Mason

I remembered the first time I met Reese. She had been standing behind her father, no older than five years old. Her almond-shaped eyes stayed trained on me to the point that I had to hide behind my mother's leg to avoid her gaze. I thought she was kind of funny looking with her mismatched outfit, something my mother would never allow me to wear out in public. Poke-a-dotted leggings, a striped t-shirt, and monster truck rain boots. Not to mention that the colors certainly did not match.

I had tugged at my mother's jacket, trying to pull her attention away from the girl's father but it was no use. The two only had eyes and ears for each other at the moment. A laugh would emerge from her body while a smile would spread across his lips. And behind them was us staring at each other, unsure how to proceed while unknowingly knowing that this was the start of a new family.

Mother had always told me to play nice because strangers were potential friends, and I had the feeling that we would see each other a lot. All I wanted to know was a name.

"What's your name?" I had asked her. She went to open her mouth but quickly shut it. With intense concentration she slowly moved her hands to form something. A frown appeared on her face at the end as she looked up at me to see that I did not understand. Confused, I tugged at my mother's sleeve. "Mommy, what's wrong with her?"

But it was her father who spoke instead. He adjusted his glasses as he bent down to hug his daughter. "Nothing's wrong with her. She just lost her voice from a bad sickness when she was a baby. Instead of talking with her mouth, she talks with her hands. Like this."

I watched as he freed his hands and spoke slowly to teach me what she had said. "My name is S-U-N-J-A." He did her name in letters which I picked up was different from what Sunja had said before.

"Her hands did not say that before," I pointed out to him.

He smiled. "You're right. Sunja prefers to go by Reese like the Reese's cups. It is easier for her to sign."

"I love Reese's cups. They are my favorite," I grinned up at him.

Reese nodded in agreement with a toothy smile.

***

My mother said sleepovers were only supposed to last for one night. So, when Reese awoke with a strangled attempt of a cry and I peered over to our guest room to find it completely transformed with toys, plushies, and rainbows, I knew they were here to stay for good. It was the first night they moved in with us after months of visiting. Her father cradled her in his arms as she signed to him through tears. I stood in my doorway watching the interaction through my own tired eyes.

"It was just a nightmare, my little fox. No lizard-eye man is going to hurt you here."

I remembered the cold feeling that washed over me from her father's words. My breathing shallow at my own similar dream I had awoken from. I had seen his unnatural pupils were slits from top to bottom and I had felt like he was looking at me. Could Reese have had the same dream? My hand shook on the doorknob and right as I was about to close the door to try to head back to bed, I stopped.

Reese sat up in her bed once her father disappeared back to bed. Her eyes were puffy, and she was scratching at her arms with great force. Afraid she would hurt herself, I jumped up and onto her bed.

"Hey. Mommy says to use some lotion if your skin is itchy," I said.

Reese stopped scratching before signing something. I had been trying to learn but I had only gotten as far as basic words and phrases. Huffing, she crossed her arms and fell back onto her bed. She wiped her eyes again and avoided looking at me.

"I heard you saw the lizard man. The one with light brown eyes with huge slits."

This caused her to sit up.

"I saw it too. In my dreams."

She pulled out her sketchbook and began to draw pictures. There I saw the man with slit eyes and him holding a knife. Another person lay on a bed with wings. She drew one of the wings being cut off. Reese looked up and pointed at it then me. The drawing looked horrifying, and I could not imagine seeing the real thing.

I shook my head. "I did not see... this. I saw him next to a butterfly with a broken wing and a rock."

Her face fell slightly before she put the book down.

"I don't think you're making it up." She smiled before settling down on her bed again. She patted the spot next to her in invitation. Crawling over, I pulled the covers up and slid under.

"Thank you," she signed before closing her eyes.

"Of course. That's what friends are for."

***

"You said we were friends forever! If you do not help me, I am going to fail American government!" Reese's hands slashed the more she pleaded. I continued to read my book without a single word from her. She currently sat at the edge of my bed on her knees, hoping the closer she was the less likely I could ignore her. However, I continued to read.

"This is a really good book. Have you read it yet?" I said aloud as I went to the next page. Out of anger she stood up and stomped her foot. With no reaction from me, she stomped harder. For someone who could not shout, she sure made her feelings clear. Sighing, I finally looked at her. Her brown eyes were narrowed, her hands clenched at her sides, even her chin length hair was a bit frazzled at her outburst. "I'm sorry Reese but I'm not going to write your essay for you. If you want to stay in softball you are going to have to ask your teacher for help or maybe even, go to a tutor."

"It's due tonight!" Her eyebrows furrowed in distress. She paced the floor in her softball uniform. Her hands dragged across her face before signing. "Please just do this once. I'll do anything!"

"This is a you problem. You had two weeks to do it?"

Her lips formed a line as she stared at me in silence. That was until she snatched the book I was reading and took off. "Sunja!" She rushed down the steps and the two of us paused. She was just above five feet but from here she looked smaller and frail. I was sure that if I just jumped down the rest of the stairs, she would be squashed like a bug.

"Last warning. Give me the book!"

Instead of the book, she gave me a raspberry and the finger. Her white uniform was easy to follow through the house until the two of us froze in the kitchen. Reese watched as our mother wiped her tears on a tissue. Her eyes red as she looked at the two of us. The book was long forgotten as I made my way to my mother.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

Our father was the one to answer as he ran a hand over her back. "Grandma Anne was taken into custody."

"Grandma Anne? What did she do? Start selling drugs or something?" Reese playfully waved it off like it was a joke. Which in a way it kind of seemed like it since our grandmother was the nicest lady I knew. She made cookies for the trashmen that picked up her trash, fed strays in the streets during the winter, and even watched the neighbor's kids when their mother had to run to the store at the last minute.

Wiping her nose on the tissue, she said in a serious tone. "Mutants."

Reese and I shared a look before bursting into laughter: Reese's shoulders shaking with the shiniest shit-eating grin to my counter gripping, school girl like giggles. "Okay, that was a good April Fool's prank even if it's a bit early. I guess we both deserve it since last year we filled the toilets with cheese whiz."

My mother instead just turns away leaving us confused. She cannot be serious. I looked at our father who had his face in silent anger. Knowing better than to ask, we followed him as he went to turn on the television. There a news reporter talked before switching it to video of our grandmother's house. Police and another van labeled TSAC surrounded her house. A photo popped up with her but atop her head was two white cat ears and a tail. A metal bracelet cuffed her hands together and, in the background, I could make out the faces of people in fear and confusion. A newsagent started talking about what may have caused it, but they did not seem sure. And it did not look like she was the first. A couple of other images appeared with other adults with animal features. One was even welding water in a video.

"This... this can't be real? It all seems like some fantasy, sci-fi stuff," I finally said after a few minutes of watching.

"No, this is very real and very dangerous. TSAC has already ordered everyone to remain inside for the night and to report anything suspicious."

Reese quickly got up in a flash and stood in front of the television. "You can't be serious! I have a game tonight!"

"Game's been postponed until further notice."

Her hands slashed at the air in anger. "What!? They can't just do this! Why does TSAC just think they can come in and control everything!? You're a sergeant, you should be in charge, not them!"

"I don't disagree, but TSAC has proof that they have dealt with this before-"

Now it was my turn. "Proof that we've had another mutant outbreak seems highly unlikely. You seriously don't believe what they said, right?"

"It doesn't matter if I believe it or not. The governor has given them all permission to take control of the situation."

There was a long pause of silence. Reese kicked the carpet in disappointment before looking at us. "I guess I'll head to bed then since there's no game. Goodnight."

"Reese has the right idea. Best you both get ready for bed. School is still in session."

Reese let out a groan before marching off to bed. No doubt hoping that school was canceled as well. Just before she disappeared, I yelled, "At least you have time to write that essay, Sunja!"

The sound of stomping followed as she went up the stairs causing me to laugh and our father sighing in defeat.