Being Human Read Online Free Page A

night wore on, there was no trace of my brother. I didn't see him among any of the many human faces I passed, didn't catch a whiff of his scent either. Desperation curled in my stomach. Maybe if I made my approach look harmless, I could ask the humans if they had seen him.
    The first one shrieked when I approached, brandishing the mini flame-thrower. As human eyes bore into me and a hostile feeling filled the air, I darted back into the shadows. I ran as fast as I could, finally halting blocks away.
    With the next human, I tried calling out. That human took off running while the rest stared at me in confusion. I tried approaching a few more, all with the same results.
    Frustration welled in me as I stood on the street corner, humans hurrying past. I stomped into the middle of the crosswalk, planting myself in front of a taxi. The driver's eyes widened at me and I saw the locks on his doors click down.
    “Hey!” I kept my voice loud and calm. “I'm looking for my brother. He looks just like me, but he's alive. Has anyone seen him?”
    Every human froze in their spots, the cars motionless in the street. They watched me, their mouths hanging stupidly open. It was like I stopped the world and it couldn't restart.
    “Well? Has anyone seen a human like me?” I repeated after a long moment of silence.
    Something clicked in the humans. Eyes blinked, mouths closed and the humans came back to life. Heads shook and they continued on their way. A driver timidly honked his horn at me and motioned me to move. I moved back onto the sidewalk, defeated.
    Not one of them had seen him.
    I took a deep, calming breath. I'd try the next intersection. I'd try until I found someone who had seen him, knew where our aunt and uncle took him.
    “Excuse me?” a timid voice trembled.
    Hope rose in me and I dashed to the human.
    Almost as fast, she thrust the mini flame-thrower in my face. Her hand shook as she held it, fear oozing from her. She gulped down a breath and spoke. “Are you sure you didn't kill him?”
    “No, I wouldn't kill him or do anything to hurt him! I just want to find him so we can go home. I've decided I'll live in our house with him. I don't care what the humans back home think. They're not separating us,” I snapped.
    “Okay,” she squeaked. “Maybe you should file a missing person's report.”
    “He's not missing; he is here in this city.” This human wasn't being nearly as helpful as I wanted.
    “Did you get the address?”
    “No!” I snarled.
    “Sorry,” she squeaked and stepped back. Her eyes darted around, seeking safety.
    I followed her gaze, noticing a group forming. Mini flame-throwers were out and one human even had a tire iron. The group watched me, waiting for me to make a move. I quickly wiped the anger off my face and took a step back. “Not your fault. Thank you for helping. No, I didn't get the address. The old human fell asleep and I couldn't wake her.” I paused. “I'll go back and maybe she won’t fall asleep so I can ask.”
    “She probably fainted.”
    “Why would she do that?”
    The human looked at me curiously, some of her fear melting. She was careful to avert her gaze from mine when I looked back. “You really have no idea?”
    “No,” I said. “I wasn't going to kill her. I told her I'd only do it if she was going to die because that would be a waste of blood.”
    She laughed nervously. “Wouldn’t that make you faint?”
    “No.” I glanced up at the sky, then the mob and back to the human. “Thank you for trying to help... have a good day?” I wasn't sure about the last part, but I threw it in to make sure I sounded harmless. If I wanted to harm her, I wouldn't say that, right?
    “You too... I guess,” she replied.
    The mob surrounded her as I walked away, asking her if she was okay, if she wanted to sit or needed something to drink. I rolled my eyes. Humans were paranoid. If I wanted her blood, I wouldn't have wasted time talking to her; I would have bit her neck and