✦ [short story for viscet #610]

[funderful;;]

please refrain from posting

[funderful;;]

The Discovery

I had been accompanied by them. I know them, and they know me. I can feel their presence, and they do too. They surround me, like vultures surrounding the carcass of an animal who died recently. I walk past them, and they greet me, and I greet them back. I am happy whenever they are around me, and they are two. I know how they feel, and they know how I feel.

"Aren't you excited, my love? She's going to be able to speak now!"

Yes, that was very exciting. You see, I was one of those "late-talkers" The definition of that term was self-explanatory. My parents were very excited that I was going to speak my first word, for the doctors in town suspected it was time- and they were right.

"Yes, Dancer, it is very exciting. The doctor even suspected she was going to say her first sentence! Our little Annie might have been storing up words to prepare for this moment!"

Ah, my parents. Dancer had the heart of an actress, who's entrance to any settlement was both dramatic and bedazzling. Joel was sincere and intelligent, the mind of a hefty inventor. I can't blame them- they were the proudest parents of the town- possibly the whole world, I assume!

My paws scuffled the ground as I shifted my position, but suddenly, I felt that crowded feeling again. I felt eyes gazing upon my pelt. That's when I saw them, a whole crowd of viscets roaming the apartment home. There was a scraggly ginger-and-white viscet, a blue-and-lime viscet, and even a silver-furred viscling! My eyes widened and glimmered in delight, for my parents had arranged a party to welcome my first words. I stood up on my clumsy, viscling paws, and I waddled towards the group of viscets on all fours, happy to greet them.

The viscet's eyes glimmered in awe, and they neared to greet me. I nuzzled one of them, a hefty black-and-tan male with bright seafoam eyes and a shredded left ear. He smiled, and I smiled. I nuzzled his.. his.. what?! I blinked, and the viscets were gone, along with the hefty male. But he was right there! I turned around and saw my parents looking at me in confusion.

"Ma.. Pa..?" I spoke in a soft, wary voice.

Instantly, my parents' confusion disappeared, and was replaced with pride and happiness at the fact that I, their daughter, had spoken. My first words! But.. where did they go?

Dancer and Joel covered me in hugs, nuzzles, compliments, and kisses. They were happy, and I was too- but not just happy. I was confused, and I yearned for them to come back.

Little did I know that they would come back.

- - - timeskip - - -

"Mom! Dad! I'm ready to go to school!"

Right. As ready I was I thought I was, I was actually scared- but filled with such exhilarating adrenaline. What will they think of me? Will they like my friends? Man, I hope to make a whole lot of friends!

Dancer replied to me lovingly, "Alright then! I hope you have a safe and wonderful day at school!"

Joel smiled and nodded as well, but then his smile became a frown. "Yes, but don't tell anyone about your.. 'friends.'" he said with a tone that I couldn't identify. Of course I will tell every viscling in town about my friends!

I bounded out of the door and nimbly ran down the stone stairs of our apartment. Apparently we had more neighbors than I had thought. "Hello, Mace! Hello Gretchen! How's it going, Louie?" Louie was the hefty black-and-tan viscet I had met years ago, when I'd spoken my first word. I thought he was going to be mean, but no- he wasn't. Louie was a big softy, despite all those battle scars he had.

Louie padded over to me with a big, goofy grin on his face. "Hello, Annabel Lee, my sweet, little tangerine. Where are you off to today?"

I smiled, nuzzling his scruffy, black-and-tan pelt. "I'm going to school! It's my first day!"

"Really? Wow, darlin'. You're growing real fast, ya'know. One day, you're going to grow into a mighty fine viscet."

We padded down the sidewalk, speaking of nothing but old memories and happy delights. As we walked by many houses, buildings, and fences of the gardens with blooming flowers, I caught a glimpse of several viscets staring at me like.. like if I was insane.

But I wasn't!

We reached school at the nick of time, and Louie left me there. It was pretty nice of him to walk with me, I think I would have run back home instead without him!

I leaped through the large, vast, wooden gate and bolted into the courtyard where a lot of visclings were found, talking and playing away. The school looked like a castle, or some large stone palace.

School went by somewhat quick, then there was recess.

I saw a group of visclings chattering away, and I decided to join them. My little paws carried me across the courtyard, and I butted into their conversation. "Hello! My name's An-"

"Whoa, who are you?" said one of them, a red-and-white female.

"Well, I was just about to get to that subject! My name is Annabel-"

"No, seriously. What are you doing here?"

"W-Well.. I just wanted to make some friends." I replied, stammering since my enthusiasm had floated away. Who were they to speak to me like that? I did want to make some friends, and I wanted them to meet my other pals!

Except.. that was a mistake.

"Sure. Are you alone or something?" the viscling responded.

"Nope! I got my friends right behind me! Right guys?" I turned around and I saw several visclings behind me, and I bounced in glee. Those visclings will meet my friends, and we'll have some fun, and then we'll-

They stared at me with that look again.

"W-What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing.. it's just that you-"

"Wait a second, Ruby! I know what's going on!" a yellow-and-pink female with blue and purple swirls had piped up.

I was confused, but I still puffed out my chest.

"Really? What do you mean, Tamara?"

"Anne, I think, doesn't have any friends because she already does!"

"..what friends?"

"IMAGINARY FRIENDS!" Tamara shrieked out loud, then burst into a flurry of giggles. The others giggled along, and Ruby smirked.

That smirk scared me.

"HEY EVERYBODY! THIS VISCLING HAS IMAGINARY FRIENDS!"

And it all began, the remarks, the rude commentary.. the name-calling.

"Oh my gosh, she's such a baby! What a loner! Hello Mr. Sparkles, this lunatic's a baby!"

Tears welled up in the corners of my eyes, and I ran towards the wooden gate. They mocked me as I ran, and luckily for me, I could slip through some slim openings pretty well. I was very lithe for my age. I slipped through the gate and I ran down the sidewalk, and I didn't stop. Some of the older viscets chased me- I knew why. They were to bring me back to that school. But no. I wasn't going back to that horrid place.

- - - timeskip - - -

I returned home, and I had locked myself in my room, alone- or well, not exactly alone. Louie was there to comfort me, and to scold me as well.

"How could you do that? You're not supposed to tell anyone about us!"

"I-I didn't know! I just w-wanted some friends! I thought.. I thought they would like me.." I said.

Louie sighed, and went on. "Look, Annabel.. The truth is.. we're not real- or to be exact, we used to be real, but not anymore."

I was shocked, like if lightning struck my poor little conscience. "W-What!? W-What do you mean!?"

"We're.. we're ghosts. Spirits. Souls of those who died."

"But if you're dead, why can I see you!?"

Louie replied with another sigh. "You have a gift, a sixth sense, little one. No one can see us, 'cept for you, darlin'."

My mind was in shambles. I had a gift, but it felt more like a curse.

I never forgot that day. Ruby, Tamara, and the other snarky visclings picked at me, my parents still thought I was a crazy little one, and Louie..

..I never saw him again.