HUMAN

Chapter 12 - The White Fox

"Hey, I'd like to thank you again for what you did." Valentine leaned on a pillar of the porch as support. "Oh, we don't need this anyway. We owe you more than you do." She stretched her arms towards me with the envelope of cash.

I declined the offer, although she "heavily insisted," which came out more of a threat than a kind gesture. Giving up, I sighed and took the money, and greeted her goodbye.

"Wait!" I stopped in my tracks. "What is it?" I asked. "You could've run away when you dropped your mask. But you didn't. . .why?" I thought of it momentarily and answered her with a shrug as I began to strap on my mask. "I only saw someone needing help, not another species I need to avoid." She opened her mouth but discontinued what she was about to say and instead smiled.

"Well then, make sure to have a good rest. Goodnight, Valentine." I waved goodbye as I began walking down the pathway. "See ya' soon, Vincent!"

The night was beautifully silent, unlike the eerie atmosphere from the previous night when the attack occurred. The gentle breeze of the night was a disparity to the loud environment of the group battling it out in some fighting game, along with the questions that they threw at me. Nonetheless, I enjoyed their company.

"How could you be sure an attack will not happen to you tonight?" Anna chimed in. "Apparently, gangs and all that are avoiding this town because of me, which is a good thing. Anthros can walk around at night more freely." I replied.

"That is good news. But it would be best to remember you carry something capable of wreaking havoc. You are a walking weapon; be responsible for using it." I raised an eyebrow at this new attitude of Anna. "Since when did you pick up to talk like that?"

She told me she'd analyzed how Valentine's mother was disciplining Abigail when she was too clingy to me and wouldn't leave me alone. She figured that if I do something stupid, it would be beneficial to be reminded to stop and think of what I'm doing. "Wow, alright, thanks, mom."

"I am not your mother, Vincent." While walking to Mr. Bennett's motel, I came across the café where I used their chairs as weapons and pots as projectiles. "Hmm. . ."

Approaching the store, I pulled out the cash envelope and conveniently found a pen within the spine of a menu lying on a table.

'For the damages. I apologize for the chair, pots, and other stuff!'

I looked around for a safe place where I could place it. Then, I noticed a small opening slot through the door. I assume it was used for mail. After shoving the envelope into the store, it landed on the floor. "Hope no one steals that," I said to myself, then adjusted my collar to bring it around my face and bring my hands deeper into my pockets as it became cold.

After using Anna as my navigation system, I'd finally made it back to the motel. Passing through the sliding doors and being quiet with my footsteps when I approached my room, I turned the key, and the door creaked open.

I threw my mask and other accessories onto the couch. My physical and social gas tanks were dangerously low, and the bed was luring me like I'd been thirsting underneath the desert sun and coming across a fresh, cold stream of water.

Picking Anna out of my pocket and then throwing it on the side table, I collapsed onto the bed, which bounced several times from the impact. "Ahhh. . .just like a marshmallow. . ." I said before feeling the void grasp me into a warm embrace.

- - -

BANG! BANG! BANG!

No longer than 2 hours of sleep, I was awoken by an aggressive knocking on the door. My heart raced to pump blood around my body, and the result of me getting up made me stumble my way toward the mask that I threw on the couch.