The Past

The silence that Drake maintained as Hope stopped sighing urged her to speak. So she told the whole story of her life.

His eyebrows arched when he learned about the wild animals that had raised Hope until the age of six, when her mother, Ona, found her in the woods. Hope could not say that she had led an abnormal life or that she had been unhappy.

The animals adored her, and Hope had a great time with their pups. All the creatures in the forest lived in harmony, raising the human chick. The carnivores went far away to hunt and not destroy the balance created for their priceless treasure.

Ona had seen her in the woods when she was picking dragon mushrooms. She had noticed a 6-year-old girl running naked through the trees, playing with animals. As she approached, a giant bear cut her off, preventing her from threatening the child.

The brown bear exuded endurance, strength, and vitality. The woods around the village had been the home of this impressive species for centuries. Ona had heard of them but had never seen one before, especially so close. The bear's fur was reddish-brown, and the bear cubs around it had a narrow white collar around their necks.

Then Ona heard chatter from the tree on the left and looked up, seeing a chimpanzee. He made strange noises, but all the other animals paid attention to him as if forgetting about Ona's existence. His long, strong, slightly tapered fingers were firmly gripping a tree branch.

Hope had already bonded with these animals and understood their language. In fact, until the age of six, animal language was the only one she understood. Throughout the forest, everyone listened to the chimpanzee boss because his intelligence had stabilized the community, especially since Hope was with them.

"Considering that this is a human woman, we can leave her around the girl. If they understand each other well, the presence of a representative of her own species could be beneficial for the child's development," said the chimpanzee leader, and the other animals approved, most with regret and fear.

Ona did not understand what was happening, but the bear got out of her way and she was able to move forward unhindered towards the girl. She was very clean and well-fed, given the circumstances. A hug from Ona swept the girl off her feet, and she embraced the woman as much as she could with her tiny arms.

Ona had never had children, and her husband had died immediately after marriage. When she felt the little girl's warmth, a single word escaped her lips. "Hope!"

The animals allowed Ona to leave with the little girl, but they watched that village and the woman's house day and night for many years to come until they decided that Hope was safe and comfortable with her new home.

But for Hope, the transition wasn't easy. It was a period in which she closed herself in because she did not understand anyone and had to rely only on the tone of the voices.

She lived in a new environment, a human house in a human village, that she could not call home. For a long time, Hope did not understand how they managed to separate her from her family, but it was clear that she would not return to her former life, although what was happening far exceeded the comprehension power of a six-year-old girl.

The world was completely different even if, at times, it seemed to look alike, especially the gaze of her new mother resembled the look of the bear watching her cubs. But things were going in a completely different way. As impossible as it felt for Hope to comprehend the essential elements and principles of her new world, she had no choice but to be trapped in it. A common-sense conversation was impossible for her.

Hope had become a quiet and challenging child in the new circumstances. She didn't feel that she could rely on Ona unconditionally. The woman's scent was still foreign, and the girl's senses told her not to let her guard down.

In time, she learned the language of the people and talked to Ona. But she never really opened her heart to her. She began to bring home all kinds of animals she could find and needed her help. Hope was equally dependent on them since they were the only ones who understood what was going on inside her soul. They were also ripped from their homes and knew her loneliness.

When she sat and cried without understanding why her tears were flowing, her companions sat beside her, offering her warmth and waiting for her to calm down. Ona did the best she could to make her way into Hope's heart, but she couldn't get past all the inner shields Hope created to protect herself.

-----

Hope sighed sadly. "And now this woman who dedicated her life trying to give me love and integrate me into society has died without knowing where I am and not even if I am well. I didn't even send her a letter so she wouldn't worry. I feel like it's all my fault."

Drake said nothing, and she continued. "I don't even know why I'm telling you all this. To date, I have revealed my inner thoughts and story only to animals. Maybe it's your silence that's pushing me to keep talking. But no! Ever since I saw you, I've felt similar to you. The smile on your face is put there to hide something else, but I can still see beyond it fragments of the real Drake. You won't see that with me because I don't know if the real Hope still exists. "

A huge chasm deepened between the two, and Drake could feel the ground being pulled from under his feet because he knew what her request would be. Hope's next words confirmed his fears.

"I have to go rediscover myself. Find out who I am and what I want. I feel empty inside and that I live only by being carried away by the tide. I need to find out what I want from life. I know you need me to help you, and I know your threats are very real. The decision is yours. Kill me or let me go. "