Young Writers Society

Beau

♧ 12 / 18 / 1980 ♧

The night was as beautiful as always. The mellow melody of the snow falling filled my ears. It prompted me to cover myself with my blanket in comfort. The peacefulness of the night was welcoming. Yet, nagging anxiety ordered me to ignore the soothing cold dead of night.

My thoughts seemed to swallow my mind whole. The beauty of the night only seemed to remind me of how large the land was. Meaning how difficult it would be for someone to find me if some sick beast took me. My fur, meat, and size would catch anyone’s eye. The outside world wasn’t a safe place for someone like me, even for my species…

“Beau,” Duko started through the other line of the telephone, snapping me out of thoughts. “You need to stop worrying so much.”

Clenching my paw, I try to push away my annoyance. “I’m not worrying, I’m being cautious—not a jumpy cub afraid of fairy tales.”

“I get that your…” he thinks of an inoffensive phrase. “…condition makes you more vulnerable, but can you chill out? You never want to hang out because you think some beast will devour you; you’re an apex predator!”

Volatile Rupiah, a rare condition that makes a beast’s growing process slower, makes my life hell. Even though I’m a bear, I’m like a prey beast because of my small size and strength. Not to mention my father’s overprotective nature. Cowering my head with lectures that make me turn my head now and again.

But I can’t blame my father; he is a rhino after all. Such pressure being the principal of my school. Everyone knows beasts kill rhinos for their valuable horns. It isn’t so difficult to do such things for a quick thousand dollars these days. He only fears it’ll get worse when the years go by. Maybe it’s not just a fear anymore.

“That’s easy for you to say,” I scoffed, holding in an insult. “You’re a wolf.”

“And you’re a bear!” Duko exclaimed. “Do you know how big you’ll get in your early twenties—like in a year—or how strong you’ll be?”

“I won’t be so cautious once I grow…” I mumbled, covering my face with my paw even though I was alone.

“And your father is a large rhino,” Duko continued. “Look, I’m sorry for bringing this up again and reminding you about your Volatile Rupiah, but don’t you get what I mean?”

“But…” I consider his points but shake the thought away. “What if I was alone and coincidentally, some beast had a taste for meat?”

I could imagine Duko’s face, bewilderment with a dash of buried aggravation. “That’s… rare. You’re always with someone else.”

“…It could happen.”

We both hear the rustling of the covers through the other line as an awkward silence falls between us. Duko has brought up this topic many times, and it always ends like this—me denying everything. Something inside me is telling me to listen. Yet, my father’s words that he told me as a cub always play through my head.

“Remember, Beau,” my father looked down at me with a soft but serious smile. “Any beast could take you for your fur or meat. Even if you’re an omnivore, you’re not the size yet. That’s why you always have to look behind your back.”

I can’t seem to make it stop.

“You know my father? He never lets his guard down. Not trusting innocent strangers, always looking behind his back… Even in his home.” Duko said, breaking the silence. “I don’t want you to become that paranoid because of your father’s… never mind.”

I pause for a moment, taking in his warning. “…I won’t.”

“Anyways…” Duko said with a halting tone. “Call of the Beast is coming up soon. We’re going to have three weeks off after tomorrow…”

Call of the Beast was a celebration that fell on December 25th. Beasts would meet with their animal family and have a feast. Family, friends, strangers—everyone came to celebrate and travel. It’s the favorite time of the year because students get a three-week break. Tomorrow was the last day before the break began.

Everyone was excited to go like every other year, but my father was always hesitant. The black market always had a sale now of year, meaning double the hunting. Those bastards would give away their sense of smell for fur like mine. They cost a fortune.

“Me and my parents are going to celebrate with their friends and relatives,” he squealed with a benevolent tone. “My father doesn’t trust any strangers because he ‘wants to be sure no one unpleasant comes to get us,’ or something. What about you?”

“Oh, nothing much…” I responded. “I usually go out to eat with my dad and stay home to watch movies with him.”

“So, you don’t celebrate with any other ursidae? But that’s not even celebrating!” Duko asked. “…How about you hang out with me after the celebration? My father won’t mind, you’re harmless.”

I hesitate, thoughts swarming inside my head. So many things could go wrong. Call of the Beast is the most wholesome time of the year but has the highest percentage of beasts devoured. That’s why my father was always so wary of the holiday.

Duko is a kind soul. He’s nice, respectful, caring… but he’s a canidae. He would never do such a thing, but any beast could just… snap. It happens all the time.

Maybe my father’s words are getting to me.

“Beau?”

“Oh, I…” I take a glance at my clock. “It’s… It’s getting late, I have to go!”

“It’s just a minute after ten-“

“Goodnight!” I quickly hang up the phone, fall into bed, and look at the ceiling. Eventually, I will face my fears of entering the real world once I graduate. I’m not going to be small forever. But my father’s overprotective words get the best of me.

“Any beast can snap—and a small, vulnerable beast is a great target.”

***

♧ 12 / 19 / 1980 ♧

“What is it like with Volatile Rupiah?”

The snow crunches beneath my boots as I stop, looking up at Duko with a confused expression. It isn’t like him to ask me a question that I’m very sensitive about, especially not so early in the morning.

“W-Well, of course, if you’re not comfortable-”

“Like a rabbit in a forest full of starving wolves,” I cut him off, avoiding eye contact. “It’s difficult. Knowing that my vulnerability can cause my fate in the black market.”

Duko lowers his ears and gazes. “I’m sure no beast would take you to that place…”

The black market is where you can traffic meat and fur. The usual practice is raising a beast for slaughter. But kidnapping a beast and then killing them takes less time. It usually happens to herbivores, but omnivores and carnivores like me are still on a plate. That’s why I never go out alone at night.

I began to walk again. “Why did you ask?”

“I just wondered how it felt to be an herbivore,” he caught up with me. “It would be rude to ask a prey animal… since I’m a carnivore and all.”

“…alright…?”

Realizing how awkward the question was, Duko didn’t say anything else as we both walked in silence. Arriving at the bus stop, I stare at the ground in this uncomfortable. Duko wasn’t a conversation expert. He always ended up blurting out things. Unintentionally saying something rude or nosy.

But he had a good mind. He tries to make me feel better. If only it wasn’t so hard to explain my troubles to someone who will never experience what I am experiencing.

Ever since last night, I’ve been thinking more and more about Call of the Beasts, and I can’t get it out of my head. Every year is the same. Every beast is going out and traveling to have a great feast and meet other species. But I stay home with my father, bored and alone.

This year it hurts even more because of Duko. I don’t know how to explain the feeling, but my mind isn’t letting me let go of it.

The bus rolls in front of us. Duko gives me a nervous glance before going in first as if he’s trying to protect me. I walk in behind him, quickly taking a seat to escape the awkward glances by every other beast.

The bus began to move. “I’m sorry.”

I tilt my head. “…You’re sorry for asking me a question?”

“For how it made you feel. I know your disease lowers your self-esteem. I don’t want you to feel that way.”

I smile, looking up at him. “Don’t worry, wolf pup. I get down for even thinking about it, you didn’t change a thing! Besides, I wouldn’t want you to a rabbit to scream at you for asking them that question.”

We both chuckle, Duko seeming glad he could brighten the mood.

“Uh… so, have you thought about spending time with me during the break?”

I cringe, gulping as my gaze treads away from his. That thought left my mind when I was thinking about the break, and now it has come back to haunt me.

“Well, I…” I stumble over my words, trying to find a way to explain this in the nicest way.

Saving me from disappointing my best and only friend, the bus stops and I scurry off of it. Someday I will have to explain to Duko why I won’t be coming with him, and I fear it. I don’t want to see him frown, his ears droop, or his joyful, excited tone turn quiet and secluded. My heart can’t take it.

***

I look down at the floor as I put my head down, all the joyful chatter from the other beasts stabbing my ears in envy. It was like the universe was mocking me. I would rather sit in another lecture. Again, my father about how I could be in danger alone outside. That would be so much better than this embarrassing position.

Wanting to escape from this boredom, I snag the hall pass from the snoozing teacher’s desk. Heading to the door, trying to stay unnoticed. It may be unsanitary, but I plan to sit in the bathroom till the bell rings. That will give me my mind a much-needed rest and my anxiety at bay. Besides, no one will care or notice.

Raising my paw to the doorknob, it already opens before I can. But the sight that causes my breath to catch in my throat makes me wish that I stayed in my seat. That golden brown mane encircled his head and neck. A fiery glare burns through me, making my fur rise behind my neck. That short, sandy hue of his fur…

Mr. Santifelon.