Definitely not a raccoon

"I'm extremely sorry to inform you…but you can't have a child. You are sterile Mrs. Lake. I'm sorry." – those words broke her.

"A-are you sure…? I-I mean…" – she stuttered.

"Yes, we ran several tests and all showed this. If I may suggest several other options…" – the doctor continued but she turned him out.

Soon after their visit her relationship with Jim got worse and worse. He began drinking, coming home late at night and they argued often. The day Barbara caught him cheating with some blonde woman, she got mad and chased him away. A month later they were divorced and he never came back.

Barbara was a lone and working woman. She had become a doctor and worked in the local hospital. Despite Arcadia being the place where her life went downhill, she still loved the place and stayed in her house, now feeling emptier than ever. Yes, her parents visiting from time to time helped, but it was still lonely. Her friends wanted her to go out with them and try dating again but even after 6 months, her divorce with Jim was a sore topic for her.

The slightly chilly spring air blew inside her car from the open window. She was coming home from a late shift. She looked at her watch, it said 1:25 in the night. She groaned a bit and focused back on the road, she didn't want to crash after all. Soon she reached her home and parked the car. As she was exiting the vehicle, she heard the familiar clanking of a trashcan.

"Damn raccoons…" – she murmured and locked her car door.

Barbara silently crept towards the side of the house, from where the noise came. As she suspected, the can was toppled, trash spilled around. She had to clean this up BEFORE getting her much needed sleep. She took her phone out and lit the place with the flashlight.

"Yup, with light it looks even worse…"

She scanned the area and suddenly she noticed the lid, it was bent and parts of it were missing, as if something had clawed and BIT its way in. It was a bit scary considering it was made from metal. She heard rustling from plastic wrappers from inside the toppled can, whatever had done this, might as well still be in. She took the first thing she could, a broom she used to swipe outside her home, and quietly approaching the trashcan. When the light shined at the open part, whatever had been it was startled, the metal was hit and several wrappers and plastic bottles were pushed out as the thing scrambled deeper in the trashcan and tried to hide from the light.

"Hisss!" – it hissed but it was strange, not a cat, in fact it didn't sound like anything she had heard.

"I don't think this is a raccoon."

She braced herself and turned off the flashlight, only leaving moonlight and street lamps to dimly illuminate the yard. She pocketed her phone and noticed the slight rattling and trembling from the trashcan disappear. She stepped closer and circled so she could have a clear view of the inside. She waited and waited…. slight rustling made her tense as whatever was in started to move out. Her breath stopped and she was paralyzed.

'Those eyes…'

She first saw a pair of big, round blue eyes, just so, so similar to her own. Those eyes couldn't possibly belong to some wild animal, they were too human.

'Can it actually be…?!'

"Come here little guy, girl?" she questions herself rather than what she thought was a child "C'mere, I won't hurt ya." – she caught herself before she started making the same noise she does with stray cats.

Soon a child comes out but it's not what she expected. Yes, it was a child, but it DIDN'T look human. She couldn't tell the colors too well because of poor light, but the child was young. Probably no older than year- year and a half by the size. Its hair looked like a mane, had patches of fur over its body, dark skin and she swore there were razor sharp teeth in its mouth and pointy ears.

She didn't know what happened exactly after seeing the strange child. Was it her doctor's training, her motherly instinct or even some other force, but she had reached for the child. It sniffed her and allowed her to hold it. It snuggled in her arms as she brought it inside the house.

She left him on the couch and quickly left her things in the hallway. The child sure was stranger when she turned on the lights. At first he struggled, as if it would hurt him but calmed down soon. She looked him over but he wasn't hurt anywhere. She got spooked when he started eating a fountain pen, so she decided to make him some food.

'I should probably wait for his parents? to come… but he needs to eat. He probably went to the trash to look for food.'

"Wait here little guy. I'm gonna make you something."

She went to make some puree from the fruit she had but was stopped when she heard the sound of clanking kitchenware. Barbara quickly turned around and just in time to see the boy take a bite from a big spoon.

"What are you doing?!"

He jumped up from the loud noise, quickly swallowed and tried to crawl away but she grabbed him before he could fall off the counter. She carefully examined his mouth.

"There's no bleeding… I know I shouldn't be doing this but…"

She placed him back on his spot and offered him a whole egg and the spoon handle. The boy shoved the egg and spoon in his mouth, chewed them up, some of the egg leaking from his mouth, and swallowed. He then licked his lips and yawned a bit.

She tried feeding him whole fruit, seeing that he could bite through metal and probably other things, but he didn't eat anything else, even a spork she offered him.

"I guess you are full…" – she glanced at him as she bit into an apple.

"Ahah gah!" – he said while making the 'I want up' gesture.

"OK, Ok. I got it." She took him in her arms and slightly cringed at the smell "You may need a bath, but I need sleep, so I guess it'll have to wait."

She went to bed but not before opening a window in case the small guy wanted out and wiped hum with a wet towel just to be safe. Then, she fell asleep like a log on her bed, not waking up even when the small boy nestled next to her.

…

Barbara woke up as the sun shone in her eyes. As she came to her senses, she felt something next to her. It was relatively small, heavy and a bit cool to the touch. Cracking open an eye, she saw the child.

"I guess it wasn't a dream."

She stretched her arm and took her phone from the nightstand. She messaged the hospital that she wouldn't be able to come due to an emergency.

'I've never taken a single day off these past months, so they can't say anything. Moreover, this IS an emergency!'

The boy stirred and opened his eyes to look at her. Those blue eyes made her heart melt and breath stop.

"What am I going to do with you?" – she asked herself.

…..

Breakfast was hectic. The kitchen was a mess. She managed to feed him 2 boiled eggs (with shells) a burned toast and some uncooked bacon. He also tried cereal and liked it, by him shoving his face in her bowl. She had to bathe him after that and feed him again. Apparently babies can sometimes barf if they eat too much.

The whole day she stayed home and waited for someone, possibly the boy's mother to come for him. There was no way a toddler, much less some beast make a cloth diaper. She waited but no one came. The boy fell asleep again as the time drew closer to noon. She noticed how he avoided the sun and concluded that he's either nocturnal, afraid of the sun or both. She covered him with a blanket and a few pillows as he slept on the sofa.

"Phew! Now this is intense." – she looked at him and smiled.

Without meaning to, she got attached to the boy, she even doubted that she would be willing to give him back if his parents came.

"What are you?" she whispered quietly "A small angel, that's what." – she answered her own question and stroke the boy's silky yet a bit coarse hair.

She was tired but also refreshed in a way. She couldn't deny that she was having fun. The most fun she's had ever since she learned she was sterile.

'Who would have guessed that having to take care of a child could be so much fun?!' she looked at the clock, it said 10:40 'Hmm… I probably should go and get some diapers, just in case I need them. And maybe restock on plastic plates and eggs….'

So, she went on a quick trip to the local supermarket. The cashier looked at her a bit strangely but didn't say anything. When she got back and entered her house, she heard quiet whining and sobbing. The little guy had woken up at some point and was apparently looking for her.

"Oh! Little guy, did I worry you?" she asked gently and left her shopping bag on the floor "I'm here, ya see. Don't cry, please."

He moved to her in his odd way of moving on all fours, he looked a bit like a monkey to her and it made her smile. Then, he promptly latched onto her and buried his face in her polo. She hugged him with one arm, her other grabbing the shopping bag. Something strange tickled her neck and she saw him sniffing her.

'Really, what am I going to do with you? If you continue to be so cute, how am I supposed to give you back?'

She chuckled a bit at his antics, sniffing and rubbing in her like a big cat.

…

A day passed, then another one and another one. For 4 days, well almost 4, he stayed with her. No one came to look for him, no notice of missing child on TV, radio or internet, she would have given him to someone but she was afraid of what they may do to him. She also couldn't wait much longer. At most until the end of this week, meaning 2 more days, she could stay at home. She would have to go to work soon and have to leave him home, probably alone.

"What should I do?" – she asked herself as she looked at the blue-skinned boy.

He was currently rolling on the carpet, struggling with a sock in his mouth. He was pulling it with his hands while chewing it and trying to do probably eat it. During these few days she learned a few things about the child:

He was afraid of light and wouldn't go near any place where the sun shined directly. He could eat human food but also needed to eat things like metal, plastic and socks for some reason, also many other non-edible things. She learned that by him eating one of the drawler handles when she tried to feed him only human food. He liked her a lot and would follow her everywhere, as if afraid to be left behind, which didn't paint a good picture in her head.

'How cute! He really is adorable but maybe I should start disciplining him a bit. He looks too human to act completely like an animal… I wonder if he'll be able to talk? Does whatever species? he is even talk to begin with? Maybe get him used to a new schedule if he stays with me longer?' – she mused as she looked at him.

The clock struck 19:00 and she began preparing dinner. It was a simple meal for her and some boiled eggs, tin cans and a plastic fork for the boy.

'I may as well try to teach him to eat with utensils.'

It wasn't as successful as she thought it would be. Unlike normal kids, he bit right through the fork and her plan failed. The good thing was that he didn't gobble the fork as soon as she gave it to him.

"Yes! A partial success! You are a little genius, aren't you?" she stroked his head and he smiled to her "Let's get to bed. I'll figure what to do tomorrow."

She brought him up to her room, opened the window just in case, and laid him down. He impatiently waited for her to come out of the bathroom. When she came out with her nightgown on, he was happily bouncing on the bed. She laid down and he nestled in her armpit, falling asleep rather quickly. Barbara, however, stayed awake to think. She realized long ago that she wants to keep the small boy, no matter what other species he might be, but she was worried. Yes, he was starting to accustom to sleeping during the night, staying alone for short periods of time and not trying to eat from the trashcan but there were other problems.

'What am I to do when he grows up? Who do I leave him with? There's no one that I can trust currently with his care…'

She looked at the sleeping child next to her. He was curled up under the blanket, only the top half of his head showing.

"You know… I can't always call you 'you' , 'blue boy' and such things. And since you'll be staying with me, I suppose I can give you a name…"

He spun to the other side and made a quiet purr, sleeping pleasantly."

…

"When the baby comes, how are we gonna name it?" – James asked her.

"Come on James! We don't even get close to one month since we tried! Wait to at least confirm that I am pregnant."

"Yeah, I know, but still! I was thinking of James Jr. How does that sound?"

"Actually good! And what if it's a girl?"

"Then..." he kissed her cheek "It'll be Barbara Jr! It'll be perfect!"

They both laughed and danced in the living room.

…

"Hmm…then, how about James?... Jim Lake Jr. It has a nice sound to it…" – she then closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep while stroking him.

That night Barbara fully accepted her new life. She accepted the boy, now named Jim, into her life and swore to protect him and never let him be alone. No matter what that would cost her.