Chapter 3: The Tiger

The backyard smelled like charcoal, wet leaves, and cheap fireworks. Halloween had arrived.

Orange lanterns hung from the fence in uneven rows, swaying gently whenever the wind picked up. Someone had carved too many pumpkins and left them scattered across the garden path with crooked smiles and candlelit eyes. Children darted between folding chairs with plastic masks pushed up onto their heads while adults lingered around the grills holding paper plates and warm drinks.

Riley stayed close to the patio steps.

Not because she had been told to.

Because there were too many people.

The collar around her throat felt heavier outside the house. Not physically heavy. Just noticeable. Every laugh nearby made her aware of it again. Every passing glance. It had been two weeks since she had begun living with Matilda and Lola. By her count that meant she had been an Animal for around two months and November was coming to a close.

She kept her arms folded loosely across her stomach while she watched Matilda carry boxes of decorations out into the garden.

"There you are," Matilda said.

Riley looked up immediately.

Matilda smiled the moment their eyes met. Not forced. Not performative. Warm in the easy way she always was around her.

"Come help us paint before Lola uses all the orange."

"I wasn't—"

"She absolutely was," Matilda said back.

A collection of paint pots had been spread across the tabletop beside cups of water and ruined brushes. Black, orange, white, yellow.

Riley approached carefully, aware of eyes following her for a moment before conversations resumed around the yard. That was somehow worse than staring. People accepted her presence too easily now.

Lola reached for her wrist without hesitation and guided her closer.

"Sit." She pointed toward a folded towel spread over the bench. "You're gonna be a tiger!"

Riley obeyed automatically.

"You two planned this already?" she asked quietly.

"Obviously," Lola said.

Matilda crouched in front of her with a small paintbrush tucked behind one ear. "We debated tiger or pumpkin."

"Pumpkins are round," Lola said.

"And?"

"Riley is not round."

Matilda hummed thoughtfully before turning back toward Riley. "Good point. Tiger it is."

Riley couldn't help the tiny smile that slipped onto her face.

Matilda noticed immediately.

Her fingers brushed lightly against Riley's knee before she reached for the first paint pot.

"There she is," Matilda murmured.

The paint was cold when it touched Riley's skin.

She flinched instinctively.

"Sorry, sweetheart." Matilda steadied one hand against her thigh while dragging the brush slowly across her shoulder with the other. "Cold?"

Riley nodded.

"It'll warm up in a second."

Lola dipped her own brush into black paint and immediately began adding stripes to Riley's arm with complete concentration.

Unlike Matilda's touch, Lola's was practical. Focused entirely on the paint itself.

Matilda lingered.

A hand resting against Riley's waist while she leaned closer to inspect the stripes. Fingers smoothing paint carefully near her ribs. The occasional absent touch while speaking to someone across the yard. Her brush lightly painted her nipples white, enough for them to peak from the contact. Riley clenched her fists, trying to enjoy the sensation.

None of it felt hidden.

That was the strange part.

"Oh she's adorable," one of the neighbors said while passing by with a tray of drinks.

Riley lowered her eyes automatically.

Matilda smiled without looking away from the stripe she was painting. "She's being very patient for us tonight."

A hand briefly scratched through Riley's hair as the neighbor passed.

Casual.
Affectionate.

Riley stayed still.

"Lift your chin," Matilda said softly.

Two fingers tilted Riley's face upward.

Matilda studied her for a moment with visible satisfaction before painting a thin line of orange across one cheek.

"Perfect."

Lola snorted. "You say that every time you look at her."

"Because I'm consistently correct."

Riley felt heat rise into her face.

The adults nearby laughed quietly.

Matilda noticed the blush immediately.

"Oh, now that's unfair," she said. "How am I supposed to keep painting when she's making expressions like that?"

Riley ducked her head.

Matilda's hand settled briefly at the back of her neck.

Gentle pressure.

Stay.

Not forceful.

Just there.

The grills crackled somewhere behind them while music drifted softly from a speaker near the house. Children shouted across the yard. Someone dropped a tray. Another burst of laughter followed.

And through all of it, Matilda kept touching her.

Openly.

Like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Turn around for me," Matilda said eventually, having Riley stand up.

Riley obeyed.

Cool evening air brushed across her painted skin as Matilda moved behind her.

"Hold still," Lola warned, already reaching for more black paint.

A single finger traced slowly down the center of Riley's spine.

She shivered.

"There we go," Matilda murmured.

Riley heard the smile in her voice.

Then fingertips brushed lightly against the curve of her backside.

"Time to put stripes on your butt," Matilda said. "The fun kind this time."

Lola groaned loudly.

"You are absolutely impossible."

"And yet she likes me anyway."

The joke made Riley's stomach tighten but the memory came back anyway -

A week into her stay she had been punished after she left the house without permission to simply buy milk. When she was leaving the shop, Enforcement was there to take her home.

Matilda had been furious, slapping her across the cheek the second she saw her before commanding her to go upstairs and not leave her room.

That night she had been beaten with a switch but she barely remembered the pain. What lingered was the gentle application of ointment onto her red striped bottom. The welts were gone now but the red lines were still there faintly.

Behind her, Matilda laughed softly, fondly.

A few minutes later Riley tried to step away from the table while the paint dried.

"Don't wander too far," Lola called absentmindedly. “Once that paint dries we’ll finish the rest!”

"Okay."

She had barely taken three steps before fingers closed gently around her shoulder.

Firm enough to stop her.

Riley looked back immediately.

Matilda stood beside one of the lantern posts speaking to a neighbor, though her attention flicked briefly toward Riley.

The pressure eased.

A small squeeze.

Then release.

No words.

Just a reminder.

You can leave.

Not far.

Riley lingered there for a second longer than necessary before settling down beside the patio instead.

Close enough.

Safe enough.

Across the yard someone began applauding as another tray of food arrived from the kitchen.
The sound mixed with music, laughter, and the smell of smoke drifting into the cold autumn air.
For a little while, Riley forgot to feel afraid.

Once the paint had dried enough to stop smudging, Matilda guided Riley up onto the table itself.

"Careful," she murmured, steadying her by the hips as Riley climbed up between the scattered paint pots and cups of cloudy water.

The wood felt cool beneath her thighs.

Children ran laughing somewhere across the yard while smoke drifted lazily overhead. The party kept moving around them naturally, conversations rising and falling beneath the soft crackle of the grill.

Matilda stepped between Riley's knees with a thoughtful hum.

"We missed a spot."

Riley immediately knew which one.

Heat climbed into her face before Matilda had even touched her.

Her hands rested gently against the insides of Riley's thighs, easing them apart just enough to inspect the untouched skin between them. Not rough. Not exposing her to the yard. The angle of Matilda's body shielded most of Riley from view automatically.

Still, Riley's stomach twisted.

"Mom, don't do that," Lola complained immediately from beside the table.

Matilda glanced over without moving her hands. "I'm finishing the paint."

"She looks really uncomfortable."

Riley lowered her eyes quickly.

Matilda only smiled faintly.

"She's a good girl, right Riley?"

The words settled warmly and heavily inside her at the same time.

Matilda leaned closer before Riley could answer, one hand sliding upward to cup her jaw gently.

Their lips brushed.

Barely anything.
Just softness.
Warmth.

But when Matilda started to pull away, Riley followed the movement instinctively before catching herself.

Lola made an exaggerated gagging noise from somewhere nearby.

Matilda laughed quietly against Riley's mouth.

"See?" she murmured softly. "Such a good girl."

Riley's entire face burned.

Yet she stayed exactly where she was while Matilda dipped the brush back into orange paint with calm, careful movements.

The bristles tickled sensitive skin.

Riley jerked slightly before forcing herself still again.

"There you go," Matilda whispered, smoothing one hand reassuringly over her thigh. "Almost done."

Around them the Halloween party carried on uninterrupted.

Paper lanterns swayed overhead.
Someone shouted for more drinks.
Music drifted softly through the garden air.

And seated atop the paint-stained table with Matilda between her legs, Riley felt strangely, terrifyingly safe.

Once the paint had dried enough to stop smudging, Matilda guided Riley up onto the table itself.

"Careful," she murmured, steadying her by the hips as Riley climbed up between the scattered paint pots and cups of cloudy water.

The wood felt cool beneath her thighs.

Children ran laughing somewhere across the yard while smoke drifted lazily overhead. The party kept moving around them naturally, conversations rising and falling beneath the soft crackle of the grill.

Matilda stepped between Riley's knees with a thoughtful hum.

"We missed a spot."

Riley immediately knew which one.

Heat climbed into her face before Matilda had even touched her.

Her hands rested gently against the insides of Riley's thighs, easing them apart just enough to inspect the untouched skin between them. Not rough. Not exposing her to the yard. The angle of Matilda's body shielded most of Riley from view automatically.

Still, Riley's stomach twisted.

"Mom, don't do that," Lola complained immediately from beside the table.

Matilda glanced over without moving her hands. "I'm finishing the paint."

"She looks really uncomfortable."

Riley lowered her eyes quickly.

Matilda only smiled faintly.

"She's a good girl, right Riley?"

The words settled warmly and heavily inside her at the same time.

Matilda leaned closer before Riley could answer, one hand sliding upward to cup her jaw gently.

Their lips brushed.

Barely anything.
Just softness.
Warmth.

But when Matilda started to pull away, Riley followed the movement instinctively before catching herself.

Lola made an exaggerated gagging noise from somewhere nearby.

Matilda laughed quietly against Riley's mouth.

"See?" she murmured softly. "Such a good girl."

Riley's entire face burned.

Yet she stayed exactly where she was while Matilda dipped the brush back into orange paint with calm, careful movements.

The bristles tickled sensitive skin.

Riley jerked slightly before forcing herself still again.

"There you go," Matilda whispered, smoothing one hand reassuringly over her thigh. "Almost done."

Around them the Halloween party carried on uninterrupted.

Paper lanterns swayed overhead.
Someone shouted for more drinks.
Music drifted softly through the garden air.

And seated atop the paint-stained table with Matilda between her legs, Riley felt strangely, terrifyingly safe.

The sun had begun slipping behind the rooftops by the time Matilda finally declared Riley finished.

The backyard changed all at once.

Lanterns glowed brighter against the darkening sky while carved pumpkins flickered to life one by one along the fence. Somewhere down the street children were already shouting excitedly, the distant noise carrying through the cold evening air.

Then, almost like a switch had been flipped, every child in the yard seemed to erupt with energy simultaneously.

Candy buckets appeared from nowhere.
Masks were pulled back into place.
Parents started calling reminders across the garden.

"Okay girls, be safe and have fun," Matilda said as she began gathering abandoned brushes from the table.

Lola had disappeared briefly inside at some point and now returned wearing a corpse bride costume complete with torn white fabric and dark makeup around her eyes.

Riley stared for a second.

"You look dead," she said honestly.

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"It absolutely was."

Lola grabbed her wrist before Riley could argue further.

"We're gonna miss all the good candy if we don't leave now."

"Wait." Riley frowned. "Where are we going?"

Lola blinked at her.

"Trick or treating, silly." She gestured vaguely toward Riley's painted body. "You're all dressed up after all."

Riley snorted softly.

She wasn't dressed up.

She was decorated.

The thought settled strangely inside her as Lola dragged her toward the front gate.

Children in costumes ran past them along the sidewalk while porch lights flickered warmly across the neighborhood. Witches, ghosts, vampires, skeletons.

And then there was Riley.

Bare painted skin.
Collar gleaming softly beneath the lantern light.
Black stripes curling across her body while neighbors smiled at her like she belonged there too.

Nobody stared.

Nobody pointed.

One older woman passing by even bent slightly to scratch beneath Riley's chin as naturally as greeting a family dog.

"Oh what a pretty tiger," she said warmly before continuing down the street.

Riley froze for half a second after she passed.

Then Lola tugged her wrist again impatiently.

"C'mon!"

Riley followed automatically.

Behind them Matilda leaned casually against the open gate, watching the two girls disappear down the sidewalk with the faintest smile still lingering on her face.

Riley stayed close beside Lola as they moved between groups of children along the sidewalk.

Not because she had been told to.

Because separating suddenly felt dangerous.

The streets were crowded now, filled with laughter and masks and porch lights glowing warmly against the dark. Adults lingered near gates with cups in their hands while children sprinted between houses clutching overflowing candy buckets.

Riley kept glancing back instinctively.

Toward Matilda's neighborhood.
Toward familiar streets.
Toward safety.

The thought of getting lost made something uncomfortable tighten low in her stomach.

Not fear of strangers.

Fear of what would happen afterward.

What if someone thought she had wandered off intentionally?
What if Enforcement picked her up again?
What if Matilda thought she had tried to run?

Her fingers curled unconsciously around the edge of Lola's sleeve.

Lola noticed but didn't comment on it.

The first house on the street had fake cobwebs stretched across the porch railings and plastic skeletons hanging from the trees. Half a dozen children crowded the front steps already.

Riley hesitated only briefly before following Lola up beside them.

The door opened.

"Trick or treat!" the children shouted together.

Riley joined them automatically.

The words left her mouth easily, carried by old instinct and memory before she even thought about it.

Just like last year.

For one tiny moment it felt normal.

Cold autumn air.
Candy bowls.
Sticky sidewalks covered in leaves.
Children laughing loudly around her.

Last year she had done this wearing an oversized witch costume her mother bought from a clearance shelf because it was all they could afford.

Last year she had complained about carrying the heavy candy bucket home.

Last year—

Human.

The thought hit hard enough that Riley went strangely still.

The woman at the door smiled warmly while dropping candy into waiting hands. When she reached Riley she paused only briefly before her expression softened further.

"Oh my goodness," she laughed quietly. "What a beautiful tiger."

Candy dropped into Riley's hands.

Then, just before Riley stepped away, the woman scratched gently beneath her chin.

Affectionate.
Absentminded.
Natural.

Riley lowered her eyes immediately.

"Say thank you," Lola whispered beside her.

"Thank you," Riley murmured automatically.

The woman smiled again before moving onto the next child.

Riley followed Lola back down the steps in silence.

Her candy sat untouched in her hands while children rushed around them excitedly.

Human.

Animal.

The distance between those words suddenly felt much shorter than it should have.

The next house sat at the corner of the street beneath a canopy of orange lights and artificial spiderwebs stretched across the hedges.

Music drifted out from the open doorway loud enough to shake the porch railings slightly.

A tall man answered almost immediately after the children knocked, laughing before the door had even opened fully.

"Well aren't you all horrifying tonight."

The smaller children crowded forward first, shoving buckets toward him eagerly while he dropped candy inside by the handful.

Then his attention landed on Riley.

"Oh now that is impressive."

Riley felt his eyes move slowly over the painted stripes covering her body.

She smiled automatically.

The man crouched slightly in front of her, completely unconcerned by the collar around her throat or the fact Riley wore nothing at all besides paint.

"Hold still for me a second, tiger."

Warm hands settled against her waist before sliding upward along her sides with open appreciation. Turning her slightly beneath the porch light. Examining the paintwork.

Riley forced herself to remain relaxed.

To smile.

The touch lingered longer than the others had.

Not cruel.

Not threatening.

But interested.

"Oh wow," he laughed softly. "You even painted everywhere."

Lola immediately made a strangled embarrassed noise beside her.

"Mister Harris—"

"What?" he asked innocently, scratching lightly beneath Riley's chin before finally stepping back. "I was complimenting the craftsmanship."

Riley kept smiling despite the heat crawling across her face.

The candy dropped into her hands afterward felt strangely secondary to the interaction itself.

"Such a patient little thing," the man said warmly toward Lola. "You girls did a great job."

Lola grabbed Riley's wrist almost immediately after that.

"Okay thank you bye."

The words came out too fast.

She practically dragged Riley back down the walkway while the man laughed behind them.

Only once they reached the sidewalk again did Lola finally release her.

"Oh my god."

Riley blinked. "What?"

"He was being weird."

Riley looked back toward the house uncertainly.

The man had already moved on to greeting another group of children at the door.

"He didn't hurt me."

"I know but still." Lola rubbed one hand over her face dramatically. "Adults get so weird around you sometimes."

Riley glanced down at the stripes painted across her stomach.

At the collar catching the porch lights each time she moved.

Then quietly, almost without thinking, she smiled again.

Because despite the embarrassment twisting inside her chest, she had still done what Matilda expected of her.

“I'm an Animal,” Riley explained softly. “We get touched way worse sometimes.”

The words came out matter-of-factly.

Not bitter.
Not ashamed.

Just true.

Lola's expression tightened immediately.

"Right." She looked away for a second before exhaling sharply through her nose. "Animal. Different rules."

Riley tilted her head slightly.

The street around them buzzed with noise and movement while children rushed from house to house carrying armfuls of candy beneath glowing porch lights.

"You okay?" Riley asked quietly.

Lola blinked at her before nodding once.

"Sorry." She adjusted the fake veil hanging from her corpse bride costume. "I just..." Another sigh. "I have trouble seeing you as an Animal sometimes."

Riley went still.

Not physically.

Just inside.

Because that sentence should have made her happy.

A few months ago she would have clung desperately to words like that. Proof that someone still saw her as Human. Proof that she hadn't disappeared completely beneath the collar and paint and expectations wrapped around her life now.

Instead the comment only left her feeling strangely uncertain.

Lola noticed the hesitation immediately.

"I didn't mean it like that," she said quickly. "I know you are one. I just mean..." She struggled for the words. "You're still Riley too."

The cold evening wind brushed against Riley's painted skin.

Still Riley.

Still Animal.

Both things sat uneasily together in her chest.