6:57 AM…

      I grunted toward the clock on the table stand and got to my feet. “Well, I am cutting it very close now, aren’t I?”

      Jael looked at my clock, too, but did not understand.

      “Of course, you don’t know what I am talking about, do you? Perhaps, I will explain it tomorrow night. Please stay calm for what I am about to say. I must go and retire now.” I told her.

      “WHAT?!” Jael bellowed, “You tell me some lame story about the Pioneers that isn’t true and then you go to bed now?”

      “First of all: It is true, you will soon understand. And secondly: I am in a great…habit…of sleeping in the day so I can stay up all night. I suggest if you really want to know more about your father, you will return this evening.” I began to feel weaker now, even though it is not as much as when I was younger.

      “So what am I supposed to do while you sleep?! I don’t have anywhere to go.” Jael said standing up, her gown wasn’t tied well.

      “Of course you may stay here in my apartment with certain rules. 1: Absolutely NO ONE may enter, kill anyone who intrudes. 2: Do not let anyone know you are here; stay quiet and away from windows in your human form. And finally, 3: Stay out of my bedroom.” I said to Jael, who plopped back down on the couch, this time the robe did fly open. But she was thinking and didn’t seem to notice. Or by now she didn’t care. I opened a drawer and pulled out a $100 bill. “Here is some money; I don’t have food so go eat something. And buy yourself some clothes to cover your underdeveloped nudity.” Jael looked up at me in shock at my blunt explanation of her nudity.

            She quickly wrapped herself back up, “I will let that slide, but that doesn’t help me stop thinking you aren’t a pervert.”

            I laughed, “Well, I suppose it’s in my nature. Have a nice day skin-walker!” and I exited the living room into my chamber. Aurelian came prancing in after me from wherever he had been hiding. I touched my bed’s soft comforter, happy to go back to rest. I flipped up a corner of the blanket and revealed the small thumb-print scanner on the mattress. Looking both ways and making sure my door was locked, I pressed my finger to it.

            It scanned up and down and then beeped, the mattress lifted up to allow me entrance to my sealed sleeping box. I hated calling it a coffin since it wasn’t, but my cat hopped into the queen sized space and I closed the mattress down on top of me.

        Finally, it was nice and dark and cozy. I rested my head and as I closed my eyes I thought of the last time I slept as a human in that forest with Charlie. I smiled myself to sleep as we did when we had nothing in the world except for a hug for one another.