《To Teach Humanity》 Chapter One: Saved "I dare you." -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- I could only hear the sounds of my feet tapping the ground and my heart pounding in my chest. I had one goal and one goal only: get away. My blue eyes frantically searched for a place to hide as sweat dripped down my wavy, blonde hair. I knew it was idiotic to lead them to my apartment, but this meant I didn''t know where else to go. The place was a one-way street, and they blocked the path back to any public areas. "Hey sweetheart!" I grimaced as I heard one of the brutes call out to me, sounding closer than before. "We just wanna talk is all..." The other one snickered. I felt myself starting to panic as the street lights died away. "Yeah babe! Just come to us. We''ll take real good care of you," the other one tagged on to the first guy. I knew what they were insinuating, and it made me want to gag and cry all at the same time. I should''ve expected this. I should have brought something, anything with me to defend myself. Their footsteps got louder and quicker, their laughter haunting my ears. Oh my God this is really happening to me! I sped up, hoping to run into someone, but the trees were getting thicker. "We''re trying to be nice here. Don''t turn us into the bad guys..." They laughed at their jokes and I felt my skin crawl. "Alright, we''re done messing around." I heard one say to the other. Their footsteps suddenly stomped on the ground, speeding up. I didn''t think twice and started running down the path, debating to rush off into the forest. If I did, they wouldn''t find my body for days. They were gaining on me and I knew it. Fuck, I knew it. I burst into tears as my lungs burned. Their laughter filled the air, suffocating me. I couldn''t breathe. I just couldn''t. Shit! There was nowhere else to run. The gate and walls of the castle loomed above me. I stared up at them in shock. I was about to be raped and killed in front of an abandoned castle. "Damn lady, you really wore us out," I heard them catch up to me as I wiped my tears. I didn''t dare say anything to them. I whirled around, they were looming over me. I looked to the moon above me and prayed for a miracle. I flinched as one of their hands started to caress my cheek. "Aren''t you something.." I heard him whisper and tried not to gag at the smell of his breath. He had been drinking. "Touch her again," I heard a voice from the forest. "I dare you." "Who said that?" The guy removed his hand from my cheek, looking around but not moving his body. "Jacob, did you hear that?" He asked the guy next to him. "Of course I heard that Kyle! It was like it was in my brain. I don''t like this. We should leave," Jacob started trying to grab Kyle. "Don''t touch me!" He threw Jacob off of him. "Are you seriously chickening out now?" He moved his hand to move some hair away from my face, as it had clung there from sweat. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. "I warned you," the voice, etched in malice, loomed over the area once more. "Yeah? And I''m warning whoever''s out there to get out of here before I- AH!" I had only blinked, but now Kyle was ten feet away, ass on the ground. With a whirl of wind, a cloaked figure stood between us. "Shit Kyle, he''s real!" Jacob cried and started running. "Don''t leave me here dammit!" Kyle scurried to get off the ground, and tripped slightly as he started running. Once they were only a spec in the distance, the figure turned to me. My hyperventilating increased as I saw red eyes, and then, I saw nothing. -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- My eyes slowly fluttered open and I sneezed as the light hit my face. I rubbed my eyes and looked around to see I was in what appeared to be a royal bedroom. The bedsheets under my arms were dusty and a deep red color. Gold was etched into the bed frame, or at least it looked like that. To my right was a black dresser with a full length, dusty mirror sitting next to it. Light spewed into the room on my left, revealing a grand closet door and a bedside table. My glasses were on it. The only question was: Where was I? I slowly and quietly stood up, my sock-covered feet hitting the cold ground. I quickly put on my shoes. I didn''t know if I had to run yet. I snuck over to the window and looked out it to find... the village? I let confusion bestow itself upon my face. I was in the castle, but it was supposed to be abandoned. That meant there was someone here, possibly tied to that man from last night, and I could be in danger more so than with those goons. I searched the room for my messenger bag. I would have left it if it weren''t for the fact my ID was in there. I gently placed it over my shoulder and walked back over to put my glasses on. Knock, knock, knock. My head snapped to the door. The knock was gentle, but stern all at the same time. Fuck. I backed away from the door, ready to jump out of the window if necessary. Slowly, the door opened. In the doorway stood the man from last night. He was dressed in what looked like wizard robes, red accenting the black. He was pale, very pale. His eyes were a deep, fiery red and strong brows rested perfectly above them. His hair was long, wavy, and black. It fell behind his cloak in ripples. There was a bun that sat on top of his head as well, further revealing his strong jaw and pointed nose. His hair framed his face and pointy ears... wait. What man has pointy ears? "Are you done looking, miss?" My eyes widened at his low, baritone voice. He spoke in a monotone way, almost as if he were bored. His eyes certainly showed that. I nodded slowly. "Good. Now follow me." I debated jumping out the window one last time before following the man. Now walking behind him, he was nearly a foot taller than me, but he wasn''t broad. He was rather slim but toned in his build. It was certainly odd. He led me through the castle, making so many turns that I couldn''t keep track of it. Then, he stopped in front of a grand door. I gathered that this was the entrance to the castle. "The gate is unlocked for you, but if you want to leave, you must promise to never speak of this place or myself again, lest you want to appear a fool," he looked down at me, his body still facing the door. I felt compelled to at least thank him. "Thank you, for saving not only once or twice," I had to say. He almost rolled his eyes. "Don''t expect me to do it again. You must be more careful in the future." I nodded and he opened the door for me. "May I ask for the name of who saved me?" He stared into my eyes for a few moments. "No. Now leave me be. Do not come back." "I am Lucille. Again, thank you." This time he did roll his eyes. "I did not ask for your name, now leave before I make you." Getting the hint, I left. The door immediately shut behind me and I walked down the path to the gate. Like the man said, it was unlocked. I gently pushed it open and made my way back to my apartment. I opened the door to be greeted by my kitten Luma. She screeched at me, like she usually does, and pranced around my feet. She immediately jumped on the kitchen counter, yelling for treats. With a sigh, I closed the door behind me and sighed. This was going to be a lot to think about. Chapter Two: The First Letter "Against my better judgment, I hope to hear from you again" -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- It had been a couple of days since my strange encounter with the man who saved me. Me, being myself, felt the need to give him a proper thank you. I figured I could do what I do best: Write. I sat down at my quaint desk, pulling the chair up so my stomach hit the side of it, and I pulled out a piece of paper. I then grabbed my fountain pen and checked to make sure the ink was full. I sighed as I thought about what I could say to him. After all, he very well could''ve saved my life. He didn''t want to know about me, but I wanted to tell him what it meant to me. I suppose I could just start there. I grabbed my pen from the ink bottle and cleaned the nib. I took a deep breath and just started writing whatever came to mind: "Dear Mysterious Castle Man, Wait, does that even make sense? I don''t know, I apologize. I simply wanted to write a proper thank you for what you did for me a few nights ago. It quite possibly saved my life." I groaned and leaned back in my chair, not knowing what else to say. I guess I could just talk about myself, but what else is there to say? I picked up the pen again and picked up where I left off. "I greatly appreciate the amount of care you put into me after I fainted, which was quite embarrassing for me, but we don''t have to talk about that, haha. Writing haha on a letter is weird, but I didn''t know how else to say that I laughed." I had to put the pen down. I''m so stupid. Why would I ever write that? Realizing that I could either start over or get my point across, I kept trekking along. It''s not like he''ll respond. Maybe he''ll find it amusing. "Anyway, I don''t know how to convey how much it meant to me that I could find such a kind stranger in a place I''ve yet to reside in for very long. I understand you do not care for my introductions, so I will keep this short, but I am Lucille Monroe. I''m a writer who has come to study abroad in Romania. Obviously, I did not anticipate the reality of being alone, so again, I am thankful for you stepping in. Part of me feels the need to stop writing before I make myself appear any more of a fool, so I will stop here. Thank you, again, The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Lucille." I sighed and put my pen away. It was about midday, so it would be safe to go out alone. Then, I could write in the library again. Definitely not for as long as... when that happened, but I could hopefully get more of my work done. I stood up, gathered my things into my messenger bag, and walked out of my apartment after petting Luma goodbye. Heading down the stairs and out onto the street, I walked down the path towards the castle with the bound letter in hand. I walked through the trees, the light peeking in through the foliage and scattering along the ground. I sighed after taking in a deep breath. If it were for the fact I needed wifi to write on my computer, I would come out here. The soft ground shifted beneath my feet as I walked. I got flashbacks from that night, but I feel better now reminding myself why I was here this time around. A small smile found its way to my lips as I saw the gate get closer and closer to me. It didn''t loom over me as much as it did last night. It was... slightly inviting? I laughed a bit, well, it was more of a nervous chuckle. The gate itself was still cold and relatively bleak looking. I shivered at the thought of opening it by myself, but from what the man said the other night, I could deduce that this gate can lock, and it probably was. I gently pushed on it, and sighed with relief when I found it was locked. Sliding the letter through one of the metal, sprawling roses, I let it drift off onto the other side. Well? That''s that I suppose... That was when I promptly turned around and headed towards the library to get some writing done for my assignment. -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- The next day, I had woken up early in the morning to find a letter sitting on the welcome mat just inside the door. I picked it up to read: "Dear Miss Monroe, I haven''t the faintest clue nor idea as to why you decided to write me a letter to thank me for an act of service any good man would do., but I suppose your letter warrants a "You''re Welcome." It''s been quite a long time since I''ve received a letter, and despite not wanting to know introductions in the castle, I was intrigued to learn more about you. From your more... personal style of writing, I can see how kind you are. No, it was not embarrassing that you fainted. It was quite a traumatic event for you to live through, and no, you do not seem a fool to me. Also, I quite like the nickname of Mysterious Castle Man. Against my better judgment, I hope to hear from you again, A." I couldn''t help but smile. He wanted me to write to him again! I studied his handwriting, it was scribbled in a majestic way, as if it were intentional. It looked like an old style of writing as well. The letter "A" he signed with was magnificent and quite large, like he wanted me to see it and try to figure it out. I went to write immediately before my class started: "Dear Mysterious Castle Man (or A), If you wish to hear from me again, I''m sure you do not mind me asking a few questions: Do you live alone? Do you go into the village often, or are you more of a home dweller? Do you like to write as well? If you are uncomfortable answering these questions, feel free to ignore them and simply tell me about your day? I''ll certainly tell you mine Sincerely your new friend, Lucille Monroe" After putting my pen away, I dropped off the letter and headed to class with a little skip in my step. Chapter Three: The Date "I was wondering if you... wanted to go out with me at all?" -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- Just outside of the village I was staying in was the college I came to study abroad for. It wasn''t a long walk, so thankfully it wasn''t like I needed a car or anything. I opened the door to my classroom, filing in just before my classmates. The class itself was taught by my professor Alexandru Baciu. He wasn''t anything I thought was special, at least, personality-wise. His lectures on the other hand, now that was what I was here for. I sat down in one of the chairs connected to these long tables that circled the first half of the room. The professor talked to us about character studies for our writings, pacing back and forth in front of the white board. I already had a relatively good grasp on this, but seeing as I paid for this, I listened intently for any new tips and tricks. Unfortunately for my intentions, my mind fought to wander elsewhere, particularly to the man in the castle. Now that I imagined him moreover in my mind, the more mysterious he became. Why live alone in a castle? Why were the boys scared of him? His eyes are dark red... but he''s not an albino because of his dark hair? Is he pale because he lives in the castle? How does he get groceries in the village if people don''t even think he''s real? Surely someone must have seen him or knows who he is? I should probably ask around, but is that even a good idea? I forced myself to focus instead on the class, writing down notes and answering questions about character design. I would like to say I was doing pretty well. Once class had ended, I was the first one out the door. I headed down to the library in the village and said my usual "Hello" to the librarian. I sat down at my usual table and opened my computer from my bag. For a while, I sat there writing my manuscript about... well, I guess I didn''t really know what it was about. It was just a story I had in my head about this romantic idea between two time travelers who were destined to hunt and kill each other. Not exactly a cheery premise, but I guess it was working out rather well? I didn''t know where it was headed despite having already planned out the plot. It wasn''t like me to write like this, but I guess you could say I''ve been distracted. "-ello?" I heard a voice peek through my ears. I turned towards the sound and found a guy about my age just kind of... standing there. "Uh, hi?" I responded nervously. He chuckled slightly, flashing his white teeth. "I suppose you didn''t hear me the first time," he adjusted the straps to his backpack. "May I sit down?" He pointed to the chair opposite of me. "Oh, sorry, sure! I must have zoned out or something." I laughed, leaning back a little. "Something like that. I''m David. Your name''s Lucille, right?" He pointed a finger at me, smirking a little. It came off as slightly creepy and arrogant. "Um, yeah... Who told you?" I asked, tilting my head ever so slightly. David''s eyes widened. "Oh I''m- Sorry I- I asked the professor after you left..." He stumbled over his words, not making eye contact until he figured out what he was going to say. "Uh huh... may I ask what you need from me, or...?" I did my best not to cross my arms and appear rude. I genuinely wanted to know. "I-uh, um, well ya see, uh, hang on-" He took in a deep breath. "I was wondering if you... wanted to go out with me at all? Get to know each other? I know it sounds super weird to ask someone you''ve just met and I really hope I''m not making you uncomfortable or anything. It''s obviously okay to say no. I just think you''re gorgeous and smart and- I''m rambling aren''t I?" He scratched the back of his neck after running his fingers through his red hair. I nodded slowly, a small smile. He seemed a little more dorky than creepy, but I knew I had to be cautious. "You are, but it''s cute," I laughed and David just stared slightly, as if he was in awe. I slowly died out and cleared my throat. "A-Anyway. I''ll agree as long as it''s in a public place. I''m not going over to your house and you''re not coming over to mine. Sound good?" This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Wait, really? Ya mean it?" There was a sparkle in his green eyes and a smile upon his freckled lips. His goofy expression made me laugh once more. "Sure! Just don''t pick a time that''s too late. I gotta take care of my kitten." "No way...," he breathed. I raised an eyebrow. "No way what?" "You have a kitten? Can I see them?" He leaned towards me ever so slightly and I felt the need to back up. "Uh, sure. One sec." I scooted away from him, and thankfully he got the hint, pulling away. I pulled out my phone and showed him pictures of my kitten Luma. He cooed. "Wait, Luma? That''s her name? Isn''t that the name of a video game character?" I nodded. "Yeah, but it also has this really nerdy explanation for her name, too..." I died off, chuckling. "Well, obviously I have to know now." He playfully crossed his arms. "Okay, fine. When older computers were still around, they''d separate the colors from the black and whites. The colors were called ''chroma'' and the black and white were called ''luma.''" He nodded, slowly understanding. "And Luma is black and white! I get it. That''s smart." I watched as his eyes flicked over to my screen. "May I ask what you''re writing?" I tried not to blush and what I was starting to consider a failure. "It''s-uh- a romance.." I spoke softly. I knew he heard me when his eyebrows raised. "Huh? What? I didn''t hear that..." He cupped his hand around his ear and leaned slightly, not as much as the first time. I gently hit him with my notebook. "Hey!" "I know you heard me! Besides... it''s not going very well anyway." He laughed. "Well, we are in the same class. Maybe I could help you out. Besides, there''s nothing wrong with writing a romance! I like them myself... wait. I did not just admit that. Forget what I said-" He shut himself up as I started laughing. "You''d know more than me, then. I don''t usually read these things, much less write them." I gestured to my laptop and he nodded knowingly. "Yeah, well, if you keep it between us, I''ll give you some advice?" He offered and I thought about it with a smirk on my face. "Alright, you''re on, David." We shook hands on it and he had to leave for his next class. I finished out my day excited to see if I got a letter from my new friend, but I went home later that afternoon disappointed to see I had not. Maybe he needs more time to think about his day? Or my questions? I plopped into my chair at my desk, Luma bounding into the room from the kitchen screaming. She probably wanted a treat or something. I sighed and stroked her fur. It was more wiry than soft, but she appreciated it nonetheless. I debated whether or not to write another letter to my new friend, but I decided on giving it more time. Besides, I had a date to prepare for in the next few days. -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- My doorbell rang. It was a few days after I had been asked out by David. I still have not received a letter from "A." Part of me hoped I didn''t scare him off, but I had a date to focus on. I took in a deep breath as I checked myself in the mirror again. We were just going to the local bookstore and then to the cafe before it gets dark and they close. I had my light blue overalls on with my muted green crop top underneath them. Something cute, but not completely overdressed. I didn''t know why I cared so much. Maybe it was because this would be my first date in years, or maybe it was because I didn''t know what else to worry about... well, besides my book. I opened the door to find David in a mahogany button down and jeans. "Well, don''t you look nice," I smiled, complimenting myself for the blush that crept onto his cheeks. "I would say the same about you," he rubbed the back of his neck. He also stepped aside and motioned out of the door. "Shall we?" "Of course!" I followed him and he led us to the bookstore. Once inside, all I could do was gush about my favorite books. He was patient with me, commenting and asking me questions rather than talking over me. Before we left, he bought me the book I was interested in. It was sweet. Then, we ordered at the cafe and sat down. "So, Lucille," he started. "Why did you choose creative writing to study abroad here?" "I could ask you the same thing, but in all honesty? It was the cheapest out of my options and I really like Romania," I shrugged and smiled. He nodded. "Sounds about right. It''s about the same thing for me as well. I also had family here that I could visit. They moved here, I stayed in the UK, all''s well." He smiled at me and I felt something in my chest flutter a little. Not enough for it to mean anything to me, but it was noticeable. "Right. What book are you working on?" He took a sip of his drink. "It''s a murder mystery. I''ll keep the rest a secret." He winked and I chuckled. "Let me ask you the same thing: What are you working on?" "Well, you already know it''s a romance, but I suppose it doesn''t have to be a secret. It''s about these two time travelers tasked to, er, take each other out, and they slowly fall in love with each failed attempt." I moved my hair behind my ear. "I see, well, I hope you won''t mind me gushing over it because you''re such a good writer." He smirked and I laughed. "You don''t know that, but thank you. It means a lot." We chatted more about our professor and the class, and eventually it came time to go. As we watched the sunset from outside of the coffee shop, David held his arm out for me. "May I escort you home?" He asked. I gingerly took his arm and allowed myself to be escorted to my apartment. He made sure I got in and I stood with the door open. I turned to face him. "Is it alright if I hug you?" "Of course, thank you for asking first," I hugged him. He stepped back afterwards, blushing slightly. "Well, goodnight, Lucille." "Goodnight, David." With that, I closed the door and got ready for bed. That''s when I heard something slip under my door. Chapter Four: Mom ¡°Then I wouldn¡¯t waste your time¡± -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- With great haste, I raced to my door to pull it open, but when I looked outside, all I felt was a slight breeze and no one there. The moon shone through the blurry clouds above me and I wondered if A was any more than a ghost. How did he deliver this letter so quickly? I looked left and right, feeling a slight chill. And how did he disappear so fast? Deciding to put those thoughts aside and allowing myself to be overcome with excitement, I closed the door and picked up the letter. It was folded neatly this time. I brought it over to my desk so I could respond as fast as I read. I smiled as my fingers traced the parchment. It looked well loved and worn, as if the paper was torn from an old, yellowed book. I was so excited to read it. I unfolded it and let my eyes wander the page: ¡°Dear Miss Monroe, I apologize for my late response. I am afraid most of your questions will be left unanswered as I do not yet feel comfortable relaying my intimate life with you just yet. However, I will most happily inform you that I do love to write and am happy you do as well. I remember you mentioning you came to study abroad for writing. How is that going for you? May you deliver me some of your writings? I am most intrigued.¡± I hadn¡¯t even finished yet and my heart was already soaring with a feeling I couldn¡¯t yet describe. He was interested in what I wrote! My mind raced with what I could show him. Perhaps my memoir of my high school years? No, that would not be pleasant for anyone as he presents himself. What about my current book? No, I¡¯m not yet proud of that one. I sighed, but then it clicked. My batch of poems would be perfect for him! Quickly calming myself down, I continued to read: ¡°As for my day, well, it was the same as any day I supposed. I tended to my garden in the back of the castle and dived into the realm of another book for what felt like centuries. Would you happen to be an avid reader as well? I have some selections I would hope you¡¯d find most endearing. Also, I once again apologize for not opening up to you quite yet, but I was hoping I could ask you some in return anyway. How do you like the village? Are the people here treating you well? How are your relatives? Do they like to write as well? I am most curious to get to know more about you, A.¡± I stopped and reread it. I had a lot to answer should I agree to answer them. Not to mention the last two questions were very loaded. I took a deep breath. Do I trust him? Is it fair for me to open up when he didn¡¯t? Yes, surely it would be because it would be at my own discretion. I suppose if he lives in a castle and doesn¡¯t talk to anyone¡­ he can¡¯t exactly spread the answer around. Alright, that decides it. I grabbed my pen and started my return letter: ¡°Dear Mysterious Castle Man, Yes, that will be my new nickname for you, but rest assured I will continue to try and figure out your name ¡®A.¡¯ I would say that studying abroad in Romania has been most pleasant and I am thoroughly enjoying it so far. The people are wonderful and the feeling I get from the village makes me happy, in short. I would love to deliver you some of my writings. You strike me as a man who would enjoy poetry, as I¡¯ve deduced from your style of writing, so I had a collection of my poems you might like. If you don¡¯t, I have other stories as well. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! As for your questions, I do trust you to keep them a secret, and I respect that you don¡¯t want to explain your life to me. I understand we are still strangers after all. I believe I¡¯ve already answered the first two, so I shall answer the last two. In short, my relatives are doing well as far as I know, but no, they do not like to write. In fact, they do not support my desire to become a writer. It was part of the reason I came to study abroad: to get away from such negative sources. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I love my family, however I cannot justify staying with someone who is toxic towards my dreams and aspirations, mostly my mother. She is certainly something else. I will drop off a copy of my poems along with this letter tomorrow morning. Hopefully they do not disappear on you! Sincerely your acquaintance, Lucille Monroe.¡± I waited for the ink from my fountain pen to dry as I tucked the letter in my drawer with the other one. I loved this. It was like I had a cute little collection of letters. I sighed with content as I hoped my little collection would grow larger as time progressed. Leaning back in my chair, I felt myself nearly fall asleep. I relaxed like that for a few moments before I willed myself to get up and take care of Luma. After all, it wasn¡¯t her job to scoop her litter box. It was mine. After I had finished, I folded my letter and placed it in an envelope. I printed a copy of my little book of poems from my computer and sat there in my overalls, waiting for it to finish. Once it was done, I punched holes in it and laced the pages together with some yarn. Sure, I could¡¯ve just stapled it, but this felt more fun to me. I placed some washing tape, a cat design, on the envelope connecting it to the poems and made it a little parcel. I giggled to myself as I got ready for bed. This had been an exciting day. I went on a wonderful date and then got a new letter from my¡­ acquaintance? Friend? I wasn¡¯t sure what to call him yet, but either way it was lovely. That''s when my phone rang. I felt my stomach seize as I looked to answer it. It was from Mom. Taking a deep breath to calm my anxiety, I answered the phone: ¡°Hi Mom,¡± I greeted her with a slightly fake cheerfulness to my voice. ¡°Hello daughter, how have you been?¡± An older, more annoyed voice responded to me on the other side of the phone. ¡°It¡¯s been¡­ alright-¡± ¡°Just alright? What did we send you over there for?¡± ¡°Mom, I paid for this, and you didn¡¯t let me finish. I went on a date today.¡± ¡°Oh? Do tell.¡± ¡°His name is David. He¡¯s sweet and kind and-¡± ¡°Is he a looker?¡± My mother jokes, something rare from her. I was slightly taken aback before giving her a small laugh. ¡°Yes, Mom, he most certainly is. We went to a bookstore and he bought me one that I liked.¡± ¡°Let me guess, he¡¯s a writer as well?¡± ¡°He is, but-¡± ¡°Then I wouldn¡¯t waste your time, sweetie. There¡¯s no money in that business unless you¡¯re lucky.¡± I stopped myself from sighing. ¡°I understand that, but-¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you do. Maybe go for an engineer? They make enough to raise a family.¡± ¡°I thought we talked about this. I¡¯m not ready for a family-¡± ¡°But you will be one day, and that¡¯s what¡¯s important. Now, I have to go. Have a good night, dear.¡± ¡°...Yes, Mom.¡± With that, she hung up. I groaned and put my phone down. I looked at the book David got me and picked it up from my bag. It was about this magical world where a human had to fit in with monsters. It felt like a kids¡¯ book, but it swore it was for adults. Well, I guess I never really hated the Young Adult genre to begin with, so this should be a good read. I got ready for bed and cozied up under my blankets. Luma slept curled up by my feet as I read through the first few chapters of the book, lost in a daze of the world developing before me. Soon, I felt myself drifting off to sleep.