giggling.
....."You are so weird."
....."Well it is. I just wish I had found my perfect guy already."
....."Like that'll ever happen."
....."Whats that supposed to mean?"
....."Oh nothing."
....."What is that supposed to mean!?" She said staring at him.
....."Nothing at all."
....."WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!? I'M NOT GOING TO ASK AGAIN!" Kayly yelled hitting him.
....."Stop hitting me. That hurts."
.....Kayly jumped on Tendal and kept hitting his chest. "Not until you tell me."
....."OKAY, OKAY!" Tendal said. Kayly stopped hitting him but still sat on him. "Actually, can we talk about it later?"
....."No."
....."But I think your friends are here."
.....Kayly looked over to her right. There were two older women standing there. They were her best friends and bosses. "Oh... Hey there Jiana and Nelly"
....."What are you doing?" Nelly asked. "You aren't on vacation."
....."Leave her alone Nelly." Jiana said. "You know she has a tough job. Why can't you let her have some fun?"
....."This is work, it is not supposed to be fun."
....."But Nelly..."
....."No, no. Shes right Jiana." Kayly said standing up. "I'm sorry boss."
....."Thats more like it. What is he doing here?"
....."I can explain."
....."Oh please do. And Jiana, take Tendal for a walk."
....."Take me for a walk? What do I look like a dog?!" Tendal yelled
.....Jiana grabbed him and held his mouth shut. "Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I think it may be her time of the month." She wispered to him.
....."I heard that." Nelly said
....."No you didn't" Jiana said walking away with Tendal.
....."What's that Nelly's problem?" Tendal asked.
....."Don't worry about it. She just takes work very seriously" Jiana said. "She is also our boss."
....."But still..."
....."She still is our boss and Kayly was not supposed to bring you here.""
....."She wasn't? I didn't even want to come. I don't want her to get in trouble because of me."
....."By now you must know she doesn't like to follow rules."
....."I know that. I've grown used to it."
....."She took so long to finally get field work, all because of her not following the rules."
....."Are you saying she may lose her assignment?"
....."Maybe. I wouldn't know."
....."Quickly, Kayly, explain yourself." Nelly said sitting down on a log.
....."I brought Tendal because he makes me feel really comfortable. It's like the fact that I don't follow rules doesn't matter because there are none."
....."You're becoming too entangled in personal affairs Kayly. You only got to pick where you stayed because you were going out for field work. You were not supposed to bother with normal people too much. I'm afraid to say it but I'm taking you off of your assignment."
....."NO! PLEASE!" Kayly screamed.
....."There cannot be compromise. I pulled enough strings to get you out of there. And now you are going to have to go back."
....."I THINK I FOUND IT ALREADY!"
.....Nelly was shocked. "Why didn't you tell us before?"
....."I just wanted to be sure first."
....."Where is it?"
.....Kayly reached into her pocket and pulled out an electronic device. She flipped it open and handed it to Nelly. "Take a look."
....."This-this impossible."
....."Hey Tendal," Jiana said as they walked.
....."Yea?"
....."You haven't done anything with Kayly have you?"
....."What do you mean?"
....."You know... stuff." Jiana began to make a bunch of crude hand gestures and sounds. "Like that?"
....."NO WAY! Whats wrong with you? Of course not."
....."Just don't hurt her."
....."What do you mean?"
....."I know you like her, and I think she likes you. Just don't hurt her."
....."You're crazy. We don't even know each other."
.....They walked quietly for a while. Jiana stopped. Tendal did as well. "I think we can head back to camp now." They turned around and began to walk back to camp. "Tendal, just admit you like her. I can feel your feelings."
....."What are you talking about?"
....."I'm like a human lie detector. I know you like her. Admit it."
....."I do. So what?"
....."Do something about it. Ask her to be your girlfriend."
....."Once her job here is done shes just going to have to leave. Who knows if I'll see her again. I don't want to hurt myself trying."
....."Then ask her to stay with you."
....."And if she says no the same thing happens."
....."But you don't lose anything?"
....."No..."
....."So there is nothing for you to lose?"
....."I guess not."
....."So just do it. If you have nothing to lose, take a chance, and make something happen."
....."I can't... I'm too weak."
....."What do you mean you're too weak?" Jiana asked
....."I just couldn't deal with the rejection."
.....Soon Jiana and Tendal headed back to camp. Kayly and Nelly we setting stuff up and moving things around. They acted as if nothing was wrong for a few hours. They sat around and talked, played games, and even went swimming. When it grew dark Nelly and Jiana decided to go get more fire wood.
....."How do you keep winning?" Kayly asked
....."No offense, but you are too easy." Tendal said. "I keep doing the same thing and you get caught in it."
....."You are not. Every game you start in a new place."
....."Not exaclty. It looks like that but, If we move around the little square its a new spot."
....."Thats cheating."
....."How is it cheating?"
....."It just is."
....."Come on. I finally beat you at somthing and you have to claim I'm cheating? Don't be a sore loser."
....."Hey! I am not--" Kayly was cut off. Nelly called for her.
....."Kayly, come here. We need to talk about work."
....."I'll be right there. Hold on. I think I am going to win next time." She got up and ran quickly to Nelly and they dissapeared into the woods."
....."Kayly, do you know what the real mission is?" Nelly asked a bit sad.
....."To find the Alter God."
....."It was search and destroy."
....."Now that we've found it, We need to destroy it." Jiana said coldly
....."But Isn't it in 'him'?" Kayly asked
....."Yes. That means we have to inevitably kill Tendal along with the Alter God."
....."BUT WE CAN'T!" Kayly screamed.
....."We are going to have to do it one way or another. The only other option is to bring him back and hope they can do something else."
.....The girls suddenly heard a horrible scream. They rushed back to camp. A monster that looked like a mutant bear was holding Tendal in the air by one of his arms. The monster was about 13 feet tall. Kayly, Nelly, and Jiana watched the monster.
....."Its a bear. It's been infected by the Space Fevancarnus." Suddenly the mutant bear threw Tendal in their direction. He hit a tree face first. Kayly ran over to Tendal. "Are you okay Tendal?"
....."Get--- Get away." Tendal was bleeding from his fore head. His eyes seemed entirely white. "I don't want you to get hurt. Get away."
.....Kayly grabbed him tightly and rose him to his feet. Swiftly, Nelly grabbed Kayly and pulled her away. "Nelly, what are you doing?" Kayly questioned. "He needs help."
....."The monster is going to do our job for us." Nelly said carrying her away.
....."I don't care. I'm going to save him."
....."They'll send you to the Grand Drive."
....."It's worth it." Kayly said defiantly.
.....Tendal fell to his knees. "Stay away Kayly." He began breathing very heavily. "I won't let you get hurt."
