Heise gazed out of a broken, second story window as cars showed up and gathered on the chipped sidewalk. Today was a day the boy dreaded, and often opted to avoid. It was parents' day in the orphanage, and only on account of the lady of the house did he do the interviews, but in his heart, he knew no one wanted him. He was to pretty and cute, and most wanted a built athletic boy who wanted a football scholarship, than one as feminine as he. The girls swooned over him, but he was no hulk. Often he laughed at the bigger guys because he was much smarter and much faster than they were, which usually kept him out of harms way. Though throughout the time in the orphanage, he has run into a few hard spots, but nothing he couldn't recover from.  

Behind him, the bedroom door opened, revealing a tall thin lady with shabby clothes. Her face was sweet, but she looked like a tired mess. She had small bags under her eyes, her bones poked a bit through her skin, and her hair was tied out in a messy bun, which strands usually fell here in there. Heise looked to her as she approached, the woman stopping to look out the window with him. She knew he didn't like it, but she had high hopes of him getting adopted. Lifting a bony hand, she began to run her fingers through Heise's hair. In her eyes it was obvious she was proud of him, through they were dull from over exertion. But even in this state, they had a soft twinkle that always yanked at the boy's heart strings.  

"I have a good feeling about today, so give it your best and try hard to keep smiling."  

In the late afternoon sun, the woman could see how the boy had grown from when she first had him. Once blonde, now a handsome brunette with bright yellow green eyes, he had the charm of a cat, and looks that swept most young girls off their feet. Gently, she pulled the boy in for a hug, which he reluctantly returned. Often this favoritism made him a target for bullies, but for now, no one was in sight so he hugged her back. Heise then looked up into her kind face with the bright smile he often gave.  

"You always say that Miriam."  


"Yeah but this time I'm sure. Now skedaddle, I have three interviews lined up for you."  

"Ok…"  

Heise heaved a sigh, but he didn't want to seem ungrateful. This woman saved his life a time or to, and housed him for all his young years going on to his teens. Currently he was 15, though he looked quite a bit younger. As he left the room, he was given glares. All in all he was the most prestigiously groomed and dressed. Often he got pick of the litter when donated hand-me-down clothes were delivered in the fall. He also was quick to being one of the first few to shower in the morning as well as sneaking one late at night. He ignored the glowering faces and the quiet jeers. What did he care what they thought, they were nothing to him anyway.  

As the afternoon passed, he could tell that the first two families were not impressed by him and was either looking for kid more zealous than he or a smarty pants book worm. Un-enthralled, he rolled his eyes waiting for the third party to appear. Sitting in the make shift lobby in the hall, with the rest of the orphans, he waited. They were late, very late and Heise was about ready to get up and walk away. Again, Miriam's feelings were wrong.  

As the boy stood, to take off back to his room, the front door opened wide. Walking through it was a man in his mid 30's. His hair was black and spiky, and through his suit it was obvious he was quite chiseled. His face was very masculine and had a very boxy look to it. Under thick eyebrows were hard hazel hues that skimmed the hall and all its faces, Miriam coming up behind him on a gentle glide.   

Heise cocked an eyebrow, remembering this Herculean beast of a man. To his dismay, he had, as Miriam crooned a soft 'welcome back'. This man before had come in with his wife, but her presence was currently lacking. Was he back to pick one of them up?  

When the bitter hazel irises jumped through the last group of faces, a smile spread across his rugged mug, lifting a hand to point at sweet little Heise. The boy's heart wretched, he was sure they would have picked another kid, both the man and his wife being so dynamically different from himself. With a yell the man confirmed his worst fears.  

"Come my boy, lets sign the papers, we're going home!"  

Heading to Miriam's office, Heise was becoming increasingly anxious. Honestly this man gave him the creeps. Without the wife's presence it was even worse. Thankfully, after he signed the adoption papers, he had an errand to run, leaving Heise with Miriam. It was obvious on his face that there was something wrong, in his gut he could feel it. As the man closed the door behind him Heise practically jumped to his feet and rushed to the rickety old desk. Slamming his hands down, he began to yell as Miriam looked up at him through her dull half moon spectacles. She had been writing on the forms for his legal adoption, but this interruption caught her by surprise.  

"Are you seriously gonna let me go home with this guy!?"  

Miriam removed her glasses and set them down, propping up her elbows on the table, lacing her fingers together. Her eyebrows furrowed unbelieving, what could be wrong? He was finally being adopted, and his reaction was completely opposite of what she had in mind. Did he have a deep rooted attachment issue with separation anxiety?  

"Are you alright Heise? I thought you'd be happier than this…"  

"I'm not alright! There is something wrong with this guy…"  

The boy began to pace back and forth before the desk, his heart racing in his chest, on the brink of pounding painfully against his ribs. Miriam was a caring woman but her intuition wasn't the best. Heise on the other hand was always an excellent judge on character though he was extremely judgmental, sometimes leading to the wrong conclusions, but his gut feeling was never wrong. He stopped his pacing and looked to Miriam, placing a hand on his chin.  

"You did the background check right?"  

"Yes, as always, and everything checks out"  

Heise looked away at her answer, damning it. The man was not clean, his records may say so, but the boy was sure there was something, but if nothing concluded in the documents, there was nothing he could say or do to change the outcome. He had no proof but a feeling, and feelings were far from fact. It was a devastating blow to his sense of safety and confidence in the woman who protected and raised him his whole life.  

"Can't you say I've already been adopted by another family?"  

He said. He did not want to go home with this man, if it was the last thing he did. Panic in his eyes, he was sure Miriam wasn't buying it. He couldn't explain his feelings, but neither would she understand it if he did. It was like a Hawk trying to teach a Kiwi bird how to fly. It simply didn't have the wings and she didn't have the instincts.  

"Isn't this what you want? Mr. Greenburg is a very nice man."  

"Yes! So what! Something just ain't right…"  

He crossed his arms and faced away from her, blatantly showing his displeasure. She wasn't one to give in to a pouting face, so as far as he was concerned, he was SOL 'Shit Outta Luck'. Kindly Miriam smiled to the boy once more, picking up her glasses and sliding them back onto the bridge of her narrow nose.  

"Everything will be fine"  

---  

"Your like 13 right?"  

The man said as the car pulled up into a nice drive way. The neighborhood obviously housed people with a bit of extra cash and was across the street from the biggest park in the city. The whole ride had been quiet, so he guessed the man was trying to make conversation, Heise on the other hand was reluctant to answer. His skin was crawling to be so close to this Mr. Greenburg.  

Through the rear view mirror the icy hues gleamed at him, piercing to his core. As a defense Heise let himself look like a grumpy teen, it worked with most adults he didn't want to get close to. He swallowed hard, hoping that the man wouldn't catch on to his nervousness.  

"15, not 13"  

The boy answered as taut and gruff as he could without giving off an asshole-ish tone. He didn't want to provoke the man, right now he felt like his life was on the line. To his luck, the man seemed already a bit disinterested, opening the car to get out. He planted his foot on the ground as the man pulled his keys from the slot and began to scoot towards the door.  

"Oh… Your face betrays you"  

"So does yours" Heise said softly, as the man stood, exiting the car. It seemed the man hadn't heard him since he continued to talk after his first comment.  

"I guess it would be good as you grow older, means you'll stay younger longer."  

Heise sighed and decided to get out as well, the man already gathering the boy's things from the trunk. Heise decided to help but was only given a single bag to carry. With that the trunk was closed and the man walked past the boy swiftly and purposefully, eyes ignoring his presence. Heise wondered if the man thought of him as weak, but the man just seemed to not care, almost like the boy wasn't there. Was it a tactic to get Heise interested in getting his attention, or was it that he was going to become a tool, a pet to serve the master and accomplish secret agendas.  

When they got to the door, the man opened it, turning to let Heise in first. The boy hesitantly walked in, removing his shoes as soon as he got into the walk way. With his foot, he pushed them against the wall, the man making no comment. He just walked in a dumped Heise's things by the stairs and removing his jacket and tie. His bag still in his hand, Heise froze. The man's movements were quick and deliberate, sending shivers down the boy's spine.  

Like he meant business, the man turned on his heel and walked back towards the small Heise, throwing his suit jacket and tie on the mirrored rack by the door, before looking down at the small boy. His eyes shot shards of discomfort deep into Heise's delicate form, stomach flipping though he was shocked stationary.  

"Now, this is my house, you will follow my rules and what I say goes. I am now your father, and I'd like for you to act like my son. Feel free to ask any questions, but if they're stupid, keep them to yourself. If there are any problems you will suffer the consequences, got it!?"  

Heise fervoranlty nodded.  

"Good"  

With that, the man walked into the kitchen that was to his right, leaving Heise to stand still shaking in his socks. The hardness of the man's voice and stare struck fear into his heart. How he found love perplexed the boy even more, but his imaginings were cut short by the man's voice as he spoke up from the kitchen.  

"Feel free to look around. Your room is at the end of the hall at the top of the stairs if and when you're ready to go up."  

Hesitantly, Heise took his first step onto the pristine white carpet, leaving the white tiles, and black grout, behind him. It was cushy under his mismatched socks, his toes wiggling for the feel, much better than the orphanage's hardwood floor. Like a cat, he began to cautiously move forward, passed the kitchen. The next door over, across from the stairs was a dining room, the space showing the bar that dissected the two rooms, stretching a little further back to a hardwood floor TV room. Turning away, his back to the front door again was the living room, and to his right were more doors. As he headed toward them, Mr. Greenburg made a corrective projection, like he would a dog. Heise spun around, seeming to shrink down a bit as the man looked down on him, a ruby drink in his hand.  

"That room is off limits, it's my study. Have any questions now that you're settling in"  

With a smirk the man swirled the drink in his hand, the ice clinking as if trying to cling to the clear walls to stop. Heise stood tall, curiosity clear on his face.  

"Yeah, where's your wife?"  

Just as suddenly as the question was asked, the man's face changed. He went from cheeky and confident to very pissed off. His face twisted into a frown and his voice became deep and rigid with anger.  

"Now that's a stupid question! Go to your room!"  

The man was trying, through with little effort, to get the boy to warm up to him but his reactions to questions and protectiveness over certain areas of the house already spelt disaster. Running around the fuming man, Heise scooped up his things and shot up the stairs, not even looking back. The man must have thought he was stupid, when in fact Heise was sharp enough to know right and wrong, and something was defiantly wrong.  

Finding the door at the end of the hall, he opened it and disappeared into, tripping, as he carelessly didn't flip the switch, falling onto yet more stairs. Gathering up his things, and turning on the light, he began to move upwards, a rosy light of the sun dancing at the top. When he got to the top, the room was huge and very spacious. The walls all around were painted like a rain forest, while the wall where the sun was coming from was made completely of glass. He was in awe, but he thought it would be best to put his things away first since it didn't sound like the man was coming after him. He was safe for now.  

Looking around, there was a single bed, made with white sheets, and beside it was a single dresser. Quickly and neatly he put his things away, and as soon as he finished, he approached the window, looking out over the tree tops of the park. It was a beautiful view, the sun beginning to disappear beyond the mountains in the distance. This place was so nice, he wished that his instincts were wrong, but even in a place like this, keeping his guard up was essential. How long would it be till the man snapped, he'd have to be as observant as ever, wishing himself good luck  
---  

The next morning Heise awoke, the sun hadn't even come up yet. With a small stretch he sat up, looking out the window as the sky glowed a deep blue. It must have been 5:00 in the morning, the time he usually stole away to take a shower. It was either you get there as soon as you got up or be flooded in cold water. It was habit which he was sure he probably wouldn't grow out of. Looking around, it seemed he hadn't dressed for bed, nor gotten under the covers, most likely because he was stargazing right from his bed. The large open window for a wall, just opposite him, was perfect. As he turned to set his feet on the hardwood floor, his stomach gave a loud growl. He recalled not eating dinner, though his new so called father called the boy down to join him. Their altercation earlier had made Heise want to avoid him.  

Standing, he tried to remember where the bathroom was. On his feet, he stretched once more before going to his drawers to gather some clothes. In the back of his mind he recalled seeing it in the hall. He didn't have to shower now, but sticking to his routine was always a timesaver. Within the next week or so, Mr. Greenburg said that he'd be starting school. Heise hated school, because he often got into arguments with the teachers. It wasn't because he was misbehaving, but it was because he was doing things his own way, often finishing his work early. He did his work correctly, so he didn't understand what the problem was, and didn't care to.  

Making his way down the stairs he entered the long hall, on his left being the door to the bathroom. In his head he couldn't help but feel a bit worried, wondering when the strange man would wake up. Heise was still feeling a bit put off since the incident that happened the day before. Carefully, Heise tip-toed down the hall to the door, and slipped in as quietly as he could. He then shut it and locking it tight. Once in the bathroom, he began to look around finding that it was already prepared for him. He guessed that the man found out about his habits from Miriam or she just spilled it out like she usually did. She was a big mouth most of the time, and if it wasn't a secret, it wasn't something worth hiding. He shook his head, her habits almost never failed in exposing someone one way or another.   

With a sigh, Heise began to undress, taking the single bobby pin from his hair and placing it on the counter. He always kept it, it was good for unlocking the pesky doors at the orphanage, it was also the only memento he kept to prove he had parents.  Heise then stepped into the shower shower, this time, glad to know he didn't have to rush because of cooling water or because people were waiting after him. When he finished washing, he let the water run over his small form. Facing the shower head, he put his arms out to brace himself against the wall. His bright green eyes stared at the tiles listlessly, watching as the dark brown strands that fell in his face, steadily dripped. Slowly the partially clear shower curtain became a wall of condensation. Mist filled around him, making it seem like a muggy rainforest as the walls were painted. He touched the plants, his skin damp with the tropical climate. He un-braced himself, letting his hands travel across glossed wallpaper, finding an ocelot hiding in a tree. Its dappled coat and strength, despite its size, he found it a very inspiring animal. Often he identified with it, and it brought him comfort in this unfamiliar place, until he noticed a black panther watching a few branches off. He reached up and touched the glossy pelt, feeling electricity charge through his hand, as a dark vibe made itself known. Its pale yellow hues reminded him of the man down the hall as he felt heavy breathing, bare down on the back of his neck, the growling sound of a wild cat rattling his bones as if one were creeping up on him at that moment. Fear stuck his heart as he slipped and fell, hitting the ground, finding himself no longer in the bathroom. He felt moist dirt under his hands, the smell of the rainforest thick all about as he heard birds and bugs chirping all around him. When he looked up he saw the face of another cat, larger and more powerful than the Black Panther. Raising his head, he looked upon its majesty in awe. It bore a white coat and a massive, lustrous mane as well as a magnificent muscular body, but most breath taking of all were its luminous sapphire blue eyes.  

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!  

"You alright in there!?"  

Heise awoke to find himself sitting at the back of the shower, his vision was blurry, but it quickly focused. He looked around, wondering what happened as the knocking and the voice came gain.  

"I said are you alright!?"  

"I'm fine, just slipped is all."  

Standing up he walked over and turned off the shower, trying not to read into his visions to much. Still being within the reach of childhood, he had a wild imagination, and often he found himself constantly sucked into his many day dreams as the day passed. This one, he tried to make light of, making it no different than his other apparitions, but the truth was it was much more realistic than most others he's had. Taking up his towel to dry off, he looked back on others that were just as realistic. Usually they would come true if they were that real, but he was skeptical of meeting a real white lion or any lion in general, except in the zoo. He couldn't even imagine taking a trip to the jungle for that matter, even if he wanted to, right now there was no way. "What could it all mean…" He thought, putting on his clean clothes, "is it another premonition?"  

Tossing his towel into the dirty laundry basket, he made his way down the stairs to the kitchen, where he heard Mr. Greenburg cooking. Hesitantly, he slunk over to the bar and took up residence on one of 4 stools. The man, who was to be his father, threw him a quick glance and smile, though through his lips, seemed to Heise like shark teeth. With every circling glance, the boy felt more and more like a defenseless baby seal that was waiting to be gobbled up by the biding shark. Question was, why was he taking so much time to strike? What was he waiting for?  

Sliding a plate Heise's way, the man began to talk, the smell of breakfast momentarily shaking the boy's suspicion. Eggs, Pancakes, and bacon were delicately placed on his dish, his bacon still sizzling. For an orphan, this was a real treat! Heise rubbed his hands together as he listened to Mr. Greenburg's words.  

"I wanted to apologize for yesterday, my wife has been out of town on a business trip, and we had a little disagreement before she left so I'm sorry."  

Heise's suspicions weren't entirely relieved, but he felt a little better now. He grasped a fork and began to dig in. Swallowing hard, since he almost choked from stuffing his mouth, he replied "It's alright, you miss your wife and that is understandable. I know what it's like to miss friends who leave the orphanage who became like siblings to me. I think I have a grasp on what you are talking about. Don't worry, things should work out."  

"I'm sure they will. You enjoying your breakfast?"  

"Sure am!"  

"Good"