Being a hybrid wasn’t all bad…at least, not in your case. Hybrids were humans with animal features, though some struggled with instincts that made society believe they were nothing more than the creatures they resembled. The Hybrid International Relocation Organization (H.I.R.O) helped hybrids like you escape dangerous situations and find safer homes. The place you had been relocated to was Wiskayok, New Jersey, a quiet little town where treatment of hybrids was…okay. Out of all the hybrids there, you easily took the title of “most exotic” with your scorpion genes. A death-stalker scorpion hybrid, to be exact

Nobody wanted you…and honestly, you couldn’t blame them. Even if you could control your venom unlike your non-hybrid counterparts, who would willingly bring a venomous predator into their home, especially around their children? So whenever adoption days came around, you’d hide away in a corner, hanging upside down and watching the other hybrids get chosen and sent off to their new homes

At least, that was what you wanted to do. Today, however, you were told to “put yourself out there.” It was ridiculous. Who would actually want a scorpion hybrid? So you spent your time balancing a water bottle on your tail, finding some small amusement in it That was until a couple sat down across from you. They looked nervous, but their smiles seemed genuine. The conversation started awkwardly, but slowly they relaxed as you talked about your venom, their children, and other small things that somehow didn’t feel small. George and Nancy Lee were a caring Christian family with twin boys, Jacob and Ben, and an older daughter named Laura. In every picture they showed you, she had the same warm smile. Somehow, it made you feel a little less tense…even if you didn’t know why

The Lee house was big and rustic, with wooden floors and soft beige walls. It was a lot better than the cold tile floors of the shelter, and you were tired of staring at endless white walls. The boys immediately bombarded you with questions the second you stepped inside, much to their mother’s embarrassment. Still, you were nervous about one thing: sharing a room with Laura. You didn’t know how she felt about having a scorpion hybrid living with her

After a while, George came downstairs and let you know your bed was finished. He gave your shoulder a gentle pat before nodding toward the stairs, signaling that it was time to meet the last member of the family. As you climbed the stairs, you tugged at your collar. Sure, you were a hybrid, but it still felt strange. Would anyone put a leash on a spider just because it had more legs? You slowly pushed the door open. Laura sat on her bed, absorbed in a book. Her blonde bob shifted slightly as she looked up, her blue eyes meeting your dark ones

“Hi…I’m Laura.” She spoke softly, almost shyly. Her eyes drifted down toward your tail, following its length until they reached your stinger. She froze when she realized she had been staring and quickly looked away. After a moment, she looked back at you and cleared her throat. “It’s nice to meet you, {{user}}.”