Luna Raine

VII. Bears Don't Suck

The weather has been so warm recently; the air became a real blessing to the skin. I exhale lightly, feeling the light flashing through my lid with each passing tree. When I open them, I can see white clouds drifting past by us.

Leaning my head against the frame of the window, I close my eyes again. In a few minutes, I can feel the window rolling upward, and a blanket spread over my body. Most likely, Cory works.

"She fell asleep," Cory whispered.

The car hit a light bump, and my body shakes, but I didn't fall. "Just let her. It's going to be a while until we reach Alpine High School."

"Hey." Cory kept his voice low.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Raine is okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, it has been a year since we found her on the beach."

We're speeding through the freeway, a double lane road. "Oh, yeah. It has been a year."

I can feel the seat belt scraping against the side of my waist, an unpleasant feeling. The blanket fell off my shoulder, and Cory moved it back up. "I'm worried. You know, she hasn't talked about what happened ever since she left the hospital."

I can hear Helen exhale. "What did she say about living with you again?" After I got discharged from the hospital, the government or human community was going to send me to an orphanage since I was underage. But, Cory's family was kind enough to foster me and became my guardian.

"I tried asking her to come back, but she said no. She said she feels more comfortable living on her own," Cory responds. It isn't exactly a lie. I do feel more comfortable living on my own. It doesn't precisely feel good taking advantage of strangers.

In this world, the foster care system works differently because there are orphans made nearly every day. Unlike my world where it's only humans - as far as I know - this world has mythical creatures.

I'm not saying that having a world with only humans is better, but a world with more than just humans makes the system different.

For example, werewolves are considered adults when they are seventeen because that's when they get their wolf counterparts.

Hunters in their teens don't have to go to high school. They can enroll in private firms or sign with the government that allows them to hunt creatures that don't follow the laws. Yeah, high school students killing eight feet monsters.

Mermaids - f*****g human with tails - don't even have to go to school. You find a good part of the ocean that's uninhabited, and you can make it your home.

So, every species on Earth has its own law. One of the big ones is for orphans. You can choose to live inside the orphanage, or the government can give you a monthly allowance to live on your own. Education is still paid for if you can show them you're at least passing your classes. They pay up to your Master's degree, which is sweet in my perspective. Something that isn't available in my world, or at least my country. They can give you just enough to pay all your bills with a bit of food. If you want pocket money, then you have to get a part-time job.

Helen exhaled again, "I wish she would tell us more about her life."

I want to tell them more too. But, the more I talk about my other world, the crazier I look. They don't say I'm insane, but I can feel it through the forced smile and scrunching brows.

I mean, if I was someone from this world and I listened to what I said, I would think I'm crazy too.

I exhale, "I like video games," I said.

I can imagine it; the widen stunning looks in their eyes. After a brief silence, Helen laughs, "We know."

I smile, "Good. Then, you know 80% of my life."

I can feel a callused finger above my cheekbone and towards the lining of my hair. Cory pushes a strand of hair back, "Tell us more."

"What more do you two want to know?"

"The other 20%," Helen responds.

"You would think I'm crazy."

"You may be crazy, but you're our crazy friend."

I open my eyes to see a bright smile on Cory's smile. In the rearview mirror, Helen expresses the same soft look as Cory. At that moment, I'm happy I came to this world because if I didn't, I wouldn't have met such amazing people.

So, my story began, and it started with my birth. I told them about my hometown, MistVille, and how beautiful it is there. I regretted not appreciating it more. When I told them how much of a genius I am for obtaining a full scholarship to a prestigious boarding school, they laughed.

"So, you're telling me," Cory said. "There are only humans in your world."

"As far as I know. Yup."

"And no witches?" Helen question.

"Nope."

"That's whack," Cory replies.

"You guys got humans who turned into giant werewolves, and you call my world whack?" I gave them some time to understand my point. They didn't. It makes sense that they can't comprehend my viewpoint; after all, they grew up in a world with these creatures.

"Anything else?" Cory questions.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, is there anything else that's different? You know, animals, flowers, buildings. Stuff like that."

I shook my head, "Other than my town being nonexistent. Everything seems pretty similar. The animals. Trees. Buildings. Give or take, there are some companies that my world doesn't have and certain technology we don't use."

Helen looks at the rearview mirror, "What don't you guys use over there?"

I scratch my head, "We don't have all those hunter technologies."

"Well, you guys don't hunt giant creatures," Cory stated the obvious.

"We have bears."

"Bears don't suck peoples' blood."

I shrug, "I guess since we don't have vampires, werewolves, witches, or mermaids that can create tsunami to deal with, we put our minds in other things."

"Such as?"

I shrug, "Entertainment?"

"Knowing a werewolf can be in my backyard at any moment is entertaining enough," Cory responds.

What Cory said is the truth. Despite the protection inside the human community, there is a situation where other creatures break-in. That's why every human owns a gun. It's within their rights to shoot when someone steps in their territory. I have a gun underneath my pillow. s**t is crazy in this world. They allow a f*****g hormonal sixteen years old own a firearm. They say it's for our protection. Cory owned a knife since he was five and a gun at ten.

Then again, if a twelve-year-old purposely killed in this world, they go straight to prison. No juvenile, no second chance.

Unlike my world, where you can't distinguish between the truth and lies. This world can do it—witches production of truth serum. A single drop, and you can only tell the truth.

I'm not going to lie. Even when I'm reassured that I'm safe by everyone, every day. I'm scared as f**k to be in this world.

After all, I came from a world where wolves stay as wolves. Tsunami is part of mother nature, not a war weapon. Kids aren't allowed to carry knives and guns to school. Granted, the kids at my human school don't carry it because it's not needed. There aren't crazy things leaping out of nowhere. The other day, I witnessed a body being thrown into the middle of the street, and no one flinched a single lash when a hunter killed an escaped vampire—the mind-blowing f**k.

Steadily, Helen parked the car, "Okay, we are here."

I popped up from the back seat. "Is it really necessary for Cory and I to hide back here?"

Helen turned around and grinned at us, "No, but I wanted to see if you guys do it."

Cory and I glanced at each other, rolling our eyes, then simultaneously hit Helen on the head. She turned back and flipped up a bird, then proceeded to rub her bruised head.

I looked out the window, and my mouth dropped on the car ground. The school was much more prominent and classier than the pictures online. There were three solid white doors enabling entrance into the school, dozens of windows leaning against the brick walls, and wild flowering plants surrounding it. My eyes travel up to see a large bell and a clock smack at the top of the building. Surrounding us was nothing but brand name cars, expressing the wealth of the students.

"How did you even get past the guards?" Cory asked.

I turned towards the back window to see a giant closed gate.

Helen smirks and pulls out a card. "I borrowed this from my cousin, we look almost alike," her smile only widens, "And with a bit of magic. We look the same."

"Aren't there magic detectors here?" Cory asks.

"We got lucky. Other groups used magic to get in. The guards got distracted by them since my spell was at a low level compared to them. Theirs out magic mine."

"Your cousin, go here?" I question.

"Yeah, she's super smart, so they gave her a scholarship."

"A witch can go here?"

"Nah. My cousin's dominant trait is human."

"But doesn't she need the pass to get in here?" Cory asked, not as amazed at the large school as I am. He came here a few times for a soccer game before, so he had seen some part of the school.

"No, she went with her friends today," she stated.

"Shouldn't we go inside?" I asked.

"No, not now. We need to wait until the passing period when they head towards the auditorium, and we can go inside. If we go out now, they would ask us for our ID," she said.

Cory and I nod in agreement, Alpine's High School had a strict policy of punishing students who sneak in since it is a private institute filled with the best and wealthiest children of the human mixed with a bit of the hunter community. The students who go here are considered future representatives.

I lean against the car door, and my head slips downward. My eyes dropped down as we waited for the bell to ring. Cory's mind was deeply engraved inside his book. Helen was painting her nails.

When the bell rang, we shot our heads up, seeing a bunch of students crawling out the front door. My jaw dropped when I saw how nicely dressed everyone was in their designer clothes. "You weren't lying when you said this is a snotty rich school."

Cory scratches his head, "Well, they don't usually look this fancy."

We look down at our outfit of regular blue jeans and t-shirts. "Do you think we will stand out?" I asked.

Helen took a few blinks and waved at me. "The worst they can do is throw us in jail for sneaking in here," she said casually before opening the door.

Cory shrugged and followed Helen out. I released a sigh and jumped out, hiding behind Helen. We followed the crowd of students, attempting to blend in with them. My eyes widened when I saw a giant building in front of us. "Woah. What's that?"

"That is their auditorium," Cory replied.

Helen and I were gazing in every direction, taking the beautiful scenery from the naked statues to the interesting artworks. "ID please," a voice snapped us back to reality.

"W-What?" I stuttered, whipping my head towards Helen, who shrugs her shoulder, mouthing how she doesn't know. My eyes trailed towards a group of four students who were being dragged out for illegal trespassing.

My heart started racing, palm-sweating as he continued staring at me. He lifted a brow, hands reaching for a red button. Cory pinches my back, but my tongue was tied, unable to create any noise. I may go to jail and become someone's b***h.

"They are with me."