A startling, black lack of sound hung in the air while Jaquie stared at her brother with a completely blank stare. She couldn’t understand how Isaiah could tell her he was human when she had witnessed his birth from her Burnian mother, led into the world by her Burnian father, and she herself was Burnian.

“You expect me to believe it,” Jaquie said. She tilted her head and continued to stare, purple eyes boring into her relative’s supposedly human skull.

“Well, yes. I’m planning to get it checked out.” Isaiah turned his blue eyes to the ceiling, avoiding his sister’s piercing stare.

“How would it even happen?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know, but it did. I’m not like you, Jaquie. I’m not like Mom or Dad, I’m not of the same species. I’m going to go to a doctor and see if I’m right.” Jaquie rose to her feet in outrage.

“What if you’re wrong? We’ll be exposed! You’ll be studied and held captive! Common society does not recognize other species as sentient beings. You must understand. For the sake of your family.”