Free The Familiar by Tatiana G. Roces

with cheery yellow shutters overlooking the lake and part of the mountains behind us.
    Louise gasps. “I love it! Could it be anymore perfect?”
    Even though I’m still homesick, I can’t help but admire the house and its surroundings. As we walk inside, Sabrina, the counselor that we had met earlier, is there to greet us. She’s girl-next-door cute; her freckles and intelligent green eyes make her approachable.
    “Welcome everyone, I’m Sabrina, I met some of you earlier today. I’m going to be the counselor for this group, so feel free to ask for my help with anything. Think of me as your big sister while you’re here. I want you to treat each other like family. This camp is a safe haven for us and we should enjoy, but most importantly, respect our surroundings. You should know that this entire area, including the lake, mountains, and forests around us are protected, so only those who have been approved can enter. That means we are all safe to shape-shift out in the open without fear of being discovered.”
    We breathe a sigh of relief and Sabrina smiles in response. “I know it feels good to be among people like you, right?”
    She gestures at the keys in our hands. “Okay, so you have your room assignments, please go ahead and settle in. I’ll drop by in a while to make sure you’re all doing okay.”
    Louise drags me upstairs and we find room eighteen at the end of the hall on the second floor. Inside it’s spacious, but cozy. There are two black metal-framed beds covered in light summer quilts, two antique desks on opposite sides of the room, dark, knotty wood floors, a soft shag rug, and a large bay window with a cushioned reading nook overlooking the lake. We have our own bathroom and a small walk-in closet, which is filled with dozens of gray uniforms hanging on wooden hangers. They look similar to the black ones worn by the staff, but the fabric looks lighter and less stiff. I pull one out of the closet and inspect it.
    “Hmmm… No wonder they instructed us to bring a minimal amount of clothing,” I say dubiously.
    Louise takes one out of the closet and takes a look for herself.
    “Well, it wouldn’t be my first choice. It’s a bit drab, but I guess we have no say in the matter.”
    Someone knocks, and Sabrina peeks in through a crack in the door. “Can I come in?”
    “Sure!” we say in unison.
    She enters and sees us checking out the uniforms. “I know those are a bit boring, but they serve their purpose.”
    She takes the one I’m holding from my hands and violently pulls it apart from opposite sides. The garment magically breaks into pieces without ripping.
    I look at Louise and her mouth falls open. “Wow! I take it back… These are the coolest outfits ever!”
    I gather the pieces from the floor, and hold them up, my eyebrow raised perplexedly. “So, how does this get put back together?”
    Sabrina takes the fabric remnants from me. “You see, they found that shape-shifters, especially while learning in camp, shifted so many times that all their clothes ended up ripped and ruined. They designed these uniforms to have invisible seams, held together by magic, so that you guys can shift multiple times in one day without damaging your clothes.”
    She balls up the pieces of cloth, rubs them together, and throws them up in the air. The uniform magically reassembles itself and floats in one piece. Sabrina grabs it and slips it back on the hanger.
    “Your weekends are free, so you’ll be able to wear the clothes you brought on those days… Anyway, it’s nice to have both of you girls here. If you need anything, my room is at the other end of the hall with the yellow door.”
    Sabrina graciously waves before leaving.
    When we’re alone again, we plop onto our beds and relax.
    “So, what’s it like having one of the most powerful witches as your mom?” Louise asks out of the blue, her eyes filled with curiosity.
    My face stings with embarrassment from not knowing what she’s talking