markdown-monster-club/chapters/chapter_36.md

# Chapter 36

Abraham sat on the roof of the building for a while. Annie had fallen asleep in his lap and was leaning back against his chest. He didn’t want to move and wake her up. Tori was flying around in the sky giggling and laughing up above. Michelle was standing and stretching. She looked exhausted…she needed rest more than anyone now. Abraham wanted to tell her to get some sleep, and yet Michelle, despite being a friend, still gave off a very intimidating presence. It was hard to give her orders…and that was perhaps why she maintained her leadership status over the club. She was so much stronger than Abraham seemed to realize, and he was learning this with each passing day.
“You okay?” Abraham asked.
“I’m fine.” She yawned. “We need to discuss our plans for the day. Meet me back down with the rest of the club in 10 minutes.”
“How do I get down?”
“Same way I am.” Michelle replied. She turned and walked back to the edge and dropped down, using her hands to help hang from the edge of the roof. She let go and dropped with a soft thunk as she landed on the concrete below. “It’s not that long a drop! You’ll be okay.”
“Ugh…” Abraham sighed. He looked down at Annie and pat her head lightly to wake her. She gave a gentle groan and looked up drearily.
“Huh?”
“We gotta go.” Abraham muttered. “Wake up.” Annie gave a soft nod of understanding and stretched her arms. In her left hand, clutched tightly, was her stuffed animal, Mr. Blacky. She seemed to go everywhere with the tattered thing, and yet she looked only 11 years old. She seemed too old to clutch a stuffed toy like that. However, to Abraham, it was oddly adorable. He stood up and walked to the edge of the building. He held out his hand to Annie and she took it.
“How do we get down?” She asked. “I was on Michelle’s back when I got up here.”
“Then…I guess you’ll get down on mine.” Abraham bent down for Annie to climb on. With a smile, Annie leaped onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck to hold on. Abraham moved to the edge, already worried about hurting himself or Annie. “Ugh…this is gonna be a pain.”
“HEY!” Abraham spun around to see Tori landing behind him. “Ya’ll playing a game?”
“No we’re…just trying to climb down.” Abraham explained.
“Well why didn’t ya say so silly? Here, I’ll give ya a hand! She flew up and landed with her talons tightly gripping Abraham’s shoulders. She reached out with her hands and took both of Annie’s. Then with powerful beats from her wings, she lifted both up and slowly brought them down to the ground again. Annie let out a squeal as her little boots dangled and finally met the ground. “See? Nothing to it!”
“ASK before you do that again.” Abraham gasped, surprised at how out of breath he felt. He must have been holding his breath as they were lowered down.
“Sorry! Got excited.” Tori giggled. “I gotta go though. Got my chores and stuff.”
“Chores?” Annie asked.
“Yeah!” Tori nodded. “Naomi has Mato and I doing chores all the time to keep the place tidy and safe. My job is to do patrols from the sky every 3 hours. I guess it’s time to go. I’ll see ya when I see ya!” With a laugh that reminded Abraham of a hawks cry, Tori flew off and into the sky. Abraham watched her go and smiled a bit. Unlike Naomi and Mato, Tori seemed so much more fun loving and accepting. It was a relief to know he wasn’t hated by everyone here.
“I like her.” Annie giggled.
“Me too. Now let’s head inside.” Abraham pulled Annie a long as they hurried to meet with the others. Michelle already had the gang gathered together with her in the center, ready to give out their own chores and orders for the day. Seeing Abraham approach, Michelle finally began addressing the Monster Club.

“Alright guys, so it’s painfully clear that we aren’t going anywhere right now. We don’t have any safe havens to run too. So for the time being, this is our home.” Michelle stated.
“Are sure of this?” Tamil asked. “It smells of tires and mice poop.”
“Suck it up, dusty.” Katie laughed. “It’s not much different than your old room.”
“Both of you cut it out.” Calypso muttered. It was so rare to hear Calypso counter or speak up like this. But Michelle’s glance seemed less than surprised…in fact Calypso’s response made Michelle look concerned. “It’s not bad here.”
“Listen, we’ve got to make this place our temporary home, so we all have work to do to make it livable. Sarah, I want you to take Annie and set up your trip wire silk around the area, like when Katie had gone missing.”
“Why do you want me to go?” Annie asked.
“I want you to learn the escape routes by traveling around the perimeter with Sarah.” Michelle answered.
“Oh…okay!” Annie smiled. Sarah took Annie’s hand and grinned.
“We’ll have fun, Annie. I promise.” Sarah assured her, her eyes blinking excitedly.
“Asher, I know it’s daylight and you’re exhausted, so get some sleep. Tonight you’ll be on patrol.”
“Sure.” Asher agreed.
“Calypso and I are going to go into town today to buy some supplies like food and personal hygiene materials.”
“Are you saying we stink?” Abraham laughed.
“Not unless I’m downwind of you, sweetie.” Michelle countered, making the rest laugh as well.
“Michelle, would you mind if I go with Naomi? She said she’s going fishing today and I’d like to join her and catch up.” Calypso asked. Michelle shook her head.
“No, I want you with me to go to the store for now.” Michelle replied. “Sorry Calypso, but I need your help with some seafood items.” Calypso nodded. “Why don’t you go ahead and fix your hair to hide your fin ears?” Michelle offered. Calypso sighed and nodded going off to go make herself presentable. Michelle then lost her smile and turned to Katie.
“Calypso and Naomi are good friends…which means Calypso is sympathetic towards her and the other two. If these three are up to something or dangerous in any way, I’d rather an unbiased party learn about it. Katie, YOU will go with Naomi fishing today and-”

“What’s that?” Michelle was interrupted by the sound of another voice approaching. Naomi was walking towards them with a small smile on her face. Her sharp teeth were showing and she was holding a large net in her hands. “I thought someone mentioned fishing. I could certainly use a companion, and Mato is too busy to join me.”
“I’ll go.” Katie offered. Naomi shook her head.
“Thanks hun, but I don’t think you’d take to fishing that much….how about you?” She turned her attention towards Abraham. Abraham jumped a little and pointed at himself as if confirming her statement.
“Me?”
“Yeah. You know how to fish?”
“Now hold on a sec!” Michelle growled. “What do you want with Abraham?”
“Just wanna fish with him.” Naomi replied, slightly surprised. “I promise I’m not gonna bite him or anything. I don’t get to meet many ‘friendly’ humans…might give me a chance to get to know him. Besides, Calypso says he’s really unique.”
“Sorry but I don’t thi-”
“Sure.” Abraham finally spoke up.
“Abraham!?”
“I want to go.” Abraham argued. “I’d like to.”
“Perfect. Meet me outside in 5 minutes.” Naomi laughed, walking past them to exit the warehouse. As she left, everyone rounded on Abraham.
“Abraham what’re you doing!? We can’t trust them! Not after what Mato did last night.”
“Look, I don’t think she’ll try to hurt me. If she did, she knows that she has to face all of you when she comes back without me.” Abraham reasoned. “And besides, maybe she’s not so bad. I mean Calypso vouches for her…maybe we could give her the benefit of the doubt, like we did with Annie?”
“It risky…” Tamil grumbled. “I hear much sarcasm in voice. She not like you much.”
“I’d prefer it if someone went with you, Abraham.” Michelle argued.
“Yeah, I’ll go!” Katie agreed. “You need someone watching your back.”
“I don’t need a bodyguard guys.” Abraham laughed. “I think it’ll be okay. We got through to Tori right? Well…maybe we can get through to her too?”
“Let him go.” Asher agreed. “If there’s a problem, all he has to do is scream and I’ll be able to hear it…or at least Tamil will with those impeccable ears of his.”
“Hear your sarcasm too, Asher.” Tamil snapped.
“Either way, she may not be our friend…but I don’t think she’s our enemy either.” Asher stated. Abraham nodded his agreement.
“I’ll be careful, I promise.” Abraham assured them. Michelle finally sighed and nodded her head giving a smile.
“I trust you, Abraham…I just don’t trust them.” Michelle muttered. “Stay safe.”

“Ready to go?” Naomi asked, seeing Abraham exit the warehouse. Abraham nodded at her as she began walking towards the forest. “There’s a lake not far off where we do our fishing. A river runs into that lake and a lot of fish like to stay close to that spot where the two meet because the river brings in food from upriver.”
“Sounds like a good plan to me.” Abraham agreed. The two walked in silence for a bit, making no sound as they did. Abraham was beginning to feel more and more awkward and anxious the more they traveled. After an hour of walking they finally could see the line of the water ahead of them. The water shimmered in the rising sun, making it look more like a field of diamonds than a lake. However the smell of water was intoxicatingly pleasant, making Abraham almost forget his present company.
“So, now that we’re alone like this…why don’t you answer me a question.” Naomi offered, turning to face him a scowl on her face. “What’re you after?”
“Huh?”
“You’re after something. What do you want?”
“Um…fish? Didn’t you invite me on-”
“Jesus, you’re slow. What the hell are you doing with that group of monsters? Why’re you traveling with them? What are you hoping to gain?” She snapped. Abraham paused a moment and shrugged.
“I’m not after anything. The club took me in when I had nowhere else to go and made me a part of the family. I help them like they help me.”
“Yeah, maybe in a perfect world I’d buy something that romantic. But forgive me for being a skeptic.” Naomi scoffed. Abraham couldn’t hide the sneer on his own face.
“Look, I know you don’t like me. That’s painfully obvious. But why? What’ve I done to you?”
“Nothing…yet anyway.” Naomi growled, walking towards the lake again. “But you’re right…I don’t trust you. In my opinion, you shouldn’t even be here.”
“Calypso doesn’t mind me being here, and neither does the rest of the club.”
“Calypso is foolish. She doesn’t understand the true nature of humanity, despite constant proof. And as for your club, I can tell none of them have been at this very long. Your leader Michelle is the only one who I can tell has a firm head on her shoulders as far as caution and understanding goes.”
“And what IS the true nature of humanity?” Abraham snapped.
“Deception.” Naomi hissed. “Humans are a weak and pitiful race. They are pathetic. They have no strength to speak of, and they know it. That’s why they lie and cheat each other, going into countless wars and creating all new and inventive ways of bringing death to one another. What good can come from trusting such despicably weak creatures!?” Abraham simply stared at her. The woman before was unlike any of the other club members. Her opinion on humanity was not built on fear or on past experience…it was sheer superiority and distrust.
“Naomi, I’m not like that, I promise!”
“Maybe not…” Naomi muttered. “but I don’t believe in promises, I believe in actions. And I still can’t help but wonder why you’d choose to help the club of monsters you’re with now. Aren’t you afraid of them?”
“I was at first, I admit. But they opened my eyes, ya know? I don’t see them as monsters anymore. They’re my family.”
“Cute.” Naomi grumbled. “I really hope you mean that, human…because that sounds like a whole lot of wishful thinking…a human living with monsters…”
“Well what can I do to prove to you that I mean what I say?” Abraham asked. She rounded on Abraham and began taking off her shirt, her naked body being exposed. Abraham blushed and leaped back in horror. “WHAT’RE YOU DOING!?”
“Oh calm your perverted mind. I just don’t like getting my clothes wet from swimming.” Naomi snapped. “Just look away if it bothers you.” Abraham quickly turned his back on her, blushing furiously and trying not to think about what he’d seen. “And to answer your question, I don’t know.” Abraham heard the water sloshing and knew that Naomi had walked into the lake. Still he did not turn around.
“You don’t?”
“Look, it’s not that I don’t WANT you to prove me wrong. If by some miracle you could reveal to me that you’re something special and that humanity is redeemable, that’d be wonderful. But I have never seen any evidence to the contrary, and every human I have encountered has had only evil and nefarious desires in mind. Can you prove that humanity is not so pathetic?”
“…No I don’t think I can.” Abraham answered honestly.
“Well there’s a shred of honesty in you after all, it seems.” Naomi grumbled.
“But I CAN prove to you that I’m not like other humans.” Abraham retorted. There was a long pause and a chuckle.
“I highly doubt it…just stay out of my way, human.”
“My name is Abraham.” Naomi didn’t answer. Abraham heard a loud splash and finally turned to see that Naomi had submerged below the water, dragging her net down with her. Abraham silently hoped he could get through to her the same way he’d gotten through to Katie and Michelle…but deep in his heart he knew that Naomi was different than they were. Hers was not a matter of caution or even of past fears...Naomi was a creature of principle and her opinions towards human seemed concrete. Abraham silently feared that there was nothing he could do to change this shark girls mind.