The next morning came bright and clear, and Karson hopped out of bed after a brief stretch. The clock read just past 9 AM. He opened his door silently and found Rachel's still closed. He quietly crept into the living room and scanned the meager bookshelf in the corner.
A wide variety of titles sat on the shelf in no apparent order. He pulled out a thin, worn book that seemed older than the rest. The cover was faded and bent with use, and there was a painting of a man and woman holding hands. He did not recall ever seeing the title: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Karson decided to try it when he saw the words "classic tale of romance" in the back cover description.
He curled up on the couch and began to read. The morning passed quietly, with an occasional noise from tenants coming or going. He was well into the second act of the story when he heard a distinctive shuffle from Rachel's room, and she emerged a few minutes later.
She passed through the living room, into the kitchen and straight to her coffee maker. Karson listened as she went through the process of setting a pot to brew, and she appeared at the threshold of the living room. She yawned and looked over at him as he held the book.
"Hey Karson. What'cha got there?"
"I found this among your books; Romeo and Juliet. It is very interesting."
Rachel smiled.
"Ah, I see. I had to read that in high school. I take it you've never read Shakespeare?"
He shook his head no.
"I won't spoil the ending for you then. What kind of stuff do you like to read?"
Karson pondered a moment and shrugged his narrow shoulders.
"I am not sure; I never gave it much thought. I have just read whatever is available."
Rachel sat next to him on the couch.
"Well, sure but I mean you can't like everything you read, right? There must be some things you liked more than others?"
"Oh, well if you put it that way, yes. I actually like the romantic stories the best."
He smiled.
"I enjoy it when the story has a happy ending."
Rachel giggled lightly.
"So you're a romantic softy, eh?"
He seemed a little self-conscious about having revealed his tastes to Rachel.
"I like those stories, too," she added.
His tail thumped behind him.
"There's nothing wrong with a little sci-fi though," Rachel continued, "I guess I'm more into that lately. Have you ever read Isaac Asimov?"
Karson shook his head.
"Ah, well, there's plenty of time for that."
There was a loud beep from the kitchen and Rachel jumped up. A moment later she sat back down with a steaming cup in her hands.
"I don't suppose you drink coffee?"
She eyed him and took a sip.
"No, I do not care for it."
"Mm, too bad. But if there's anything in particular you want, like tea or something, just let me know, 'kay?"
He nodded.
"Shower time! I'll show you the computer after lunch."
Rachel disappeared into her room and Karson resumed reading. He got absorbed in the book and did not notice when Rachel was once more in the kitchen. She asked him a question, which brought his attention back to reality.
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A Companion's Journey
الخيال العلميThe not so distant future is a place where society now has sentient animals called Companions. This is the story of one Companion, Karson, in his journey to find a place in the world and his own companionship along the way. ~ I welcome any feedback...
