Year of 365

November 10

Imagine that you're sitting in your living room, curled up on the couch with some snacks in your lap. It had been kind of a hard day for you, and you just wanted to relax for a while before going to bed. You had some work that needed to get done, but for once, you decided to postpone working on it until the next day after you had gotten some more sleep.
You picked up the remote from the coffee table and pulled up a show that you had started a few days ago. So far, you had really been enjoying it, and you were excited to continue it.
As you sat there, you suddenly heard the door creaking open. It wasn't a subtle creak, which made you confused. Most of the time when people would break in, they would try to be stealthy, right? Whoever had pushed open the door didn't sound like they were trying to sneak into the house. In fact, it sounded like the door had been opened in the way the you had opened it after coming home.
Instead info calling to see who had opened the door, you got to your feet and headed towards the door. Between you and it was the kitchen, and you grabbed a frying pan from where it had been drying next to the sink. Holding it up as a weapon, you poked your head around the corner of the hall to see who had come in.
You stopped moving right there and froze like a deer in headlights. Sitting in front of the closed door was a large black bear with beady eyes that stared straight back at you. Immediately, you tried to think of what you had read about coming across a black bear in the woods. We're they the ones you were supposed to climb a tree to escape from? Or was it that you had to make yourself seem bigger?
Either way, before you could do anything, the bear startled plodding toward you and gently bumped you as it passed your frozen figure. Slowly, you turned and watched it as it lumbered through the kitchen and into the living room. Had it smelled the food that you were eating? You suddenly started wondering if it was safe to be living this close to the woods. They were right outside your back door after all.
"Are you coming?"
The words made you jump and drop the frying pan on your toe. You bit your lip to keep from screaming and hobbled into the living room. The bear was sitting by the couch that you had been sitting on moments before, looking like the great dame that you used to have when you were little. It was acting rather docile, and the thought sent a chill down your spine.
"Did you just talk," you asked hesitantly. You took a step into the room and stood next to where your phone was charging on the coffee table. Gingerly, you picked it up and got ready to dial the emergency line.
"Yes." The bear turned to you and almost seemed to smile. It was oddly spooky and you didn't like it.
"H-how-"
"I am your animal companion. A familiar in a sort."
"Uh... I thought only witches and wizards had familiars."
The bear chuckled. "Everyone has a familiar. It's just that those without magic often can't communicate with their familiars."
"So why can I?"
The bear gave you another smile. "I don't know." He turned back to the TV. "Wanna watch some TV?"