I looked through the microscope when Rosy, carrying a small box, approached me.

"Happy Birthday!"

I smiled. Oh, yeah. So now I was another year older. Great. Of course, I was not excited about it.

Marcus appeared at her side.

"It's from both of us, by the way," he replied.

"It was my idea," Rosy said.

"But seventy percent of the investment was mine," he claimed.

"Guys, thank you, seriously."

I took the small box and opened it. Inside, there was a pretty necklace with a cat-shaped silver charm.

Rosy came over to tell me something in my ear.

"I thought it would make you remember someone," she whispered, and I chuckled.

She was right, but it was a little the other way around. The cats didn't remind me of Anthony. Instead, it was Anthony who made me think of a green-eyed cat.

"Thank you, I love it," I said as I put it on.

"Yes!" my friend exclaimed. "Well, I'll let you continue." And she left.

Marcus was somewhat thoughtful; I knew he had something to tell me. I sat down with the microscope, waiting for him to get encouraged to speak. Instead, he sat beside me and fiddled with his fingers.

"Marien..." he finally said. "I need to tell you something."

"Yes? Tell me," I replied casually.

"It's the last time I annoy you on the subject, so please, I ask you to listen to me..." he spoke nervously.

I sighed.

"Well, I suspect what you will talk about."

He gathered closer to the table and cleared his throat.

"I entered the library in the city and found a couple of books from a century ago. One tells the bright angels came down from heaven and acted in secret, creating a punishment for humans, but the other book interested me more. It was talking about legends of strange people with animal characteristics."

"Like what?" I questioned while changing the microscope sample.

"These beings were described as human, with tremendous strength, able to fight melee with animals such as panthers and bears. They also had claws, huge irises with cat-like pupils, and developed canine teeth, like fangs... It is certainly the Evolved humans' description."

"Yes, I see. And why do you tell me all this?"

"It narrates these beings didn't show up when they were young. They were always seen as adults, which creates the myth that they are not one hundred percent of their capacity when young..."

"It's a legend," I interrupted.

"All right, but... Think about it. We don't know how they are either when they are young. We can't penetrate their territory between the mountains. Thanks to those protective societies claiming they are still human, we can't make them fly in pieces..."

"You're a genocide," I said with a laugh.

"Well, that's not what I mean," he laughed too. "Now picture this... A young EH. He has no claws yet, his eyes look normal, the canines have not developed, but he already has enough strength to knock out another adult EH."

"Are you telling me that Anthony is an EH at puberty?" I interrupted him again.

"Just think about it. There is a possibility. I believe in our superior; I believed what he saw that night. He's not crazy."

Some fear came to me.

"He is very... human to be one of those bloodthirsty beings."

"Remember, he has lost his memory," he warned, worried. "Lion cubs are cute too."

I looked at my hands with a frown, feeling intrigued, but it was only a theory. Perhaps no young EH was presented to humans by simple custom.

"Anyway, I'll let you work." Marcus left before I could answer him.

***

After finishing my shift, I went to my room to change clothes. I opened a milk bottle and took it with me. I wanted to see him but wasn't sure if I would. After all, he hadn't shown up at lunch.

Doubt invaded me. I wanted to know if something had happened to him, but maybe he didn't want me to know. On the other hand, Marcus's theory stuck in my mind. My parents had mentioned secretly seeing evolved children but didn't specify their appearance. What if they really looked like us?

How many, in any case, were in our cities without us knowing it?

No... No. It couldn't be. They would attack us. They were aggressive... And I had studied them too. They couldn't camouflage themselves or change their appearance. Humans were also forbidden to modify their bodies to look like them, thus avoiding false alarms.

I decided to go just in case, but still doubting, I pursed my lips and sighed.

"Anthony..." I finally said. "Can we talk? Oh, but if you like, I'll go and let me know when..."

He opened.

"Why do you think I don't want you here?" he asked in a sweet tone. Let me in, but didn't close the door. "I heard that today was the day you were born."

That was a somewhat different way of calling it. I looked at him, and he smiled and looked at me sweetly and profoundly. He had such a kind face. I just smiled, too, and nodded.

"Yeah, well, it's not that I'm celebrating."

"Why?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"I can't find many reasons..."

"We can look for them."

I felt the heat on my cheeks, and I preferred to change the subject, not to turn redder.

"You weren't at lunch today," I murmured.

He thought for a second.

"It's because... I remembered something." He sat down in the chair. I backed away and sat on his bed while he studied me with his eyes carefully. "Well, I actually remembered it a long time ago. I just..."

"Oh... Well, what is it?" I asked, taking advantage of that. He seemed to start trusting me for real.

"I spent some time living in an EH's colony."

"What? Are you sure?" I panicked. He with those beings? How did they leave him alive?

Apparently, he noticed my expression because he showed a slight smile.

"They weren't as bad as you think. A few get lost under their wild instinct, but in general, they are a civilized society."

"Civilized? Yes, of course! Why didn't you tell me before?" How could he have hidden something like that?

"I didn't tell you because you hate them... and I don't."

"You don't?!" I was frustrated now. "How can you say that?"

"It's the truth. I've seen how they live..." His gaze sought some understanding in me, but I couldn't stop seeing him with resentment and couldn't help it. "You should reconsider your prejudices. They rarely kill."

"Enough."

"Stop hating," he asked, almost begging me with his eyes.

"No, I won't stop looking for them to disappear," I roughly replied.

"They are human beings; would you kill them? You would be worse than them."

"Don't compare me with them."

"Who knows, maybe one of them saves you."

"I better be dead." It was too late to withdraw what I had just said, but I was upset.

He let out a sigh.

I stood up and turned around, but he took me gently by the arm when I went to the door. I spun, and he cupped my face with his hand, triggering my heartbeats.

"I'm sorry. Forget about it. I know all this hurts you." He looked at me intensely and sweetly. "Calm down. I don't want you to die; it is not necessary to have this much drama."

He was right; I was acting uncontrollably. My parent's incident still felt recent, even if it wasn't, but nobody would understand.

I took a deep breath.

"Forget it... It's not that I hate them, but... Sometimes, they don't seem to have mercy... just like many humans. Anyway, they may end up killing me one day too."

"No, they won't. I never denied there are evil EH, but there are also good ones. Believe me, I know. But let's not talk about that anymore. If something happens, I will protect you."

"You would only sacrifice your life for nothing."

"Remember that I know how to fight them." And that fact seemed to amuse him. The evolved humans liked to fight as much as he, it seemed. How long had he been with them?

"Goodnight, superhero," I joked, preparing to leave.

"Hey..." he muttered softly. "I should confess something else..."

"Yes?" I looked at him with my heart racing again.

"But not today."

"Uh?" I felt confused. I was dying to know, and he wanted to wait.

He showed me his smile.

"Tomorrow night, okay?" he suggested, tilting his face with some excitement.

"Sure, you can trust me... And I kinda want to know more about EH also."

"Good. Goodnight, Miss."

I nodded with a half-smile, trying to hide my anguish, and left. What if Marcus was right? What was Anthony hiding from me? Was it so bad that he didn't want to tell me yet? Was it worse than having lived with EH?

That night, I could hardly sleep.

***

As I had woken up earlier than usual, I took a milk bottle from the dining room and a meat sandwich. I went straight to his room, and the door was not closed properly, so I sneaked slowly. The room was gloomy because he had left the heavy curtains closed. Anthony was lying on his bed face down; the sheet covered him down to his shoulders, so I could tell he hadn't a shirt on. His hands were hidden under the pillow that cradled his head.

I ambled to his bedside table to leave the breakfast and looked at him again. His arm muscles were tight around the pillow, and his face was half-buried. Maybe he had had a nightmare. His dark eyebrows were together, denoting anguish. I dared to bend over and gently stroke his hair.

"Marien..." he whispered.

I withdrew my hand, ashamed.

"Yes?" I replied.

But there was no answer; he was still sleeping. I was surprised. He was dreaming of me. My heart leaped with joy, but all that lasted only a few seconds as he looked stressed again.

I sighed. Apparently, he didn't dream of anything pretty. I thought it wouldn't be good to be there when he woke up, so I went out and closed the door slowly after giving him one last look. I was dying to know what afflicted him so much.

***

I sat very worriedly, with my food on the tray, and ate some snacks.

Marcus sighed.

"You have that empty face again..." he murmured, nostalgic. "Did you have to like someone with severe problems? I was an easier option."

I smiled confusedly. What was he referring to?

"I don't blame her," Rosy spoke. "Once we saw his naked torso... Yummy!" she exclaimed, raising her eyebrows.

"Ssshoot, I should have guessed it," Marcus said, patting his belly, which wasn't in very good shape to say.

This time, I couldn't help laughing.

"Okay, guys, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Nothing."

Oh, my goodness. Did Rosy tell Marcus I confessed to feeling attracted by Anthony? What a shame!

"Don't you think he doesn't behave like a normal twenty-year-old boy?" Marcus started talking. "I mean. Who stays in their room for days waiting like a snake for the prey to pass through the door?" I laughed, relieved because he didn't continue bothering me. "Seriously, the last time I saw him outside, he was in the garden and caught a bird as if it was a game."

I faked surprise and laughter. Maybe that was also taught to him by the EH in some way. Now I wanted to know more about them.

***

It was about seven o'clock at night when the chaos began. The alarms started to sound in the nearby streets. Those alarms were programmed to activate at the sight of suspicious movements on the city border, which meant the evolved humans.

Panic dominated the place. They were pretty close to the building, so we ran to put things away, but I worried immediately about Anthony. When I went to the room's area, Marcus and Rosy appeared, running behind me. I dared to see through the main living room windows when we passed by, and the fleeting image I got was creepy.

A numerous EH horde was approaching; I knew it because of the brightness in the many pairs of eyes produced by the light's reflection from our building. Unfortunately, there was a power outage, and we were left in the dark without knowing where they were.

Screams...

***