Untamable Hearts {HIATUS}

Chapter 3: Familiar

"What? No, you're kidding. You have to be."

"As unusual as the request seems, I promise I'm not kidding."

"You're not pulling my leg?"

"No, miss."

This is crazy! I have to be dreaming!

"You're not dreaming, (Y/N). This is as real as life gets," stated Lynn, sitting on the edge of my hospital bed.

I stared into her hazel eyes, still trying to shake off the tiredness hanging in my mind. I had just woken up a few minutes ago in the hospital, my right leg in a cast from the knee down. Lynn was there when I woke up, and she told me that I'd been asleep for a day and a half, worrying her half to death. Then a knock sounded at the door where a man stood, short, plump, and smiling politely.

At first, I thought he was a doctor, but he wasn't wearing anything that suggested he was one. He bowed a little as he entered the room a bit more, keeping a respectful distance from the bed before introducing himself as the owner of the zoo Lynn worked at, Sihyuk Bang, or Mr. Bang. Then he spouted out all this mumbo jumbo that my sluggish and tired brain couldn't keep up with.

He went on and on about whatever the hell he was talking about, leaving me to try picking out something to leave me less confused.

"The zoo is paying for your hospital bill blah blah blah. Lynn still has her job blah blah blah. We're glad that you're still alive blah blah blah. We'd like for you to care for the seven predators you ran into at the zoo blah bla-"

Wait a second... what?

Did I hear that right?

There's no way he's being serious.

And that's how my brain began to wake up a bit faster.

Turning to look into the eyes of Mr. Bang, I furrowed my brows in a questioning look and tilted my head slightly before asking, "Why?"

"Because those predators won't let anyone working at the zoo feed them, much less touch them," he replied, a flicker of worry shining in his eyes as he chuckled sadly. "We're hoping that since they were so comfortable with you and even tried protecting you that you could help them warm up to life at our zoo."

"But I know nothing about caring for wild animals, and I can't go to the zoo every day. I have my art to make and to sell."

"And that's why Miss. Lynn Gunn will be helping you care for them," the man smiled. "We also bought you a house in the countryside so you can live comfortably while caring for the seven predators. Food for them will be supplied by us, and we will pay you for the help, along with anything they damage in your new home.

"The only thing left to find out is if you're in or not."

Wow...

This sounds too good to be true...

I've always wanted a wild, exotic animal as a pet. But even as a child I knew it would never happen. It wouldn't be fair to the animal for me to treat it as a pet. They're called wild for a reason.