TANALYA GREENEWOD: World 10

Eighteen

Jokx got up and shut his ears immediately, pacing up and down the room. Tanalya raised a brow and watched him closely. She knew he would get anxious, but this was a bit off character... actually, he had been more sarcastic, annoyed and emotive lately. It was in a way refreshing, but it was also a bit creepy. She wondered if it had anything to do with his mother again.

He suddenly stopped and then looked at her for a moment. He sighed and face palmed over and over.

"Why did you tell me that?" he stated, "I missed just ONCE and you tell me... seriously?!"

"I'm confused... I know the meeting is a big deal, and this will change things but... I thought telling you would be the only reasonable thing,"

"Why would you think that?"

"Because we are friends and I trust you?" She was even more confused. To say this wasn't what she expected was an understatement. She had expected to be thrown into a car and get locked up as they used her for experiments and had even expected him to question her about the meeting and everything, not complain over and over about why she had told him. In logical terms it was normal that she trusted him with the knowledge. She still got the strange aura off him, but the danger levels were close to gone. He was strange quirky Jokx and she was used to it.

"I knew that was a bad idea," He muttered, but she heard loud and clear.

"What was a bad idea?" He ignored her question by asking another.

"Why do you trust me? Do you realize what this will cause for you?! You could die, you'll be used as trash," He groaned, "Pretending to be your friend was the wrong move," He complained and her breath hitched.

"Excuse me? Pretending?"He froze and attempted to wave her off but she had the last straw for the day, "Wait, you know what? Don't tell me. You don't need to elaborate how much of a jerk you are. I didn't beg you to take care of me. I didn't beg for anything. If we aren't friends then you could have just said so, not bloody pretend? You can bloody walk out of here right now, guard. No more need to pretend you lying prick!" He let out an exasperated breath and the aura around them both changed. She was mad and from him... she felt guilt from him. But only for a second before it was gone. It was replaced with irritation and then equal frustration.

"It was a mistake on my part. You didn't need to hear that,"

"Oh, but I did!" She got up, squeezing her hands to fists, "To think I took you like a friend... like a brother. Hell, I even looked up to you in a way. If this is just your job, well you're officially fired. Now get the hell-"

The world around froze and Jokx let out a relieved sigh and watched a Bish came in through the window.

"You know you're so dramatic right?" He stated to his dog and folded his arms. Time had frozen. All but he could move at this moment and he looked at the angry girl's face and sighed, walking past her and picking up his dog. He felt bad for what he was about to do but felt it was the most reasonable thing. He had uttered some words he shouldn't have. He would never truly be able to fix it if that was the case between them.

"You made me choose between the link and you. How did you think I would make things happen?" Bish said in a human voice that would have sound like a bark to every other normal person. Jokx's eyes softened and he looked at Tanalya Greenewod once again.

"We'll have to rewind time," He stated and the dog gave him a pissed look.

"You mean I'll have to rewind time. I had to do it anyway; this would affect her purpose." Bish mumbled incoherent words to herself, "Stupid peace," She jumped off Jokx and looked at the girl standing in the middle of the room, "Thank the heavens I didn't make any Time Specials, you would have destroyed the balance a long time ago,"

"You can fix it; you just don't like doing anything,"

"I'm the Writer, not the person you call every time you have a problem,"

"But I call you every time I have a problem," Bish gave her owner the stink eye and then lay down on the ground.

"Are you going to tell her?"

"You tell me, you made me,"

"Ah, it's not bad to entertain myself once in a while,"

"I'm pretty sure you get entertained enough,"

"Hey! I don't remember every single thing I write! Sue me for getting a bit excited once in a while,"

"Whatever you say Bish,"

"You know, a whole race of super humans respect me,"

"They respect the Writer not a dog that belongs to Jeremiah Kaleen,"

"I was so good when I wrote these lines for you," Jokx gave her a pissed look.

"That's kind of annoying," Bish smiled and then stretched before wiping over Tanalya with her paw. Things began to reverse and the two watched as she planted herself on the bed in anticipation as to want to tell him. A few more seconds and everything stopped.

"That's far back enough I guess. Don't screw it this time, okay. I'm going back to bed," Bish began to make her way back out the window before pausing. She looked at her owner before smiling and jumping out the window again. Jokx sighed and took his position there beside Tanalya just as time started again.

"You've been acting weird again... did something happen?" Tanalya asked and Jokx knew he had to fix it this time.

"Yes, something did happen. But I don't want to talk about it," Tanalya blinked, a bit startled that he had actually told her that, "We would need to get Bish tomorrow, for now you should rest. Thanks for worrying though. I'm going to take a bath," He stalked off into the bathroom and shut the door before splashing water on his face and staring at the mirror. It had been so long that he's lived like this. As far back as he could remember. Now he was used to it.

**

"Jeremiah," The boy got up quickly at the sound of his name from his favorite person in the world. He quickly ran as fast as his scrawny legs could take him and jumped into the hands of his father with great enthusiasm. His father chuckled, "Good boy," 7-year-old Jeremiah Kaleen laughed. He loved hanging out with his father. His mother despised him, but his father provided him with the love he needed. He enjoyed life despite its odds.

(^ ^)

The next chapters would be a sneak peek of Jokx's life.