Chapter 2 - The Fifteen Year Prisoner

Fifteen years later…



BEEEEEP…BEEEEEP…BEEEEEP…

“Ugh….” Eighteen-year-old Jade pressed the “Off” button on her alarm clock. She sat up in bed and yawned.

“Good morning, Conan, Lyle…oh.” Even now, she forgot. Ten years ago, Lyle had died of old age. Conan was adopted just last year. The short years that she had spent with them were the best of her life.

“But that's over now,” she told herself. “Well, I probably missed breakfast anyway…” She glided down from her bunk and positioned a wooden stool next to the door. If she stood on it, she was just tall enough for her face to reach the window. Ah, yes. The humans had already started coming. A few glanced her way, but none stopped.

“Typical” she snorted as a young couple recoiled in disgust when they saw her face. It was only to be expected; this has been the norm for Jade for fifteen years. She flapped her wings, fanning herself, and then she noticed something strange.

A human, a boy no older than nineteen, was staring straight at her. He was rather tall and lanky, and his longer-than-average brown hair was tied back in a small ponytail. He wore faded jeans and a black t-shirt sporting a Beatles logo. He said something to a red Uni who was walking alongside him. She smiled, and unlocked Jade's door.

“Jade, dear, it looks like your day has finally come!” said the Uni, leading her out of the cell. Jade looked at the boy skeptically.

“Hey.” he said, smiling. “I'm Silas! I've heard you've been in here for a long time; you ready to get out?”

“Whatever…” Jade kept her eyes to the ground. Don't get attached, she told herself; he'll just dump you like Mom did. Don't get attached; don't even make conversation….

“You alright?” Silas inquired. Jade nodded curtly. “Well, if you're sure… Hey, I need to fill out a few papers and stuff, so why don't you go wait in the lobby?”

“Sure.” the Ruki mumbled. When Silas turned back to the red Uni and asked to see the clipboard she was holding, Jade dragged herself to the lobby.



In the lobby, she saw Dr. Death at his desk, going through some files. When he saw her, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“What are you doing out here?” drawled the Techo.

“What are you doing out here?” Jade answered. One full year of being completely alone had not done wonders for her attitude. “I'm getting adopted, why do you think?”

“Well you had better work on that tone, young lady, or we might be seeing each other sooner than you think.” retorted Death, his cold eyes boring into hers. “Of course, that young man might just get tired of you, like your dear mother…” That did it. Jade leapt out of her seat and at the Techo, catching him in a headlock.

“Don't…you…dare…mention her,” Jade hissed, “You twisted, scaly old bast—”

“What's going on in here?!” Silas and the red Uni had just entered the lobby. Jade relinquished her hold on the doctor and retreated to a corner.

“I don't know, Eileen; I was just going through some paperwork and she just attacked me!” said the Techo in a surprisingly convincing voice. Eileen the Uni looked from Death to Jade with a dubious look on her face.

“Perhaps we can…overlook this situation. She is being adopted today, after all.” Eileen pawed the floor uneasily.

“So I've heard.” murmured Death, leering unpleasantly at the Ruki. Jade withdrew further into her corner.

Nice job, moron. That'll earn me another fifteen years… Jade was lost in thought when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Silas' face.

“I'll repeat…” he said softly, “You ready to get out?”







Author's Note: Once again, I don't own Neopets. Sorry for the dreadfully short chapter, but I wanted to start a new chapter when she gets out of the pound. We'll get to the one-sided romance-y stuff soon, I promise! Don't give up on me yet!

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