I didn't want to return to Able.
Seeing her expectant face turn to one of sadness when I told her of my departure was not anything I wanted to see the old woman be burdened with.
I drove slower than usual on the way there; took in the scenary that i often ignored, and tried to push down the sadness when I saw the others working in thier line.
Thier faces lifted while I kept mine down as I shuffled towards them.
Azalea was the first to notice something was wrong. She approached slowly and tried to look into my eyes I kept on the ground.
I didn't want them to see me so weak. Everyone here has become like family to me, especially Able.
She was like a mother to me. I could turn to her for anything. She had seen me at my lowest, my most shameful, and proudest. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaL1twJctto
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She was the one who nudged me in the right direction with River. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNKTuFV4iv
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Without her, there would have been no us. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAM83otUfb6
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My feelings would have been buried under the fear forever.
"I'm leaving" I mumbled finally to everyone crowded around me.
"Leaving?" Leaf breathed at my eyes glancing up to him "like, forever?"
He sounded so hurt. It stung at my already raw pain and blinded me when I sniffed and nodded.
I didn't want to leave. But I had no choice.
"Teddy" Azalea soothed "hey, it's not the end of everything alright? We'll still be here for you."
I nodded, since my words failed me now.
"If you don't want to go, then don't" Leaf stated "you can stay here with us."
"It doesn't work like that" Solomon shook his head at Leaf's bluntness "obviously he's being forced to do it, right?"
I nodded as Leaf's arms wrapped around me.
"I thought you'd be here for ages" he sniffled "I liked having you here. You were the fun one."
I snorted at his words and wiped my streaming eyes. He did the same and stood back so Solomon could pull me against him.
"Don't be getting into anymore Cradle's while you are gone" he clapped my back "and come visit every once in a while. Whether or not we will still be here is another thing."
He parted with a smile so Emry could face me.
We both stood there uncertainly.
Emry had never been one to express positive emotion. He was the one I had told myself to be wary of since our first fight and his claim of ownership to Azalea and Petal.
He was only fighting for what he believed was his. River had been the threat, but with him long gone, it had turned to me. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt2BieNFjW9
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Thee had been nothing physical between us since then, but his eyes had never left my movements around what was precious to him.
He guarded those two with his life, as he was doing now when Petal bounded up to his side and held his hand.
"It'll actually be sad to see you go, Teddy" he finally spoke with a small smile as he extended his free hand out toward me "no hard feelings?"
I chuckled at his attempt of reconciliation and pushed his hand away so I could hug him instead.
"Its been fun, Emry. You've kept me on my toes."
He laughed at this and let go of Peatl to wrap his hands around me.
"And you've been a right pain in my arse. You and your boyfriend."
We both laughed and broke apart so we could chuckle.
"I'll miss you too, Petal" I knelt down and smiled at her "you've grown so quickly!"
She grinned at the compliment and shied behind her father.
"I guess you've got to break the news to Able" Azalea commented.
That was what I was dreading. I didn't want to let her down in any way. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIq26HybYhn
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She had always been there for me, and now I wasn't going to be here for her.
The thought of it made me tear up again.
"Let's all head up" Emry spoke "we could use the break anyway."
Everyone quickly agreed and I shouldered Emry's basket so he could hoist Petal onto his shoulders.
"It's the right thing to do, in my opinion" Solomon spoke beside me "none of this is exactly legal. They made the right choice for you."
"Is it more farmwork?" Leaf asked eagerly "or maybe something in a sweatshop?"
"A sweatshop?" I scoffed back at him "do you think they are going to tag me like this to throw me in a sweatshop?"
Leaf looked up at my ear and remained silent.
"I got a job working for an old lady named Islet" I explained to them all "she runs a dress shop. The lady said I could be useful there."
"Well, they always need someone to test run them" Emry joked.
"I'll put on a show when you come around for a fitting" I smirked back to him, hearing the others laugh.
They were all in high spirits when we passed through the shed to offload the baskets and head inside.
Islet sat in her usual spot at the kitchen table, but wasn't alone.
Another demon sat beside her, it's head rising at the noise of everyone entering.
I almost passed it off as another worker until I noticed the long rounded ears perked upwards, and it's fluffy paw hands gripping a ball of wool Able fed to the mass of yellow she was knitting.
The demon I had gifted to Leaf was no longer the neglected creature I had only seen last week.149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡueFuVa863c
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Its fur shone in the light, and it's body was on its way to fattening up with Able's food. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRGnK9JUqD
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It was much older too; peaking at maybe thirty as it sat there silently with its task.
Leaf's bundle of joy had abandoned him to stay by Able instead.
I wonder how long that had taken? Obviously the demon felt the need to age so dramatically for it to survive.
I understood it perfectly; I couldn't see Leaf caring properly for a baby anytime soon.
"That's Pistachio" Leaf gestured to the silent demon whose nose constantly twitched "turns out it's also a girl."
"And it's still a terrible name for a girl" Azalea commented when she took her place at the table.
"It is not!"
"It literally has piss in the name!" Azalea groaned back "Piss-stachio! Teddy; make him see sense!"
I giggled at the oversight while Leaf mumbled and grumbled at his choice being the right one.
"I mean, she is right" I admitted.
"Teddy!" Leaf whined and threw his hands up at me while laughter rang out.
Able smirked at me but said nothing. I turned to her instead and went to break the news to her before I noticed something different about her.
Her soul light was no longer golden. It was a radiant white that shone like a gemstone.
I looked over to Pistachio to see she also had a white soul light beneath the wool she clutched.
They had Bonded.
But why?
"You look confused, child" Able smiled at her knitting instead of me "I assure you, Pistachio is very gentle."
"Its not that" I replied quickly "just... Why?"
"We were talking about death the other day" Solomon spoke up now "and we realised that Able had no-one to guide her to the spirits when she needed to return to them."
"Not all humans need a guide" I said, pausing "do they?"
Able shook her head, still smiling.
"It's no surprise I don't have much time left in this world" she spoke as she inspected the knitted mass she held up; the beginnings of a dress hanging there "we all spoke about it and came to an agreement."
"But that cuts her life short too" I worried now when I looked to Pistachio.
"She agreed on it" Leaf spoke with hurt in his voice "she wanted to do that. Said it was the right thing."
She spoke?
It didn't seem like the rabbit demon even had a voice from the way she silently sat there, watching.
"It was touching in a way" Azalea smiled to me "Able's spirit knew. It didn't fight it at all."
Perhaps because it had no fight left to give. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSkPbpL5hv
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Lavender's spirit had been a wild thing; full of life and mischievousness. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QEALj3UDx
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Able didn't have that sort of energy anymore.
Her time was limited.
"How come you were talking about dying? Are you....?"
Abke shook her head and finally placed down her work. Pistachio still clutched the ball of wool, running her nails along the soft fibres.
Able's hand found mine and I felt how knotted and cold they were.
Had they always been like that?
"It was time I started thinking about what is going to happen once I leave" Able smiled at me while my eyes withheld tears "I have no family to leave my possessions too. All of you are the closest I've had to having my own children."
The mood was serious. No-one spoke, only listening, as Able spoke softly.
"I wanted to leave my house and farm to Azalea and Emry, seeing as they have a little one to raise now. I did want to leave it to you, Teddy, but you were in so much trouble with the government when we were deciding."
"Trouble finds me" I grinned back sheepishly "you know that."
"And it found you again, I see" she patted my hand while looking at the tag in my ear.
"We talked it over and decided to turn the farm into something else" Emry explained "once the sunflowers are gone, we aren't planting more."
A grateful sigh left me and I saw Able smile with me.
"That would makes things a lot easier" I admitted to them bluntly.
"I'm also taking ownership of Petal" Able continued with a smile to Azalea and Emry "next year, when the spirits fall, I will register Petal under my name. There will be no questions as to why she is already a child; I am an old woman who can't care for children; she only adapted to survive."
I loved how cheeky Able was about it all. Her knowing smile told me she knew exactly what she was doing too; she was the one who had planned it.
"And when I go, we will have another human take over ownership until something is sorted for demons in the future. They can't question it because, technically, Azalea isn't the 'mother' anymore of Petal, if that makes sense."
"Makes perfect sense" I chucked at her plan "I'm loving the loopholes you keep jumping through."
Able winked and giggled.
"I'm sure it'll all look quite nice when I come back to see it."
Able's smile faltered a little and Solomon leant forward.
"He's leaving."
"Not by choice!" I blurted out before she could get any ideas "Its all been planned for me an...."
"Teddy" she squeezed my hand "it's alright. You don't have to be tied to this old girl forever."
I tried to laugh at her joke but felt the tears fall. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5EDNyWZM2s
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Her hand was comforting and ran along the top of mine.
"We will manage" Azalea spoke up "do you think you carry this whole thing? That's insulting."
I looked up and saw her mocking scowl. Emry smirked at me when I wiped my eyes to try and stop the tears shaking through me.
I was happy for them, really. But why was I crying so much if I was?
I got up from my seat to search for a pen and paper. When I found one beside the home phone in the kitchen, I sat down and scrawled out my number.
"If River comes back here, can you please give this to him?"
I slid the paper to Able who smiled at it warmly.
"I just don't want him to turn up and wonder where I went."
"Here" Azalea gestured for me to hand over my phone that I did "I'm putting my number in so I can let you know in case she can't."
"You have a phone?"
"Teddy" Azalea scoffed at me "of course I do! I don't just go giving my number out to anyone."
I smiled at the shake of her head and peered down at the details with pride.
My first contact. Probably my most valuable one too.
Azalea was a friend I could count on.
Now I knew River wouldn't miss me. I had left a trail for him to follow, and would continue doing so until he showed up once again.
"I'm going to miss you, Able" I felt my lip tremble when I faced her again "I'm going to miss all of you."
"It's a new job, not the end of existence" Solomon scoffed with a laugh.
"Of course we will miss you too" Able beamed back and got up from her seat "you have to take some scones for the road, dear boy!"
"Oh, I couldn't" I waved my hands, but she was already shuffling to the kitchen.
Had she always been that slow? And her back looked like it had curved more, now that I had time to just look at her.
Was she in pain? Was she scared?
"The famous maple scones!" she announced cheerfully as she dug a container out from the fridge "made with love, of course!"
She scribbled down a note and pressed it to the front of the container before handing it to me.
I went to look at it, but she slapped the top of my hand.
"I expect you to bring that tub back" she scolded playfully "clean face and all. Even if it takes ten years, i want to the Teddy I hired all those years ago."
No mutations. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXXLJZmpCp
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I accepted her request with a nod and gripped the tub close. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgzYESO0i1
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It looked like she was trying to keep a smile on her face too. It was slipping, just like mine was.
It was time to go before I only made it worse.
But before I did...
I got to my feet and held up my phone expectantly.
"I'd like to get a photo of us all together, if that's OK?"
"How about one outside, with all the flowers?" Able suggested to agreement.
Everyone was quick to move and assemble outside the front door for the photo.
They had thier backs turned to the field so all the unreaped sunflowers could be seen in the background. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8A7fxjB73
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Able stood in the middle with everyone else lined up behind her.
I placed the scones in the shed so I could use both hands to steady my phone and take the shot. Afterwards, I held it out so I could bump myself into view in the bottom corner.
"Now set the timer" Azalea urged, pointing to the front window ledge to sit the phone on "ten seconds!"
I stabbed the red button and sprinted for the group that laughed when I wedged in with them.
We were still laughing when phone screen flashed and took its shot.
"That's a good one!" Emry commented when they hovered around me to admire it.
"You can barely see my face" Leaf huffed at his Cradle.
"You can barely see it anyway, you fool!" Solomon shoved him.
"Send it to me and I'll print it out" Azalea smiled "that's one that'll go on the wall!"
"We should track down Mitzi and Cricket and get one with them too!" Leaf gasped in excitement "and when River comes back, we can have everyone together again!"
"That sounds like a plan" Able agreed "I'd like to see that very much."
"Well then, you'd better return with your boyfriend before we cut down all the flowers" Emry nudged me with his elbow "that's if he doesn't come here first. You know what? I'll bet you twenty bucks he comes here before you."
"Twenty bucks?" I scoffed at his wager and saw he was serious "alright. It's on."
We shook hands and Emry parted with a smug smile on his face.
Able took great joy in the antics and shooed Emry away into the shed to sort out the abandoned sunflowers the others milled around.
"You best be on your way" Able spoke when I followed them "you're burning daylight."
"I am" I shrugged, wrapping my arms around Able.
I did want this feeling to ever dissappear. There was something about being wrapped in her arms that felt so comforting and warm. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYkJry9y2R
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It reminded me of the night I had been snuggled against Lavender as the sky exploded above me.
"Take care" Able smiled and wiped her eyes when I straightened up "and don't get into anymore trouble!"
"You know trouble finds me, Granny" I teased, letting her go "but I'll be back to return your tub, OK?"
"I'll be waiting for it" she placed it back into my hands and waved when I stated to leave.
Everyone shouted thier choruses of well wishes and goodbyes to me as I walked down through the field. I could still hear some shouting from Leaf before the distance silenced him for good.
I no longer felt riddled with guilt when I walked through the flowers back to Lavender's yellow beetle. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNG76tEwVNj
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It was as if I had a huge weight lifted from me that had been replaced with bubbling happiness.
Everything had run smoothly. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYvdoQaGDD
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Grudges had been washed away, and no negativity had soured the farewell. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqonVqxk3Y
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There was no better send-off I could ask for.
I still had time before my planned meeting with Islet too. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSdlToVAWR
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Everything was falling into place for me finally.
I opened up the tub and took in the beauty of the golden scones nestled there. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡks5h5oeIr7
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They were soft in my hands but still had the thin glazed shell on the outside that tried to hold together the scone I broke and bit into.
Instead of the usual softness, this one stabbed my mouth. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlYMW7vYVN
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I frowned at the object and wedged it out from my teeth, only to find it was a folded fifty doller note.
My hands found the others to break them open and find nestled notes within each one. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkhBNplYQP
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I was two hundred dollers richer without the hours of work that would have normally gone into achieving this sort of money.
I could imagine Able laughing now at my discovery. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGlC3sZ7Kp
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Of course she wouldn't have just gifted me blank scones, there was always something else hidden behind her actions.
I flipped open her note and felt my heart melt at the cursive written there.
Teddy, 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSaEaKYGDTV
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Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjc9dk58jlO
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It hasn't been easy, but know that I am very happy to have someone like you in my life. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelTV8F4miw
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You are welcome to come back anytime to eat my sunflowers.149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK52XGx6pzz
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Until we meet again, my boy. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvU5DbCY8zS
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Able.
I folded up the note before my tears could ruin the ink and savored the scone I crammed into my mouth.
There was something about a goodbye that made it taste sweeter; better than the countless others exactly like it I had eaten in the past.
It made everything better.
The clear skies outside were brilliantly vibrant. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrvoyHvM5f
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The sunshine was perfect in the warm breeze that danced through the open sunroof. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mr3AGbZIH
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Even the music coming through the radio was upbeat and contagious, fuelling my lifted spirits as I drove away from the sunflower fields for the last time.
The little shop Islet worked out of was inside a large single-story shopping centre. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmL2zlpHms
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I stood outside the hole in the wall surrounded by flashy names and large logos; the sounds of sewing machines whirring away with the screaming of a grinding coffee machine nearby and scraping of chairs.
I felt so out of place here. I wasn't sure what to do with myself now that humans and thier own demons carried on with thier own lives around me, glancing and moving around me.
Would I scare the lady? Was I too tall; too intimidating?
Perhaps I should have bought a gift to show my thanks for the opportunity?
I could feel my uneasiness being displayed. My tail hung low and curled at the end, and my ears fell flat against my head that peered through the windows of the little shop.
Maybe I was too early?
I checked my phone.
No, I was on time; unfortunately.
I saw movement inside and felt everything inside me shrink when a human bustled to the open door, smiling.
Her white curly hair looked like a fluffy cloud on her head. It was kind off see-through too at the top, illuminated by the fancy lights hanging within thier cages from the roof. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hsofYCOJ5
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I presumed this was Islet. She was old, much younger than Able, but still old enough to be weathered by years of tales and hardship.
She had a kind face too, like Able. Her teeth; crooked as they were, were on show with her huge smile she gave me.
"You must be Teddy Bear" Islet held out a hand to me so she could clutch mine between both hers to pat it "tall boy you are."
Her voice was soft but had a hint of sharpness to it. Like she could hold her own if she needed to.
"Ah, sorry" I mumbled back and stooped down closer "it's the mutations. I'm going to have them gone soon."
Islet looked me over, letting go of my hand as she did.
What was she deciding of me?
She didn't look like the sort that had a mean bone in her body. The little white apron she wore over her pale yellow dress had her name scrawled across it in juvinile writing that could only be from a family member.149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpazetLuUdm
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Mean people didn't parade souvenirs like that.
"Come inside" Islet spoke "we have a lot to catch up on, Teddy Bear!"
I followed after her, squeezing around the open door to stand in the tiny entrance awkwardly.
A desk was immediently to my right with a register and books piled on it.
Ahead were three manned machines all lined up against the left wall that each person watched me from. 149Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Hd7iSwHOL
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Despite it being daylight, each machine had a light above it that shone onto the fabric being fed beneath the hungry needle and thread.
At the back was a dark blue curtain that two others had parted to get a look at me.
The silence was unsettling. I would much rather the machines keep running so it wasn't so obvious I was thier new focus.
"Shall we fill out some paperwork?" Islet patted the desk and pulled out a chair for me "there's not much room, but we make do."
I knocked my knees trying to hoist myself onto the little stool there. When I balanced there, I saw amused smiles flashed at us before the machines started up again.
"I was told you were a labourer" Islet pondered when I was handed a pen for the papers "but not exactly a legal one."
I don't want to speak ill of Able, but the truth was that the work had been a bit dodgy in the way it had been carried out.
"I helped cut flowers."
I heard Islet gasp immediately.
"Sunflowers?"
I saw her smile and just nodded, not knowing what else to do.
"Don't worry, I've had my share of sunburnt flower demons through here" she winked "one way or another."
I found myself smiling at her and already felt happy knowing that this line of work wouldn't have me being tortured by the sun.
All of this would be easy compared to the reaping and lifting I had grown so used to over all those years.
"You don't have any demons working for you now" I noted when my eyes scanned the machines and the back curtain that quickly closed when my attention lingered there.
"It has been a while, I will admit" Islet looked around the room "about six years I think since I've had one of your kind here. I do hope that isn't a problem, seeing your tag there."
She was worried about what I felt. I had to admire her concern for me; a stranger, over those she had probably worked alongside for years.
I did like this lady.
She reminded me of what I was missing right now.
"Let's continue this over break" Islet peered at the clock resting above the curtain "I have to introduce you to everyone else over tea! The ladies are going to be so thrilled to learn more about a lad like you. We dont get many men in here, let alone demon ones. Come! Come!"
Islet called for break and everyone immediently stopped feeding the machines to switch them off and file through the curtain, chattering away.
I let Islet lead, hunching through the thick curtain after her to meet the people I would be calling my new family.
Keen eyes and cheeky smiles greeted me when I stepped inside, suddenly shy from all the new attention.
It was just like being back on the farm when Emry, Solomon, Leaf, Mitzi, and Cricket had turned to us for guidance.
Now, I was in thier shoes.
"Hello" I mumbled with a small smile at the affectionate giggles that followed from some of the women in the back "I'm Teddy Bear. It's nice to meet you."
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