The Ferals Part 6

The city came into view. Silvy’s heart raced with the possibility of getting caught. Her mind wandered to the Feral families and how they were being treated. The fear vanished. It didn’t matter what happened to her. She had to help them.

The hustle and bustle of people created a sort of chaotic dance all around inside the city. Everyone went about their daily lives with no thought to what was really happening. Silvy swerved in and out of traffic to get to the café where she would meet that woman again. Her curiosity was killing her. She wanted to stop and read what was in the note but decided it was best she didn’t snoop. If they needed her to do more, she would. For now, this would have to be enough.

She parked her scooter in front of the coffee shop and went in. It was crowded as usual but there was one table open. After getting her coffee she navigated the shop and sat down. The woman wasn’t here yet. Silvy knew she couldn’t stay long without getting another earful from her mother.

A light tap on her shoulder caused Silvy to jump. “Mind if I sit here with you? All the other tables are taken.”

Silvy looked up to see the same woman she had talked to before. “Sure. I don’t mind at all.”

The woman set her things down and went to order a drink. When she returned, she took out her old computer and set up all she needed to do whatever it is she did. The same symbol Silvy had seen before was still there. It seemed to shine at her, almost trying to get her attention.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” Silvy twisted her napkin in her hands.

“Sure. What’s up?” The woman didn’t even look up from what she was doing.

“What does that symbol mean?”

This caused the woman to stop what she was doing. She looked up at Silvy. Her eyes narrowed. “What symbol?”

Silvy pointed to the one she meant. “That one.”

With her eyes still narrowed, the woman looked between Silvy and the symbol on her laptop. “Don’t ask questions you are not ready to be answered.”

Silvy sat up. “But I am ready. I want to know.”

“No, you don’t. Not yet and not here.”  She went back to typing on her computer.

Disappointed, Silvy reached in and took the note in her hand. She slid it to the woman. “Here’s your grocery list.” Without another word, Silvy stood and left.

Days and then weeks went by like this. It all began to seem like a blur. The most enjoyment Silvy every got was when she interacted with the Ferals. They were kind and giving, not vicious and terrible like the news kept telling everyone. They weren’t mindless killing machines. She was even invited to one of the kits’ birthday parties. Now that was fun.

The news kept blaring about all the death and war going on in the outer circle of our zone. The Ferals were fighting hard to keep the enemy out. They were really good fighters but only because they had to be.

At the end of every week, Silvy would ask both Tom and the woman to give her more to do. Every week they said she wasn’t ready. How could delivering messages help the Ferals?

At the end of month two, she approached Tom again. “Let me do more. Haven’t I proved to you that I am willing to do whatever needs to be done?”

Tom scratched his chin as he looked Silvy over. “You have proven yourself. I think you are finally ready.”