Hybreeds

Doubts

"It's very late, so we'll stop to have dinner at McDonald's. They have burgers and fries there. You'll like it" - Alex's voice interrupted Lisa from her contemplation of the world around her.
"Oh, ok. I'm starving!"
Alex smiled at her and took a small road on the right.
"Here we are!"
In front of them, there was an enormous building with a giant, yellow M on it.
"Wait, let me take away that stuff" - the young man gently removed the collar from the Hybreed's neck.
"Hey, do you really trust me?! How can you know I'm not going to run away?!" - Lisa was astonished: she didn't expect that kind act from a Human.
"Are you going to run away?"
"No, no, I didn't intend that!"
"Well, let's go, then!" - Alex hold his hand to the girl, smiling, and she smiled him back. Then they entered in the restaurant: a delicious smell of French fries wrapped the two visitors, who went at the 2nd floor to order their dinner with a big tablet in the middle of the room.
"I'll take a Double Veggie Cheeseburger with fries and ketchup, Coca Cola and, finally, pancakes!" - the idea of all that food seemed to please very much the young man.
"Wow, ahah! Are you really able to eat so much?"
"Hey, how dare you! Are you saying I'm fat inside? - he said with a joking voice.
"If you continue eating like this, not just inside!" - Lisa couldn't stop laughing: that Human was not so bad.
"So, what do you want instead?"
"Oh, mmmh. I don't know" - that question surprised her a little: at the Laboratory she was taught to never ask anything to her owner, because Humans considered Hybreeds just as servants. And, since she had entered that restaurant, she was able to see very well the behaviour of all those people towards the ones like her: there were many Hybreeds of different types in the room, but they were all tied or chained at the table of their owners, sitting at the ground with an afflicted look. No one was approaching them and they weren't even eating anything except for some leftovers.
Alex's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"I suggest you this one: a Big Mac with fries. Do you want any sauce or dessert?"
"Ok, I'll take it then. Oh! That's a chocolate milkshake!"
"What?! Ahah! How is it possible that you have no idea of what to take but you know what a chocolate milkshake is?"
"Well..." - started Lisa, immersed in her thoughts, with a serious voice- "once, some strange people came at the Laboratory. They were all wearing green shirts with a darker green tree and a blue paw on them. Then it was a mess: people shouting to each others, making photos of everything, of us... but those people were truly kind with me and the other Hybreeds. Especially one girl: she gave me a chocolate milkshake and said they would save us".
"Mmmh..." - Alex seemed thoughtful for a second - "well, let's get a free table".
As soon as they found it, the young man sat at one end of the table and indicated the other chair to the Hybreed, who was staring at him, standing. With some hesitation, Lisa sat at the other side: she couldn't stop asking herself why that Human was so kind with her. All the other owners in the restaurant hadn't allowed their Hybreeds to sit with them, while he did.
In that moment she also noticed that the unlucky creatures tied at the tables around them were looking at her envious. She felt in a strange way, a way she had never felt before: she felt guilty.
In the meanwhile, Alex, too, was thoughtful. He was staring outside through the window, but it seemed he wasn't really seeing: his gaze was lost and he stayed for a long time like this, in silence.
Lisa started to observe him: the young man was wearing an elegant, white shirt and black jeans. He also had a pair of black Converse at his feet and his blonde, curly hair had a tuft on the front. His light blue eyes were lidded and Lisa felt like there was some heaviness in them. His gaze was somehow deep and magnetic at the same time.
"Here's your order" - the waitress' voice made the two jump.
"Oh... thank you. Enjoy your meal!" - the man smiled at the Hybreed and both started to eat. Alex was eating slowly, enjoying every bite, while Lisa chew down her food and devoured it quickly like a wild animal.
"Ahah! You were hungry, isn't it?"
Lisa smiled, too. She was really enjoying those moments, but her lightheartedness disappeared soon, covered by the many doubts about the future: would they go to Alex's house? And then, what would happen?
The Hybreed remembered well the rumors at the Laboratory. Many of her mates used to say that being chosen by a Human was a positive thing: well, it was better than staying there forever for sure. But at the Laboratory there were also some older Hybreeds who said to be ex-servants. Once an old lady of this group had heard some of Lisa's friends saying they couldn't wait the Market Day: she started to shout at them they were "traitors of their people" and she took off her hospital gown. The Doctor's assistants came immediately to stop her and dress her again, but Lisa believed to had seen multiple scars on the creature's back: whip marks. What if she'd have the same fate?
"I'm going to pay and then we can go home" - Alex stood up and stepped away: Lisa could just wait and pray.