Longing For Love

      An angry fire Lupe stormed up the stairs and to his room, flinging open the door, making it bang against the wall with much force. He threw in a couple clean shirts and pants into his dark green backpack and grabbed his Petpet, Tsunami, a fire Angelpuss, in his arms and ran down the stairs. Waiting at the bottom was his sister, Halo, a Christmas Cybunny, and his owner, Sandra, standing there, eyes wide and jaws dropped. The Lupe, seeing that the door was wide open, slipped out just in time before Halo or Sandra could grab him.

      Keraki was said to be the most angry, depressed Lupe on the face of the earth. Although his owner showered him with toys and delicious foods, it never seemed to be enough. Keraki was always rude and insulting to his family and friends. He had made several attempts to escape from school, but the teachers always found out and threw him in the office, almost literally screaming their heads off at him. Keraki would simply fold his arms and tap his foot on the ground, staring at the wall as the principal yelled at him for running off and his grades slipping. Keraki also had a problem with hurting other classmates. He broke the world record for getting sent to the office for throwing sharp objects at the teacher or other students. Whenever the principal was forced to speak to Sandra, all Sandra could manage to say was that Keraki needed time. But time passed, and Keraki just got worse. But this time, it was the last straw for him. When Sandra grounded him from going to the huge Twisted Roses concert that he had been wanting to go to for so long, he was enraged and he lost it. He ran to his room, packed, and slipped out the door. Where our story begins...

      Keraki grumbled angrily as he moped down the dark, dusty sidewalk, kicking a can with Tsunami following sadly at his side. I don't need them, Keraki thought constantly. They only ruined my life and made me angry. He knew that he had done nothing wrong, and he didn't need an owner or sister or any type of family or friend! He could survive alone. No sweat! He was so confident that he could finally be alone, that he forgot the issue about food. And shelter. It was about nine o' clock at night when he was wandering the streets, and he decided that he should stay the night at a nearby park. Sandra and Halo would never suspect to look there. Keraki walked onto the park lawn and searched for somewhere, anywhere to sleep. He settled for a simple bench. Keraki brushed the leaves off it and lay down. He wrapped his arms around his knees and curled up in a ball for warmth, while Tsunami slept on the pile of leaves that Keraki brushed off it. Keraki looked around, and saw other poor people sleeping on the street or on benches as well. They all looked so dirty and cold. It looked like they had been on the streets for a long time. Keraki trembled and shivered, mostly tossing and turning the whole night.

      When Keraki awoke at about six, he washed up in the park bathroom and looked on the picnic tables, looking for any scrap of food. All he found was an old potato. Keraki picked it up and lifted it to his lips, biting into the wrinkled skin and chewing. It was dry and flavorless and stuck to his throat when he tried to swallow. He wiped his mouth and finally hit the road again.

      Keraki walked about fifty miles until he collapsed outside the outskirts of Meridell. Keraki panted, tired, thirsty, and hungry. He gathered himself up, urging himself to keep moving. He walked a few times around Meridell, and found a home for runaway kids like him. He stared at the old building that was the so-called home where he would soon be staying. It was white with a creaky porch and the paint was chipping off. Keraki walked up to the door and knocked nervously. A male red Acara opened the door and asked angrily, "What do you want?"

      "I'm a runaway... can I stay here?" Keraki asked politely.

      The Acara poked his head outside, looking around, searching for a parent that was tagging along with this new visitor. The Acara leaned against the wall and replied finally, "Okay. Come on in."

      Keraki smiled happily as he entered and saw that in the main room there were four beds and in the hallway was a bathroom and a kitchen. Keraki threw his backpack and placed his petpet upon the lumpy, cold bed and looked around, scared. He saw a young baby Gelert sitting on his bed, trembling. The Gelert muttered something under his breath as he clutched his shoulders and shook back and forth.

      "That's Jimmy," a voice suddenly said from behind Keraki.

      Keraki spun around and stared at a perky, happy, energetic blue Lenny. "That little Gelert over there?" Keraki asked, a little surprised at how this Lenny could be so happy in such a run-down home like this.

      "Yeah, yeah, yeah! That's him all right! He's been here for the first two years of his life! Yep, yep, yep! I found him on the streets and brought him here! Yes, yes, I did!" the Lenny chanted, leaping around.

      "Oh. Well, I'm Keraki. What's your name?" Keraki questioned, stepping back, hoping that the Lenny would not suddenly go crazy.

      "Tom's the name, energy's the game! Yes, yes, yes!" the Lenny giggled happily, bounding over to Jimmy's bed and jumping up and down on it.

      Jimmy sighed and looked at Tom, his eyes filled with tears. "Stop," Jimmy insisted. His voice was quiet and low, like a mumble.

      "No, no, no!" Tom laughed, now starting to get on Jimmy's nerves.

      Keraki watched as Jimmy took the annoying jumping and sat angrily, loneliness in his eyes. If Tom was like that to Jimmy, then what would he be like to Keraki? He didn't like it here already. He walked over to the Acara he saw at the door and asked, "Hi! I don't believe I caught your name."

      "Resuno," was the angry response.

      "How long have you been here, Resuno?" Keraki asked, smiling, hoping it would make Resuno smile as well.

      Resuno's frown didn't move. "Two years or so," Resuno hissed, staring at the wall.

      "Is your family even worried?" Keraki asked, now beginning to be afraid of Resuno.

      "I don't know, and I don't care. All I know is that I'm glad I finally escaped from them. I hope they never come to get me," Resuno replied, almost yelling. "Now wash up. Dinner is almost ready."

      Keraki nodded slowly, thinking, Great... there's a mean, nasty Acara, an annoying Lenny, and a depressed Gelert... this has to be the worst place ever. He groaned angrily and shook his head, actually wishing that he was back home when he sat down at the dinner table, next to Jimmy, who was staring at Tom angrily with revenge in his eyes as he balanced a spoon on his beak. Resuno entered the room with a bowl filled with something smelling with a terrible aroma. Resuno walked over to Keraki and grabbed his plate and threw a glop of some unknown food onto it, then threw it back on the table. Keraki lifted an eyebrow as he picked up a fork and poked at the blob. It wobbled a bit, like strawberry jelly.

      "Excuse me, Resuno..." Keraki asked.

      Resuno glared angrily at Keraki as a response.

      Keraki gulped and asked, "Um, what is this?"

      "Some leftovers that we cooked together from last week. Eat it. I don't know what it contains, but hey, it's food, right?" Resuno replied.

      Keraki nodded and stared at the glob again. He took off a piece with his fork and stuck it in his mouth. Chewing slowly, he felt like spitting it right out. It tasted like rotten eggs, moldy tomatoes, and other unidentified food objects. The potato he found on the picnic table tasted better. He looked around and saw Jimmy flinging the glob across his plate, Tom still playing with the silverware, and Resuno scarfing down the glob. Keraki scooted the plate away from his face and asked, "I'm not too hungry... may I be excused?"

      "Sure, your loss," Resuno replied, his mouth full.

      Keraki ran down the hall and lay sadly on his lumpy, uncomfortable bed with Tsunami by his side, purring happily. It didn't feel much better than the park bench he slept on the other night. Keraki now longed to be back home, with his warm, comfy bed and the delicious food, but most of all, he wanted to see his family again. He couldn't believe it, but he really did, after all the years of thinking that he hated them. Keraki now realized that they were trying to help him, but he only pushed them away. He buried his face into his hard pillow and fell asleep.

      Keraki awoke to the feeling of someone shaking his arm. He opened his eyes and looked around. He saw Resuno standing there, urging him to awaken. Keraki asked him what was going on.

      "Your owner is here," Resuno answered.

      "What?" Keraki almost screamed, throwing rolling out of his bed and dashing over to the door, but froze when he saw his mother's concerned face.

      "Keraki," Sandra said, her voice not happy or angry. "Let's go."

      Keraki gulped and grabbed his backpack and walked out the door with Tsunami following at his heels. Busted, he thought with a shiver.

      Keraki rode home on the back on Sandra's bike, his fur tossing in the breeze. Sandra didn't speak at all to him, she just stared ahead and peddled down the streets. Finally, after a long time of sitting on the bike, they reached their cozy home. Keraki got off the bike first and turned the doorknob, already feeling the warmth of his home. He opened the door and saw Halo sitting there in a green chair, tears filling her eyes. She looked up and saw her brother. Halo screamed with delight and dashed over to him and threw her arms around him, giving him the biggest hug she had ever given.

      "Hey, Halo," Keraki squeaked, Halo hugging him harder.

      "Is it good to be home?" Sandra asked, walking in and hugging them both.

      "Yes, it is. Better than it ever was," Keraki sighed, looking around at his home happily. He watched as Tsunami curled up on the couch and he lifted his nose to the smell of chicken roasting in the oven. It was a great smell to come home to. With the roaring fire, the wonderful scents, and the loving, caring family, home was probably the only thing that was going through Keraki's mind.

     The End