Hold your Soul

New Life

"Hakken! Come over here!" Venessa shouted out. The boy with white hair exited his room, which was in the house before. A year had passed.

"Here! I've made some breakfast!" Venessa smiled. Hakken also smiled.

"Thanks..." He said. He now knew a variety of words. In fact, it didn't take him long at all.

"Well, we need to go shopping today. I'm kinda busy today, so when I say we I mean you." Venessa said. Hakken nodded.

"I can..." He said. He was still getting used to the words again. He already knew what they meant, he just had to speak them.

"Great! Well, I need to get ready. The meeting is in about an hour... go ahead and take a look at the list. Get stuff before I come home." Venessa explained as she took off her apron and headed to her room. Hakken watched as she did, then proceeded to eat his breakfast. Afterwards, he went and took a look at the list.

"Meat... apples, carrots, celery..." Hakken read to himself. At the moment, he was fifteen. He didn't look like any special kid. No ears, and no tail.

"I'm heading out." Hakken said out loud, not sure if Venessa heard.

"Alright! Be careful!" Venessa shouted. Hakken nodded to himself and he took the list, a pouch of money, and headed out the doors...

"You're that kid Venessa took in right?" A man asked. Hakken nodded. He was standing at a fruit stand. The man glared at him. Hakken didn't know why. Then, the man smirked.

"Here, ten gold a pound." He said. Hakken nodded. He's only ever gone out and bought stuff by himself a few times. He held a bag in his hand.

"That's fruit..." He said to himself. Next stop was meat.

"There was a butcher somewhere in the town..." He tried to remember. He walked around the town. Hakken glanced around as he noticed tails of everyone wave around. He didn't have one, and he didn't know why.

"I wonder if it grows in... but..." Hakken was thinking when he noticed kids his age with ears and tails. Kids younger than him even.

"Why?" He asked himself. Everyone there was a half human, the other half of them being some sort of animal. Hakken believed he was too. As he walked around, he couldn't find the butcher anywhere.

"I-I should ask someone."

"E-Excuse me." He said, clearing his throat. A woman turned to him.

"Yes?" She asked. She has raccoon ears and a tail half her size.

"I was just wondering if you knew where to get meat around here... from that butcher house..." Hakken explained. The woman looked around before pointing.

"Head down that way, take a right. It'll be a building to the left." She said. Hakken nodded.

"Thanks!" He smiled. The woman also smiled.

"No problem!" She said. Hakken followed the instructions, and soon arrived to the butcher house.

"That took too long." He said, walking in. He got some meat, and made his way back home. On the way, he watched as kids his age messed around, playing with one another.

He walked into his house and placed the few bags onto a table. Afterwards, he went and sat down on the sofa. He stared at the wall for a second.

"Oh right, she's at a meeting." He said. He looked around, then headed for the door. Why not take a walk? Again. There's not much to do anyway...

For the past year, he's been living here. He never really exited the cave. The only time he has was when Venessa took him out with her. Only for a bit. Just to get some fresh air.