Mommy sighed as I climbed into the car. She looked at me and said, "You're lucky they're just letting you go home early Ariel. What were you doing outside when you were supposed to be at lunch?
I decided to tell her the truth. "I had been seeing some strange figures. I could see through them. I followed one outside."
"Do you want to give me a heart attack?" Mommy nearly yelled. "With Erika and Ann disappearing you are not to go wondering off on your own."
"But I can shift of someone tries to grab me," I protested.
"Did you even stop to think that maybe what you saw is responsible for Erika and Ann's disappearance?"
"No," I said looking down and feeling ashamed.
"Just remember that the next time you decide to follow one of those figures," Mommy said in a warning tone.
The next day school was out for Janet's funeral. I knew she wasn't dead but I had to pretend that she was which meant I had to be sad at the funeral. After my shower I put on my underwear, a white blouse, a black skirt, black hose, and black shoes. Taking a deep breath I reminded myself that I had to act like Janet and her family were dead. "Are you ready to go?" Mommy asked knocking on the door.
"Yes Mommy," I said with a sad note in my voice. She came over and hugged me not saying anything but comforting me anyway.
I looked around once we got to the funeral home. It looked like most of the school was here to pay their respects to Janet and her sister. Since this was a summer program there were kids from pre-school age up to twelfth grade in the school. Filing past the caskets I was convinced they were dead they were so still. Did I just dream seeing them alive? I wanted to lean in and kiss Janet to make sure but if I did that and they were alive I would be exposing them. Still I looked as close as I could to see some sign that they were but I didn't see any. Taking a seat I felt my heart break a little. It really did look like they were dead and I was beginning to think that I just dreamed the whole thing. That thought made my heart break and I could feel tears sliding down my cheeks. The service followed the usual funeral format and by the end my heart was torn into little pieces. I almost didn't make it to the graveside service since I didn't think I'd be able to make it through it without breaking down completely. I almost lost it at the end but I held it together. I almost wanted to stay to see the caskets lowered into the ground but if I felt like if I did I would go to pieces and it would be a long time before I would be ok again.
The drive home was silent and I could tell that Mommy wanted to say something but didn't exactly know how to say it. When we got home Mommy came up with me and sat down on my bed motioning for me to do the same. Once I did she said, "I know that this is tough on you sweetie. Janet was your friend and I suspect she may have become something more to you. I know how sad you are right now. My best friend died when I was your age and then your father died before you were born. The loss hurts and you feel like you can't go on but you will. In time the pain and sadness will dull and you'll be able to remember Janet without completely breaking down."
"Thanks Mommy," I said leaning my head on her shoulder. Her little talk had made me feel a little better. I had been thinking about what I didn't see when I looked in the caskets. I didn't see any movement at all. Not the slight rise of the chest nor the flicker of their eyes behind closed eyelids. Without those little signs I came to the conclusion that they were indeed dead. I just dreamed going to the funeral parlor and seeing them alive. This did depress me as I came to realize that I really did love Janet though I knew she couldn't love me back the same way. Now she'd never know the depth of my love for her. A few new tears rolled down my cheeks as my heart broke again.
"I love you sweetie," Mommy said hugging me. "I'm sorry that I kind of yelled at you yesterday but it scares me to death that I might lose you or one of your sisters or brothers."
"I understand Mommy," I said nodding a bit.
"Good," Mommy said smiling. "I'm going to go fix some lunch. I'll call you when it's ready." She gave me a little squeeze and left.
I got up to change and I saw one of those invisible figures by the closet. What was one doing here? Was it following me? Was it the same one I followed at school yesterday? I was so focused on the one by the closet and seeing what it would do that I didn't see the one behind me until I was grabbed from behind. Before I could react I felt a tingling sensation run through me. It was like when your foot falls asleep but it was my whole body. As my body tingled the figure I was looking at became visible. I was a bit surprised to find that the figure was human. Or I should say humanoid for she had pink scaly skin, two horns on her head, a muzzle like a dragon, leathery wings on her back, a tail that looked like it could grab someone and crush them, and claws on her hands and feet. I pulled away from the one holding me and saw that she was human. "You don't know who you're messing with," I said growling and concentrating on a big humanoid dragon. My clothes were going to be ruined but I couldn't worry about that now.
"You'll find that you can't shift here," the woman said smiling.
I didn't know how she knew I could shift but for some reason I couldn't shift now. "Ariel, lunch is ready," Mommy said coming in. She looked around with a worried look and asked, "Are you hiding Ariel?" Her voice sounded scared. "Please say you're hiding Ariel."
"I'm right here Mommy," I said running over to her. She stepped forward and went right through me. My eyes went wide and I did the only logical thing one could do in a situation like this. I fainted.