Beats and Breaths-Lifelines

Chapter 12

Sorry, this chapter may be a bit hard to follow. But the wrinkles will be smoothed out soon, I promise! Happy new year!

Shan didn't wake up as fast as last time. After only a few minutes, the two boys stopped when Frederik noticed a splotch of blood spreading across his sister's shirt. It wasn't a very big wound; like she had jabbed her shoulder into a sharp rock too hard. But nonetheless, he tore a strip of his sleeve-which wasn't as easy as it would seem-and wrapped it.

The silence could have been cut with a knife. Leo was wringing his fingers. Frederik knew it had to hurt, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything.

He accidentally rubbed the makeshift bandage the wrong way, and Shan snorted in her sleep. He looked over and saw the boy staring at her concernedly. Furrowing his brow, he scooted her away, not quite sure why he was doing so. Leo looked hurt, and suddenly Frederik remembered all the times his lizard comforted him, nudged him away from danger, been his only companion. If the boy was telling the truth, then...well...he had done the same things. Frederik didn't understand how, but part of him knew that Leo was telling the truth.

He dropped his shoulders and let out a breath. Then he stood.

Leo looked surprised when he plopped down next to him.

"I'm sorry." Frederik breathed. "I...I believe you...Leo."

"No, it's me who should apologize."

He raised an eyebrow. "That's an awfully nice thing to say, and it's quite cliche, but it really makes no sense."

Leo laughed. It was the kind of laugh through the nose, that comes out like a sort of snort. Frederik smiled.

"Because," He continued, "There was no reason for you to believe me. Still isn't. You had blind faith. So i'm gonna prove it."

Frederik's eyes widened. He glanced at the still-sleeping Shan.

"Now?"

He gave him a dubious look, then waggled his long fingers.

"Scared of the truth, Fred?"

Frederik faked a gasp.

"Fred? How dare you, Gecko Head?"

Leo laughed again, doubling over.

"That doesn't even make sense! Seeing as you-" He pointed his finger at the squinting boy and finished, "Still have no proof!"

"Fine! Since you are so full of yourself!" Despite the words, both were beaming. Leo had only ever had one brother, Chamois. Who, at 8, had been much too proud to show any brotherly affection to awkward, 4 year old Leo. Even though Frederik had always been closer to his heart than Chamois ever had, as a lizard, he couldn't exactly show much affection.

Frederik had mostly grown up with girls. Juo wasn't quite the type to climb trees with him, at least not now. As for Shan, he loved her with all his heart, but she was different, and would follow a different path as she grew up. With no dad, and a sick mom, he had nothing to guide him but his heart and head.

After they both caught their breath, Leo winked. "That's not too hard."

The transformation started with his nose, on the tiny dot. From the center outward, a wave of color spread. On it rode crests of dots and swirls of stripes. It covered his body like a blanket, and his clothes were wrapped up inside. Before anything else happened, it looked as if the boy was wearing a leopard gecko body suit. Then, with a disturbing clink, his thumb and biggest toe pushed back and elongated-which was honestly saying something. His nose and mouth pushed together, and his elbows and knees bent oddly as he fell on all fours. Now looking more animal than human, he began to shrink. Finally his skin gained a scaly sheen, and a plump tail sprouted from his tailbone. With a blink, the fully transformed and familiar Leo looked up at the towering boy.

Frederik's jaw dropped, and with that, he fell to the ground next to Shan.

In only a second, Leo was standing beside him, sighing. Then he plopped down next to them, expecting a long wait.

"The places have switched."

He jumped a foot, banging his shortened tailbone on a rock. He cussed, and Shan raised her head off the ground.

Leo sighed and stood, readying his transformation again.

"You don't need to."

"To....?" His tone was a question, and she rubbed her cold, bare arms as she answered.

"Transform. It was rather impressive."

Leo smiled. Shan noticed him rubbing his spine, and her eyebrows pursed.

"Are you ok?" She stood quickly. "Do you need help? Did it hurt?"

He smiled. At his easygoing face, she let her jaw unclench.

"So, I suppose I should still call you Leo?"

He nodded. His shoulders fell comfortably.

"Leo would be good. May I ask how you are alive?"

She gestured to her brother.

"As harrowing of a tale as it is," Shan paused, rolling a kink out of her back, "and as painful and annoying, it's really not the time."

"Yeah." He glanced at Frederik. "Think you can carry him?"

She blinked, and placed a hand on her hip.

"I think i'll like you as a human, Leo."

"Yeah...I guess i'll carry him."