Fated Hybrids

Chapter 4

I continued down the street to check out what the vendor stands were selling. The stands looked different with every trader. Some were using those old mobile hot dog carts, others were using stands they made themselves. My attention was caught by a brightly painted sign that read, 'fresh produce'. Mostly everything came out of a can nowadays so I was interested to see the quality of the food. Some traders will claim their produce is fresh but looks close to expiration.

I was met with a pleasant smile from a woman who looked to be around forty. There were wicker baskets on the sides of her stand and lined in front of it, they were all full of fruits and a few vegetables.

"Hello there, see anything you like?" She asked, still smiling. Before I answered her I wanted to get a closer look at what I would be buying. I picked out a couple of oranges, four apples and a little bag of pears. They looked pretty good, definitely ripe but good.

"I'll take these. How much?" She opened her mouth to answer, but what I heard were the terrified screams of children behind me instead.

I looked down the street where I had seen some kids playing when I arrived. They were running towards me with two huge Xerclanz coming around the corner after them. I sighed and set the fruit back down on the stand. I took both of my guns out and the nice produce lady gasped.

"Get to a safe place and stay there." I told her, but she started gathering up her goods instead. Priorities.

I ran towards the screaming kids and the fast approaching Xerclanz. I wanted them to get to safety before I started shooting but they were getting too close. The Xerclanz were close to ten feet tall, their bodies were covered in black scales that shined with greens and blues. The scale colors reminded me of what a fly's body looked like. They had long tails with venomous stingers similar to a scorpion's. Of course, they were part human so they walked on two legs and had some human characteristics like five fingers on each hand. Except theirs had long, black claws and were covered in thick scales. Their bodies weren't bulky but slim, I swear I saw armored-cut abs which was just creepy. Even more so, their mouths opened up sideways. Yes, they had more than one.

Only two eyes from what I could see in my peripheral vision. You never looked them in the eyes, never. They could capture your mind and then, it was over.

One little boy got knocked over by the other kids trying to get away. A Xerclan was within reach of him and they had a long reach. The little boy looked up screaming.

"GET DOWN!"

I shouted at him before I pulled the triggers on both guns.

I aimed at both of the Xerclanz as I continued running towards them. My shouting and shooting caught their attention, and now they were after me. They jumped over the kid and lunged at me. I was forced to make myself fall backwards while shooting up above me. The moment my bullets made contact, the Xerclanz exploded in black and green chunks in the air above me. I gasped when some of their blood and chunks fell onto my face. I got up from the street and holstered my guns. None too happy about what was sliding down the sides of my face.

I started wiping my face off the best I could but it was just too thick and slimy. I looked down to see a little girl tugging on my coat, holding a piece of cloth. I took her offered cloth and wiped my face off the best that I could. The stench of sulfur and spoiled milk was another matter.

"Thank you, what's your name?" I said, looking down at her. She was brown-eyed, blonde, with deep dimples. She was wearing jeans with a purple plaid dress.

"I'm Madei..." She looked down at the ground as she said her name, becoming shy. I knelt down in front of her and smiled, trying to ignore the stench radiating from me.

"Hi Madei, are you alright? Did you get hurt at all?"

She shook her head no.

"Did you by any chance find some pretty eggs and try to take some?" My voice was a little less cheery now, and her brown eyes widened. She hesitated for a moment but she finally answered me.

"Um, yes. We thought we could trade with them." Innocence could be dangerous sometimes.

"Listen Madei, those eggs are worthless. Do you know why?" She shook her head no.

"Because monsters live inside of them, monsters like the ones that were chasing you. If you take them, the monsters will get angry and try to hurt you. If you ever find them again, leave them where they are and get as far away as you can. I don't want you or your friends getting hurt. Understand?"

Madei held her little hands in front of her and twiddled her fingers nervously.

"Yes, Okay..."

I gave her a nod before I stood up again.

"Good girl. Now go to your friends and tell them exactly what I told you." She didn't ask any questions like I expected her to, she instead ran to the other children who were cowering in between two buildings across the street.

I looked around to see some of the traders who went to take cover returning to their stands, but the lady with the fruits and vegetables had left her empty stand where it sat. Except for a pouch of apples and two oranges she disappeared.

I took what she had left behind and put them in my rucksack, waste not want not. As bad as I wanted a nice hot shower, I needed to get more food. I got back on my bike and went back towards my neighborhood.

There were very few places to get food around my house, that's why I always ended up across town. Because of certain events I wasn't planning on being out until sunset, the stench would seep into my pores and stay there for at least a week if I didn't wash it off soon. There was a lady down the street from us that made homemade breads and muffins; not every day but most days of the week. If I came by on the days she didn't bake anything fresh but had leftovers from the day before, she would give them to me for free. Here's hoping today was one of those days.

The house was dark blue and violet but it was time for a new paint job. Their grass was yellow and pale green just like ours. No need to risk it all for yard work these days.

I went to the back door instead of the front and knocked twice. It took only a minute for her to answer.

"Oh, hi Azarah!" She said full of energy and glee, for about two seconds. She noticed my slimy coat and hair, and her bright smile wilted. She had short cut brown hair with hazel eyes, a little on the heavy side but not so much that she waddled when she walked.

"Sorry Ms. D, I had a little trouble earlier…"

I probably looked as pitiful as I sounded because she invited me inside despite the Xerclan stench.

Sure enough she was in the middle of baking. I could smell the warm, yeasty goodness of stone-stove baked bread. Her bread was always different than anyone else’s. She had a stone stove and knew how to bake her ass off. I sat down on a lone barstool at her breakfast nook and tried to touch as little surface as possible, being contaminated and all. I watched her almost whimsically glide around her kitchen taking bread out of the oven, putting more in, and slicing loaves that had cooled off.

"How's your mother and sister?" She glanced over at me.

"Emery acts like she's the oldest now, and you can't tell her otherwise. My mom is stable at the moment. She'll need more meds tomorrow though." Denettea's smile had vanished long ago, now she was focused on her bread slicing.

"Hm. No luck with medicine today?"

I shook my head no.

"I got everything else but that today. My main contact said Dyglosamine might be starting to run out, all of the medications for that matter. I can't discredit him though. He's out in the streets talking to more people than I am so he would know." I sighed.

"Don't give up hope honey, everything will work out. You might not have found it today, but there's always tomorrow." She came over to me smiling with a slice of fresh Rye bread in her hand.

"Here, try it. It’s my first Rye bread loaf in a long time." I looked down at it for a minute, uncertain if I should take it. I felt like I was stealing from her.

"Go on, what's the matter?" She said, starting to sound offended.

I took the bread gingerly between my fingers before I bit into the corner. It was heaven the moment it touched my tongue. I had been so busy trying to get things together I had forgotten to eat. Before I realized it I had inhaled the whole slice in a matter of seconds.

"My, if I didn't know any better I'd say you haven't eaten in days."

She came to me with another slice and this time I didn't hesitate to take it.

"Thank you, really." I said in between chewing. Screw manners right now, I was starving.

"Would you like a couple of fresh loaves?" She asked as she began wrapping up some Rye bread and what looked like pumpernickel.

"No, I don't have enough Beilajs today. Thanks for letting me try some though." I saw her wave her hand as if waving something away.

"No charge Azarah. You don't come to see me very often and when you do buy my bread you give me double what I ask for. Consider it a gift won't you?"

I stuffed the last bite of bread into my mouth and thought about turning her down. I wasn't a con artist. I didn't give her extra so that it would benefit me later. I know she needs to trade for baking supplies so I help a little more if I can. Was I being stubborn? Nah.

"If you're okay with it I'm definitely okay with it. We all love your homemade bread Ms. D." I said smiling again. She wrapped up two loaves of Rye bread and one loaf of white bread and

I was on my way.

"Thank you Ms. D, let me know if there's anything I can do for you."

She shook her head no.

"You just come back and see me more often, young lady." I gave her a nod before she closed and locked her door.

I hopped back on my bike for a short ride up the street. Once I got my bike well hidden again, I went into my house. Man, I swear the shower was calling my name. Okay, more like Emery was calling my name.

"Zara? Is that you?" Her high pitched voice rang out from up the short flight of stairs. Our back door was right by the basement stairs and a second set of stairs that led up into the house.

"Yeah! It's me!" I shouted up to her. She met me at the top of the stairs with a frown and her hand covering her nose.

"God! You reek!"

I glared at her but her disgust was stuck on her face, unmoving.

"Thanks, I missed you too you little brat. Move it..." I said shoving her to the side. I headed towards the kitchen so I could put the bread and other foods on the table. Emery was at my heels as usual.

"Is mom awake?" I asked, turning into the living room.

"Yup, I just finished giving her a sponge bath."

"That's my girl. I have some bad news and some good news kiddo." I came to the kitchen and set the fresh bread on the table. I knew one loaf would be half gone in the morning.

Emery stood with her head against the archway of the kitchen, looking up at me concerned.

"Bad news first." She said, sighing. I nodded and took off my boots and coat. I held them in my hand.

"The bad news is, I wasn't able to get mom's medicine today. The good news is I have a friend who's going to help me find some tomorrow morning."

Emery stood up straight again and I could see that she wasn't as worried as much as she was at first.

"Okay then, I'm waking you up just before sunrise then. No coma-sleeping tonight Zara, this is serious you know?"

I smiled but a sigh came with it.

"I know Em. I'm going to take a shower and get the Xerclan guts off of me. I'll come and see mom after, okay?"

Emery nodded, finally smiling. I watched her run off out of the kitchen in her pink, princess Ariel pajama gown and I was still so amazed that someone so sweet could be so grown-up sometimes.

I headed upstairs as quickly as possible to the bathroom. Once I got into the shower, nothing but the feel of the warm water sliding down my body occupied my mind. I let go and relaxed completely for the first time during the entire day. Some days I wished things could go back to the way they were, before the takeover.

My sister and I were born into this life so it's all we know. Just once I want to know what it's like not to worry about being killed when I walk outside, or scrounging around for every meal. Having days at home with Emery and my mother, to see my mother in good health, and happy. The thought awakened my tear ducts and my peaceful shower turned into a personal therapy session.

Let it out Azarah, let it all out damn you…