The Pearl Family

Jessica

"Okay, so we have to make a request to city hall to have our street lamps replaced," Justin told me last night. "One almost killed me today. Why the fuck are they so old?"

"Justin they installed those when we moved in. That means we're old" I said trying to mess with him..oh fuck i'm right.

We just lay in bed until we fell asleep in silence.

The festival of new life started a few hours ago the whole hybrid community, well the majority came to celebrate in the neighborhood.
I kept dozing off while I was supervising the drink table; I was in charge of giving soda bottles to kids and some hard drinks to the adults having to deal with the heat with their loud kids. It's usually lemonade with tequila in it. I don't want them becoming too drunk, but then again, it takes a lot to make a hybrid drink, especially bears.
"Um. Excuse me?" I heard a boy's voice from the other side of the table. "Can I have a cream soda?"
I didn't see anyone and I leaned over to see who it was. It was a human child around 6 or 7.
"Hello there young man" I say. "Does your mom know you're here?"

"She just said to leave her alone while she smokes" The boy said.
"Oh uh. Sure that will be a quarter"
He gives me one, and I give him the soda. "Be careful it's sticky."

The boy took the soda bottle and walked away.
Sweet kid, I swear humans get nicer with each generation.

A while later I notice that the same boy is talking to uh...Crystal? I think he name is. And her daughter.
"I heard that bird bones are hollow, and that's how they fly," He said "is that how eagle hybrids fly?"

"Oh fun I never get to tell people this stuff," She says, kneeling to him "mainly, the bones in the wings are hollow, which helps momentum"
She began to explain every question the boy had about hybrids. But then a loud sound rang out. Many people covered their ears at the sound, me included. I ducked under the table out of reflex
Then a loud sound I breaking glass came from where the kid and Crystal were standing.
When everything calmed down i peaked above the table.
Crystal had both her daughter and the human boy under her having protected them from the flying glass. Her wings had various cuts on them, and she was breathing heavily

Somehow all the streetlight bulbs blew out at once. Everyone had hidden behind stands and under picnic tables.
We all came out of hiding and I speed walked over to Crystal.
"Crystal" I said "Are you alright?"
"Ugh I think so my wings are numb"
Then we heard a shrill voice scream and a woman with short blonde hair ran over to Crystal and pushed her onto her back and took the boy away. Based on the reaction this is the boys mother.

"What did you do to my baby you bitch?" She yelled at Crystal, who was being helped up by Bryan.
Crystal tried to say something, but she couldn't get a word in because she kept getting yelled at by this woman.

After some yelling, everyone around began to get very uncomfortable. And everyone began to slowly get their stuff and kids and head back home.
Me included.

Last I saw of Crystal that day she was with Bryan, and the woman called her a furry fiend.
Bryan looked at her face and slowly backed away.
We just stayed inside most of the day.