In My Mind

Alice woke up.She had seen the cat again in her dreams.It was always the same cat.A cute,white house cat with a peculiar black patch around its left eye.It purred at her,beckoning her to follow it.Alice loved cats,and she did as she was told.Right now the cat had leaped out of her lap where it had been napping.Alice took care not to disturb the three boys that had brought her here.She quietly tip toed past their sleeping forms and stared expectantly at the cat,which had settled in front of a door,twitching its ears in expectation.She smiled at it and the cat meowed in turn,tilting its head towards the door it was in front of.Alice examined the door and saw the words 'Enter Quietly' written messily in white paint.She squatted in front of the cat and stroked,murmuring,"Thank you Mr. Kitty." What the thanks was for,Alice did not pause to fathom as she savored the sound of the cat purring for her.Once her hand broke contact with the cat's fur,it loped past her and curled up on the cushion Alice had been sleeping on. Alice giggled,admiring the cat's gracefulness.It was then she heard whispering from behind the door.

Alice pressed her ear against the door,wondering who was talking.She vaguely remembered someone telling her it was rude to eavesdrop on someone else's conversation but she could not remember who.The voices in her head whispered,"It doesn't matter dear,just do it." Alice listened to the voices behind the door.Hush-hush,as her mother had once said.
"I'm too old for bedtime stories."
"Its only to pass the time."
"But..."
"Shh,J.No more noise.I don't want you to wake those outsiders."
"But they could be nice..."
"You said that last time when those,those thugs knocked on our door."
"And I lost my eye to them even when I killed them all."
"Please don't say that."
"Alright,anything for you."
Alice heard the first voice again,but it was only loud enough to be heard as a murmur.She felt a hand on her shoulder.She did not cry out in surprise or fear,just smiled and whispered,"Is that you,Aki?."

It was.Aki smiled at her best friend and her smile widened as she looked upon Alice's beaming face.They embraced,enjoying the moment of being reunited again.Alice whispered,"Where did you go?Aren't Hannah and the others supposed to be with you?" Aki broke the embrace and replied as quietly,"No.They're not coming back." Alice,in disbelief,asked,"But why?We're all friends.Friends stick together.Besides,I'm sure they'll wan to see the cat I found." Aki shook her head and only now did Alice realize that her friend's smile had turned sad.Aki said,"I'm only visiting.I'm not here to stay." Alice gripped her Aki's arm and shook it,saying,"But you can't leave me." Aki tugged her arm away and replied,"I can't stay,I have to be somewhere.You can't follow me anyway.At least not yet." Hope swelled in Alice's heart."You'll let me know when I can come?" Aki bluntly said,"No.You'll know when.Just listen to yourself sister.You'll know.We...I'll be waiting." Aki got up,leaving her friend kneeling on the floor.She placed both hands on her best friend and whispered,"Bye BFF." Alice nodded. As Aki walked out the apartment,Alice teared and curled up into a ball.She started to cry softly.She did not notice the weathered but young face peering at her from the crack of the opened door.

Jordan pitied the crazy girl the outsiders had brought.His harsh words earlier today had been a show.He was concerned for her,but could not break away from his own responsibilities.A small hand tugged on his sleeve and he bent slightly to hear the words meant for him alone.
"We should let them stay,brother."
He sighed.
"Alright,Jackie."