HUMAN

Chapter 8 - Dumb Luck / Face Off

It's been my second day staying at this place. I used my hours watching whatever the TV offered, checking out the stuff they have on the internet, and comparing how similar or different it is to what we humans used to have.

To sum it all up, nothing changed aside from Anthros taking over. I've made the mistake of exposing myself in broad daylight in front of everyone and can only come out late evenings or at night.

It sucks because I wanted to explore the parks they have around here. I've missed going to them and winding down after a long day, and the opportunity of doing that is so close yet so far. Sitting alone on a bench in the park was already eerie enough.

"Anna, what's the closest store near us?" I opened the fridge, and my supply of food disappeared. "The nearest to your current location is approximately 5 minutes away." The metallic device responded with the blue lights it gave off.

I started covering myself again. "I'm surprised that there is one open late tonight." "It will close in 15 minutes." She said. I grabbed the cash that Anna managed to hack out through what I assume are the ATMs that they have here, which made me realize how valuable Anna is throughout my entire journey around here.

Gently turning the knob on the door, I made my way quietly to the lobby downstairs. I began heading for the exit when a gruff voice called out. I froze. "Going out this late?" It was Mr. Bennett, thankfully.

He hadn't taken me hiding my face too seriously and was kind enough to offer me one of the better rooms to stay in as I was a newbie and fully paid a month's worth of rent, but I kindly declined as I just needed a place to stay for now.

I let out a breath that I was holding. "Yeah, just uhh, need to get some food," I said. The elderly kangaroo moved his glasses down his muzzle that dangled awkwardly. "Ah, is that you, Vincent?" I replied with a yes. He stared at me for a moment in curiosity and. . .confusion?

"Come closer, son. I don't want to raise my voice as I might disturb others." I turned away from the exit and leaned on the counter. "Rough day?" He straightened his back, causing some bones to pop. "Ah, getting too old for this. I can't even water my damn garden and lawn. I'm paying a neighbor's child to do that for me, though." He laughed.

"I have to wonder, why do you go out so late?" He questioned. "Well. . ." I panicked as I struggled to come up with a decent excuse. "I-I like the atmosphere at night. . ." I stuttered out. His soul-piercing gaze added to the extra nerve. "I. . .just want to stay away from people. . .for now." I sighed.

After a moment of silence, his suspicious stare faded away, and he leaned back to relax. "That's a fair point, I guess. You kids are getting confusing day by day." He gave out a hearty chuckle. "Stay safe out there, though. I heard gangs popping in and out of town this late."

He sat up after he turned off the computer and began to walk away before I called out to him. "Wait! Gangs? I thought this town was a pretty safe place." I decided to push further about this topic.

"Well, it seems you don't pay attention to the news, do you?" In truth, I had to agree. The TV was mostly background noise to fill the silence in the room. "Yeah, you're right about that one." I sat down on a nearby chair. "How much of a problem is this?" I said, trying to get more insight about these thugs.

"I honestly don't know, kid. But I do know that they haven't committed any serious crimes aside from theft, but I have a gut feeling it won't stay that long." I nodded, deciding if I could do anything about this.

After thinking for a while, I've decided to leave it to the authorities. "Hey, stay safe out there. They won't hesitate to threaten you with a knife or anything like that." He placed his hand on my shoulders, causing me to jump slightly before returning to his room. "Make sure to keep your glasses on. . .human."