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Burden has many forms. For Susie, it wasn’t just the bundle of clothes in the backpack she held close to her chest. Without warning, her very world was going to change. The pit in her empty stomach held tight. The thought of being forced out of the place she called home…it came with so many emotions…so many weight-bearing feelings.
She felt her heart nearly jump out of her throat despite the gentle knock on her bedroom door. She caught the sound of her mother talking, and another unknown voice.
“She’s just being stubborn. Susie , open the door.” Her mother said with a stern voice.
Susie shrunk back. A part of her didn’t want to leave, yet she knew she couldn’t stay with that traitor…Traitors pissed her off. She felt her throat rumble, and clasped a hand around the foreign sense. Her gaze went towards the window. Perhaps she could-
“Gentle.” She heard the unfamiliar voice say, “I am in no hurry…May I come in?”
The girl paused. The voice sounded gentle yet her muscles were still stiff. It didn’t change the fact that whoever it was, they were going to be the one taking her away. She looked again at the window. Where would she go if she just left? Nothing was stopping her from opening it and climbing down…and then what?
“…” Susie slowly backed away from the door, bag still held close to her chest. “…Who are you?”
“My name is Eira. I spoke with your mother through the foster program and…I’m the one that will be taking you in.”
She paused again. Was it a ruse? Her eyes gazed downwards…She already caused enough trouble in this house…
“Don’t come in. I’ll…I’ll be right out.” Susie said. She dared not to look at the mess she made in her room. Toppled furniture, ripped sheets…a beheaded human doll. After fixing her scruffy purple jacket over her shoulders, she slung her bag over her and opened the door…slowly.
Standing a few steps away was both Eira and Susie’s…mother. The latter had her arms crossed and was barely looking in her child’s direction. Eira, however, stood tall and faced Susie. Her new caretaker was definitely a monster, an odd hybrid between a number of creatures. Short silver fur, a black mane of a lion, a blue flame at the tip of a leonic tail, a single horn that curved back like a crescent moon. Eira’s wide blue eyes stared at Susie, and a smile slowly formed across her cervine snout. Tufted whiskers flicked up and then continued moving slowly as if they were underwater.
“So, you’re Susie? I am so glad to finally meet you…” Eira knelt down slightly to meet Susie eye to eye. The whelp shrunk back, her gaze snapping away. The larger creature’s ears flicked up, and then folded back. “I see…Would you two like to have any words before we depart?”
Susie bit back a snarl. She didn’t want to say shit. Not to anyone, especially her “mom.” She shoved her way down the hallway to the door leading out of her home. She kept her head low, her dissonant thoughts collecting into an unbearable burden…
“Are you sure you want to take her in?” Eira’s ear flicked. The human was speaking to her. “She can be…difficult at times.” Her eyes narrowed. A moment’s pause, and then Eira sighed.
“I’m sure of it.”
The land changes as one takes a long road. Eira kept her eyes forward. Here car was a bit smaller than what she would be comfortable with — her horn constantly touched the ceiling so much, it created permanent scars on it. She had wished she had given the seats a good wash too. There was a bit of the scent of mud…but the vehicle was at least reliable. Dingy, but reliable. She glanced back at Susie through the rear view mirror. Poor child looked exhausted…
“Rest. It’s going to be a long drive.” Her ears perked up with an idea, “Would music make it easier?”
…
“I see. Well, just let me know if you change your mind.” Eira said, continuing to focus on the road.
With half shut eyes, Susie watched the buildings fade into sparse trees. Then the sparse trees became a forest. The sun continued its journey, slowly painting the skies with orange…the color reflected back perfectly in her eyes, and she hated it. She sighed. Her heavy breath stuck to the window she leaned on. Soon the lull of the engine running coaxed her to sleep.
Susie woke up. She was…home? She looked at her hands. They were normal…no claws and not a purple scale in sight. The scent of freshly cooked breakfast wafted into her room. She heard her mother calling her name. She rushed to the door, opened it and-
…
Nothing.
A void.
Black oozed into the room.
She backed up quickly. The wall against her back was closing in. Darkness encroached upon her safe place. From the darkness two glowing yellow orbs stared straight into Susie’s eyes. She saw the glint of toothy knives creep into a pained smile, drool and foam lathering bloody gums. It opened its mouth, releasing a pained scream-
“Susie!”
Susie gasped awake. Eira was firmly holding her shoulders. She had one of her clawed hands stuck in her denim pants, and the other firmly dug into- Susie quickly retracted her hand from Eira’s arm, and then quickly shoved her away. The adult was surprised by the child’s strength. Her face slightly grimaced against the pain.
A car drove by. Eira’s vehicle was pulled to the side. Its lights blinked in a monotonous rhythm. It was nearly dark out, the last of the sunlight slipping into the horizon. Despite the lack of light, Susie could see clearly yet in this moment she wished she couldn’t see the scruffed fur where she grabbed Eira…Why was she already feeling sorry? She was just a cog in the foster care program, nothing more.
“My apologies. You were…moving a lot in your sleep. I feared you’d hurt yourself.” Eira said in a low voice. “…Do you wish to talk about it?”
…
Eira nodded slowly. Susie didn’t say a word. The journey continued, and Susie fell asleep again. This time, it was a dreamless slumber.
Eira held her tongue, letting the child rest. She recalled the conversation she had with her biological mother. She didn’t know the entire story, but she knew the nature of those who were born to monster-human pairings…She wondered if Susie wasn’t the only child with a similar background that was in foster care.
She saw familiar roads again. The town was small, unimpressive, yet cozy and quiet. It was simply called “HomeTown” after all. The morning sun was also peeking from the corners. Eira slowed down, keeping mindful of the speed limit and her sleeping passenger.
“Susie? Wake up, we’re here.” Eira said. She dared not touch her.
Susie strained her eyes, sensitive pupils adjusting to the light. She shuffled in her seat, and looked at the town. They were just passing by the local police station and a small hospital. Not a single monster in sight, however.
“Um…I guess I should say thanks…for taking me in…”
Eira chuckled, “You’re welcome. We’re almost there, too. There may be a few children your age out and about. You should introduce yourself after we're settled in.”
“Are they really all monsters?” Susie asked.
“Mostly, yes.”
“Why?”
“I suppose it’s just the way things are.”
The next traffic light flicked yellow, Eira yielded. Susie’s attention was nudged towards a pair walking down the sidewalk. A white large caprine monster dressed in lavender, smiling down at a human child. The child, possibly Susie’s age, had their eyes covered by brown hair.
The light flicked to red. No cars came. Eira came to a full stop. Susie stared at the two. She felt her scales prickle, lips drawing back in a snarl. Eira glanced back, ears pricked forward. Susie did not notice the concern in her eyes, for hers were fixated on the insulting reminder.
The light flicked to green. Eira reluctantly drove forward, leaving Susie in her thoughts.