Chapter one

“Phoenix” a voice rang out through the room and a young woman-fox hybrid rose from the masses of other woman hybrids. Her hair was a fire red at the top and turned to a shimmering gold at the bottom. Red fox ears peaked out from the sides of her head while a golden, furry tail swished from her behind.

“Yes” she stood before the human woman who called her.

“A client is waiting for you in room 139” the woman told her and sent her on her way before calling another hybrid.

Hybrids were created years ago for the purpose of advancing in medical science but when the new species began to take on a life of their own they were no longer of any use to the humans. Now they were shun from society and labeled as animals because of what they looked like. Many of them were being used as lab rats as was their original purpose. Others were put in circuses as freaks. And yet others have been lucky enough to be bought and owned by the wealthy as exotic pets. But then there are the rest who wander around looking for a way to live. Then getting picked up by some stranger only to be used as human sexual play toys, s***s, hoes, whatever people wanted to call them.

“How much did you earn today?” phoenix handed over almost all the money she had earned that day. She, like the others, kept a small portion of their earnings in the hopes of one day escaping this hell.

“May I go out and buy an article that one of the regulars requested?” phoenix lied to the watch woman so she could go out and breathe fresh air.

“You better hurry or I’ll tell James you were bad and he will punish you” James was a ruthless vicious man and every hybrid woman there was afraid of his beatings. Phoenix thought about what she was doing again. Maybe she should just go buy a random article and hurry back or not go at all.

“I’ll be back as fast as I can” quickly she exited the building and embraced the chilly evening air. It was late October and the streets were lined with decorations for the up and coming Halloween festivities. Phoenix always wondered why her kind was shunned and yet the strange and different were celebrated on every October 31.

“Hi” A small child looked up to phoenix and smiled brightly. She could not be more than three years old and she was all alone. Chesnutt curls framed her small porcelain face and bright blue eyes showed such innocence.

“Hello, are you lost young one?” phoenix crouched down and looked up and down the street. No one came down this part of town if they were of a wealthy family and by the looks of the little girl’s stainless teal dress she was from a wealthy family.

“Mommy said to stay” phoenix looked around again and came to the conclusion that the little child had been abandoned. It was common for children to be abandoned in hybrid districts just so no one will know of the child’s existence.

“Would you like for me to take care of you until your mommy comes back?” phoenix knew she would be getting into so much trouble if she brought the child back but she couldn’t just leave her there.

“Yes, my name is Skylar” Skylar held out her arms for phoenix to hold her. Phoenix’s heart melted for Skylar, then and there she vowed never to abandon this young girl even if it cost her her life.

“My name is phoenix” phoenix picked Skylar up and headed down the street to a future she didn’t know.

“Are you insane? Do you know what James will do to you if he finds her? Or what the humans will do when they see a hybrid with a human child?” Starflake whispered furiously to phoenix as they got ready for bed. Skylar was hidden in the garden outside the building where only phoenix and Starflake went.

“I could not just leave her out in the cold” phoenix thought about the fact that she had left the girl outside with a couple of blankets as if she were an animal. The irony of life was not to her liking.

“Well what are you going to do with her?” Starflake looked to the door and saw James was walking around to make sure they all went to bed.

“I will sneak out tonight and try to find a human family that will take her.” Starflake gasped at phoenix’s ludicrous idea.

“Again, I will ask you if you are insane. If you get caught not only will James be mad but so will the humans. Besides, the humans that live around this district will only put her to work in the same way we are working.” Phoenix knew that was true and did not want Skylar to end up in the same life that she herself was in. Then an idea came into her mind and a smile spread across her face.

“Then I will take her to the wealthy district” Starflake was shocked speechless and could not find anything to say. Just then James came in and ordered them to sleep and all conversation ended.

Two hours later phoenix got up and took a pre-packed bag from under her bad. Quickly and silently she went to the window so she could leave unnoticed.

“Wait,” Starflake whispered and grabbed her wrist, “what will you do?”

“Find her a home and then disappear again” phoenix said in a sad voice since they both knew what it meant to disappear. Once a hybrid decided to disappear their life would be forfeit and their bodies would blow away with the wind.

“You are my greatest friend” Starflake hugged phoenix with tears in her eyes and sat on the bed watching as her friend left her life forever.
“Come along Skylar we are leaving now”

Skylar looked up at phoenix in wonder and yet trust. With a little difficulty, Skylar got to her feet and took hold of phoenix’s hand.

“Where are we going?” Skylar asked as they began to walk down the back road of the hybrid district.

“We are going to find you a family” The air was chilly and the sky looked like it would shed snow anytime soon. Without thinking, phoenix picked Skylar up and went on walking. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and questions. Where would she start? How would she know if it was a good family? Would it take long? Did Skylar want a new family?

“What will my new family be like? Will they let you stay with me? I want you to stay with me.” Skylar questioned phoenix as she snuggled into phoenix's chest. Phoenix wondered if they would let her stay with Skylar as well. But the world wasn’t that generous and as long as the family loved Skylar then everything would be fine.

~months later~

“Hurry Skylar!” phoenix cried and quickly took Skylar into her arms and ran. They were being chased and it was all her fault. If she had stayed out of sight this wouldn’t be happening. A gun shot rang through the silent October morning and phoenix gasped as a bullet pierced her shoulder.

“Phoenix, are you ok?” Skylar asked worried and with tears of fear in her eyes. Phoenix instantly hated herself for putting such a young child through this. It had been the fifth family she had found for Skylar but something had always been wrong with them. Now they were running for their lives again and phoenix was badly injured. Suddenly, phoenix cried out as a bullet went into her side. She would not survive this encounter but she couldn’t leave Skylar alone in this God forsaken world.

“Quickly Skylar, look for a place to hide” phoenix ordered with a labored breath.

“There in the thicket” Skylar told phoenix as she pointed to a thicket beyond the tree line to the left of them. Phoenix wasted no time and with a final burst of strength, she dashed to the grove and hid before the humans could see where they had gone.

“Phoenix?” Skylar whispered to phoenix, who was lying in the thicket gasping for breath. Phoenix was bleeding immensely and her breath was coming in short gasps.

“Don’t leave the thicket…until it gets dark…” phoenix slipped into a darkness she feared would be permanent.

Skylar feared phoenix was dying and couldn’t think of how to save her. Being three she had no idea of what to do but look for help. She knew she could not go to the people who hurt phoenix because they would just kill her. Instead she went in the direction she had seen this nice man go. He had given her a piece of bread when she had asked for food since phoenix couldn’t find any. Maybe he would help phoenix and then help them find a home so phoenix didn’t have to be cold at night just to keep Skylar warm instead.

“Excuse me mister?” Skylar asked after knocking on the door she guessed was the man’s house. A butler answered and looked down at the small child with warm eyes.

“How may I help you little lady?” the man was elderly and lanky but his voice was still strong giving evidence of the years he spent in the armed forces.

“Can I talk to the nice man who gave me bread?” she wondered if maybe she had picked the wrong house. It was hard to tell what house was whose since they all looked the same.

“Do you want to talk to the man of the house? He told me of a little girl who asked for food today. Is that you?” the elderly man asked as he led Skylar into the house and towards the study.

“Yes, he was very nice to me” Skylar said but wasn’t looking at the elderly man instead she was looking around at the enormous house.

They walked for a bit more before reaching the study and stopping in front of the door. The elderly man was about to turn and tell Skylar to wait but she was already standing to the side with her hands behind her back in a waiting posture. She knew how the house rules worked among the wealthy.

“Master Richard” James, the elderly butler, called from the other side of the door.

“Come in James” Richard called as he finished the papers he had been working on. Richard was a retired doctor turned Politian who was very adamant about bringing the world back to its feet since now it was at rock bottom.

“Sir there is a small child outside that says you were the nice man to give her food. She wants to speak with you about something. Do you wish to see her?” James asked

A warm smile formed on Richard's face as he remembered the little girl.

“Yes hurry, bring her in” James turned to call Skylar but she was already running across the room to Richard. Without asking, she jumped into Richard’s lap catching Richard off guard and causing him to grunt.

“Please help me mister” she pleased with tears forming in her eyes. Richard’s heart broke for this child and he was willing to help almost instantly.

“What do you need help with little one?” he asked as he patted down her hair to try and sooth her.

“My mommy is dying!” Skylar cried as she spoke the words she had been holding deep within herself. She had begun to see phoenix as her mother the instant they had set out to find her another family.

“Oh dear” James gasped and looked to an equally shocked Richard.

“Calm down little one. I will help your mommy” Richard assured Skylar as he stood with her in his arms and walked out of the study. He grabbed his coat on the way out the front door.

“Get a room ready and have my medical kit ready for when we return James” Richard called back as he jogged out the door. Skylar quickly told him where phoenix was hidden and they soon came to the thicket. Richard was shocked to find it was a hybrid he was looking at. They were so rare in cities since the people in the city were repulsed by their species.

“Please help my mommy. She is nice even if she is different” Skylar pleaded as she noticed phoenix was barely breathing. She feared the nice man would change his mind about helping her mommy because she was different.

Richard took a moment to gather his thoughts before quickly taking his coat off and draping it over phoenix and taking her into his arms. It would be difficult for him to treat her but he would do all in his power to save the little girl’s mother.

Phoenix woke to the sound of something beeping in constant rhythm. She had been close to the grasp of death but somehow she had been pulled back before that happened. There was light coming into the room she was in. It was hard for her to sit up and she let out a small whimper as she rose.

“Mommy!” phoenix was shocked to hear Skylar’s voice somewhere in the room. It didn’t register in her brain that the little girl had called her mommy until Skylar had thrown herself into phoenix’s arms.

“What?” could Skylar really believe that phoenix was her mother?

“Are you all better now? The nice man says you were close to dying” phoenix furrowed her eyebrows in irritation. How could anyone tell that to a child?

“It is not wise for you to be on your mommy like that small Skylar” James said as he walked in with a tray of food for phoenix. Phoenix instantly bristled as the man came closer to her and Skylar. Out of instinct phoenix growled and pulled Skylar closer to her, ignoring the pain.

James stopped in his tracks and put the tray slowly down at the foot of the bed. He knew phoenix would act like this after such an attack. To show he would not harm her or Skylar he held up his hands and took a step back.

“Its ok mommy he is nice and has taken care of me while you were asleep.” Skylar told phoenix and turned around to kiss phoenix on the cheek.

“She is a wonderful child miss” James ventured to say

“Yes I know” phoenix answered as she looked down at the child in her arms. The little one called her mommy and phoenix felt a need to be a mother to her. Maybe she didn’t need to look for a family for Skylar but for a way to give her a better life.

“Mommy, can I go and play around the house?” Skylar asked with an excited look on her face.

“Okay, go on” phoenix didn’t have to tell Skylar to be careful or not to bother anyone because she knew her little one already knew. She watched with a smile as Skylar skipped out of the room.

“Would you like anything else miss?” James asked

“Where are we?” phoenix asked as she pulled back the cover and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. James made a move to help but stopped, afraid she would get upset. Phoenix didn’t mind him anymore since he had taken care of Skylar and herself even though she was a hybrid.

“Would you like help miss?” James asked before trying to move another step.

Phoenix was about to decline but a sheering pain shot through her side up to her shoulder and she couldn’t move.

“Yes please” phoenix finally answered on a pained gasp.

“The master said you should not be out of bed so early” James told her but never the less helped her move to the sitting room attached to her bedroom.

“If I don’t move I will be a great pain in your neck mister” phoenix warned him as she sat down on a love seat with James’ help.

“Very well miss but I do advise that you not move much” James said as he straightened and then went to retrieve the food from the bed to bring it to phoenix. Phoenix looked around the room and came to the conclusion that this was a wealthy man’s home. From her past experiences with wealthy men, she didn’t trust them to be anything but cruel, filthy and selfish. So why did this man decide to help, especially a hybrid like phoenix?

Meanwhile, in the main entrance hall Skylar was playing with a doll Richard had given to her. He had said it was his daughter’s but that she didn’t use it anymore. The doll had raven long hair and porcelain skin with ocean blue eyes and rosy lips. Her gown was Christmas green and a red ribbon was tied in her hair. Skylar wanted to dress like her new doll someday but she knew her mommy wouldn’t be able to buy her that. Maybe she could save up for it over time.

Just then the front door was flung open, startling Skylar. A woman stepped in followed by a gust of wind that caused her long raven hair to wave like a flag on a windy day.

“Father, I’m home!” the woman called into the house as she closed the door and shook off her coat. The coat was a magnificent wine red with small stones embedded at the bottom and a Christmas green dress was revealed when she took off her coat. Skylar looked at the woman and then at her doll; it was as if her doll had come to life.

“Hi there” Skylar spoke up from where she was sitting on the floor in the middle of the room. The woman looked at Skylar in first shock than anger when she saw what Skylar was playing with.

“You little thief!” the woman exclaimed and went after Skylar who quickly ran in search of Richard to save her and her doll.

“Mommy!” Skylar screamed as she ran up the stairs to where she knew her mommy would protect her since she could not find Richard.

“Did you hear that?” phoenix was up out of her seat when she heard Skylar cry out for her. The pain she felt and James’ calls were ignored as she shot out of the room. Phoenix ran faster than she had in a while and was practically on all fours in her hurry to get to Skylar. She came to the stairs and saw Skylar running up being chased by a woman. In that instant she got on all fours and growled while every hair on her rose. Phoenix was ready to pounce on the woman to defend Skylar.

“STOP!” a male voice rang out throughout the room causing everyone to freeze and look in the direction of the voice. Richard stood at the foot of the stairs and started up the stairs with a dangerously calm demeanor.

“Father, I am so glad you’re here. This little�"” the woman started to say but Richard held up a hand to cut her off. Skylar took this opportunity to scurry up the remaining stairs and hid behind her mommy. The woman turned and was about to reach for Skylar but phoenix arched her back and growled menacingly.

“Samantha” Richard addressed the woman in a tone of reprimand.

“She tried to take Sammy from me” Skylar accused and pointed a finger at Samantha.

Richard crouched to be eyelevel with Skylar “It’s okay little one, she won’t” Richard assured her. Phoenix growled as she saw he was leaning closer to try and touch Skylar. Richard backed up and gave phoenix her space.

“Sir” James appeared from behind phoenix with a cautious expression on his face.

“Will you take Samantha into my study?” Richard told James but never took his eyes off of phoenix. She twitched when James walked past her causing him to flinch and walk a little bit faster.

“Mommy?” Skylar addressed phoenix with a perplexed tone that pierced the silence that had fallen when Samantha and James left. Phoenix didn’t take her eyes off of Richard but calmed down enough to sit on the top stair with Skylar still behind her.

“Who are you?” phoenix asked Richard with a growl in her voice. She didn’t like the fact that his kin had tried to hurt Skylar.

“My name is Richard and I am a friend of your daughter. I helped heal you” Richard told phoenix in a soft voice. He didn’t want to upset phoenix and cause her to react in a violent way. Phoenix looked puzzled at Richard and crocked her head to the side as if trying to find out what he was.

“Why?” phoenix asked as she sat completely relaxed on the first step.  Skylar was still behind her and she didn’t seem content with it. Without warning, Skylar crawled into phoenix’s lap and curled up to sleep. The doll was securely wrapped in her arms as she mumbled incoherent words.

“She is beautiful.” Richard told phoenix as he looked at Skylar lovingly.

“Yes she is but you have yet to answer my question sir. Why did you help a hybrid and her daughter?”  Phoenix rocked Skylar in her arms as she asked this with a suspicious tone to her voice.

“Why not?” Richard said and smiled as a confused look crossed phoenix’s face.

“You are a strange man” phoenix said and rose with Skylar in her arms “I thank you greatly but I do not trust you” she warned as she turned to walk back to her appointed room ignoring the pain that that made her side throb in time with her heart beat.

“You are welcome to stay as long as you need” Richard called after her in hopes that he would get to enjoy the life that Skylar had brought to the house.

With a sigh, he turned and walked towards the study where he would have to explain everything to his daughter. She was not happy to say the least and considering she hated it when Richard brought women home; Richard was in for a very brutal lecturing from Samantha.

James stood outside the study door and cringed as he saw Richard walk closer.

“That bad, huh?” Richard asked with a wary look at the study door.

“She is livid sir. She thinks you and the miss are having an affair” James warned Richard before bowing and walking away so as not to hear the argument that was about to ensue.

“Great” Richard whispered to himself as he braced himself and took hold of the door knob of the study.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

I enjoyed the chapter. You create good situation and strong characters. I like how you create new species and led them into a new journey. It is well written and you held my attention to the last words. The description was very good. Left the reader with a understanding and feel for the tale. Thank you for sharing the excellent chapter.
Coyote

[Susan14]

It was an enjoyable chapter. I liked how you created a new species. That is a twist that I had yet to see. Your structure is solid and there is an interest in reading the material. Overall a good job.