Scott's History in the Halfway Home

The Early Years

Scott has never known his parents. As far as he can remember, he's lived in the Halfway House. He could never really play to rough or get into any sports because of his brittle bones. Because of this, he spent a lot of sunny summer afternoons cooped up in the library at Frieda's House, escaping into worlds of high fantasy and adventure. For some reason, His Dark Materials really caught Scott's attention. Religious commentary aside, the idea of an empathic animal friend who could always be by your side and would never leave you really resonated with him.

The Start of Something Awkward

Puberty is an awkward time for most kids. For Scott, it was even moreso. Some kids are weirded out by new hair in places where they didn't have it before. Well, in addition to that, Scott sprouted a downy coat all across his arms and backside. He tried multiple times to get rid of it, but each attempt was incredibly painful, and the last attempt ended with a lot of blood. He resigned to wearing long-sleeved clothing whenever in public, even on the hottest days. He also never received any instruction on how to care for a down comforter, so he gave up on showering, as it just created a giant mess in the bathroom and on whatever towel he was using. As he was already an unknown in the Halfway House, it didn't bother him too much to become "the smelly kid." If that weren't embarrassing enough, his voice seems to crack far more often than other kids'. In fact, any time he raises his voice beyond a whisper, it comes out really high and screechy. Scott was never particularly verbal, but after a certain time he pretty much gave up on his "outside voice."

The Revelation

Scott eventually came to realize that none of this made any sense for a kid, and one evening he caught a PBS show on the subject of Gene Splicing and the ideas of putting the traits of one organism into another. The show described simple changes and applications (such as growing more corn per stalk, or making goats create a human clotting factor for hemophiliacs). He suddenly understood that something like this must have happened to him. He took a sudden interest in Biology and Genetic Engineering in an effort to understand what he is. While he's an avid reader, the contents of a biology textbook are a bit drier than those of a standard fantasy adventure novel. They're also much harder to understand. He could only come to understand the core ideas behind what happened to him. He also realized that genetic engineering is typically done to enhance the properties of an organism.

The Comeback?

After a long look through ornithology books, Scott learned that he was imbued with certain traits from the North American Bald Eagle (in addition to one or two outliers). He understood where this sudden boost in upper body strength and eyesight came from. Also his lifelong craving for raw hare and fish. His weird vocal patterns allowed him to speak in birdsong, a language he was slowly beginning to understand. He tried to show these things off to his previous roommates, but it only succeeded in further alienating him from anyone he could consider a friend. They never ratted him out on it (thankfully), but anyone he ever tried to show off his newfound powers to would never look at him the same way again.

The Conclusion

Shunned, Scott once again resigned himself to anonymity in the face of oppression, becoming as self conscious about it as anyone else would a disability. Like any other disability, though, he learned to accept it and live with it, understanding that hating it is never going to make it disappear. He continued a life of quiet solitude until a couple years ago, when he got some new roommates.