Chapter 17 - The First Six Hours...

“The REAL reason.” Ekyt emphasized. Linda looked nervous, but recovered quickly, giving the impression that she was hiding something. “Well…It’s like this. There aren’t a lot of echidnas, and there are lots of humans.” She was still gripping his hand and upper arm as she finished. “I’m hoping I’ll meet someone, I guess. My brother died young, and he was alone…I don’t want the same thing to happen to me.” She tried to gauge his reaction. If he HAD one, he kept it hidden very well.

Two younger guys, about 16 or so, decided to make some…well, some comments to Linda that made her new ears redden. “Why don’t you idiots back off? If you’re trying to get my attention, let me warn you, you’d get the WRONG kind of attention.” Ekyt put an arm on her shoulder gently. “Relax, don’t get worked up over these clowns.” “Who’s the freak in the coat?” At that Ekyt’s head snapped up. He strode menacingly toward them. “I was under the impression you just insulted her, and then myself. So, if I were in your position, I would apologize to her.” Ekyt said, a smile on his face despite his obvious anger. “Or what…freak?” Ekyt’s smile vanished at that. “I seem to have touched a nerve.” Ekyt grabbed the kid by his shirt and stuffed his forearm under his chin. “It’s not a nerve you want to touch. Now apologize.” Ekyt’s voice left no room for argument.

“Ekyt, let it go. These guys are idiots.” Linda muttered. “You’ve had more hands on you than a doorknob!” The one Ekyt wasn’t currently choking laughed. He stopped when Linda tackled him and began to crack him across the face. The one Ekyt was dealing with was struggling to get away. He kneed Ekyt in the stomach. Finally having enough reason to lambaste the little punk, Ekyt did so. This touched off a fight as two more of their friends came running.

Ekyt tossed the kid he had just hit down, and stared down the two others, who no longer seemed so intent on helping the guy Linda was demolishing. Instead, they helped their other friend up and ran off. Ekyt watched them run, then gently pulled Linda off what was left of the guy she had just demolished. “Okay, I think you’ve made your point.” Ekyt said gently as Linda stopped struggling against him. “I guess so. Still…I wonder why he said that…I never got that reaction before…” Linda said thoughtfully. It hit her as she went to scratch her head, feeling hair instead of fur. “It’s a human thing. Unfortunately.” Ekyt replied. “If you don’t mind my asking…there’s something you’re not telling me. That’s perfectly alright; I don’t want to pressure you.” Linda looked as if she was going to say something, but stopped. Ekyt decided to fill the gap. “So, are you going to stay human?”

As they walked back toward the others, one man saw fit to swat Linda on the butt. Ekyt swung around, grabbing the man around the neck. “I don’t approve of that. And I’m sure she doesn’t either dirtbag.” Ekyt clamped down for a minute, holding the struggling man easily (Cool thing about pressure points), despite the man having the strength advantage. “Ekyt…may I?” Linda asked. Ekyt, not fully understanding, let the man go. Linda slapped him so hard it drew blood. She knelt down near his face. “I hope you’ve learned something.” She said pleasantly.

“I DID tell you the truth…Just not all of it.” Linda said. Ekyt looked over, taking a minute to remember what she was talking about. “That’s alright. It’s your business, I shouldn’t have pried.” “You weren’t prying, you were being concerned. That means a lot in and of itself, you know. “The fact is, this is something you need to know. I have twenty-four hours to decide to stay this way. That’s not to say I couldn’t be a human again, but if I stay human, it’s permanent.” Ekyt was wondering why she was saying all this.

He couldn’t relax too long. He suddenly realized Linda had stopped. She had a gun to her back. “What? What is it you’re after?” Ekyt asked the man holding Linda around the neck. Linda look more angry than scared. Ekyt made eye contact with her and decided to let her handle the problem…mostly. “I’m after this little dumpling here” The man said with a hearty laugh. “What is going on today? I’ve had to rip WAY too many people apart today. If you like your jaw where it is, you’d better back off…” Ekyt warned. “One step and I kill her!” Linda’s eyes flashed upward. “You haven’t asked me my opinion.” Linda said simply. She turned around slowly, her hands up.

As soon as she did, she grabbed the man’s gun hand while stepping to the side. He shot, missing her. She kicked him in the back of the head to distract him before bringing her elbow down on his wrist, breaking it. She kicked the gun away, calling for someone to get him medical attention.

“Ekyt, I need to tell you this. I” Linda’s voice trailed off. Ekyt was holding his left arm. His stoic expression didn’t fool her. “Let me see.” She said. “I’m fine.” He said evasively. “Don’t lie to me. I can tell. I’m still echidna inside.” She said flatly, insinuating that her senses were better than average. “Okay, but you’re going to regret looking.” He held his arm out. “My God, that shot hit you?!” “It just nicked the end of my shoulder.” He said, ignoring a growing burning sensation.

Linda looked at him. “Look…you don’t have to be all stoic around me.” Her eyes met his briefly. “It’s not just around you. It’s everyone. I’ve been this way for a long time. Never related to people. I think you’re the first human to fully accept me for who and what I am. I think I even scared Elise.” He said with a small smile, which turned to a grimace briefly as a new wave of pain shot through his arm. Linda looked at him, a worried expression crossing her smooth features. “I’m going to say this really quick Ekyt, before we get interrupted. I wanted to try being human because of you. The stuff you do, it really impresses me. It never occurred to me all the trouble I would get in being human. I’m going to stay a human for the rest of the twenty-four hours at least, I’m not sure what I want to do.” Ekyt nodded in an understanding manner. “I think you’ll make the right choice, I can’t pretend to know too much about you, but I can tell you’re not just another pretty face. You’re smart.”

Linda considered this. Anyone else would most likely be crying, and he’s telling me I’m pretty and smart? This is a rare breed of cat…It’s not fair for me to string him along like this…he deserves a definite answer…but I can’t say it either way… “C’mon, let’s get this bandaged up.”

As she wound a bandage around his shoulder, he chuckled softly. “You know, that’s not a normal reaction to getting shot.” She said mildly. “I was just thinking that this is how we first met…me getting shot and you bandaging me up. Of course, at that point I was a lot better off. I was ruling a country. Now I’m trying and failing to escape the same country. I must come across as pathetic.” Ekyt murmured, some merriment in his voice. “No you don’t!” she said, letting a little too much of her feelings creep into the short sentence. “You’re not pathetic! You’d just been dumped by two girls! If anyone is pathetic, it’s me! I tried to be something I’m not, just to impress…everyone.” She had stopped herself just in time.

But she had a feeling the mysterious human in front of her already knew how she felt. She wondered if he was as confused as she was.

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