My Reality

That's the thing about this city, it never stays the same. Every day is a new adventure to look forward to. Or that’s what I used to think anyways. Change is exciting. The slightest changes can make someone so happy; can make their life so much better. But change can be really scary too. I’m scared. 

I’ve only lived here a couple years and for the most part I’ve loved it. Watching the sky change over the all powerful ocean as dawn becomes day is the only reason I make an effort to wake up so early. I love my city, but what I need is a home. 

I don’t feel safe here anymore. 

I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to stay here. 

I’m not a normal person; I’ve always known that and I’ve learned to accept it, but I really thought that I could still live a happy life here. That’s the thing about people, they fear what they can’t understand. 

People are the least of my concerns right now. 

I need to run from them.

Someone’s here. 

“Ollie!”

“Oh. Hey Fox. When did you get here?” 

“Just now. It’s so like you to leave the door unlocked. Such a dummy.” I roll my eyes at them. Fox is ridiculous sometimes, but they’re the best friend I’ve ever had. 

“You should really be more careful. Who knows who could come wandering in. You’re lucky it was just me. It could’ve been one of those things.”

“You’re right. Did you lock the door behind you?” 

“Who are you talking to here? Of course I locked the damn door.” 

I squint at them. 

“I’m gonna go check just in case.” I turn the door knob and sigh.

“It’s still unlocked dumbass.”

“Huh? I could’ve sworn I locked it though.” 

“Yeah whatever.” 

Fox is stunning, even when they look upset like they do right now. They chose the name ‘Fox’ because it suits them, physically and personality wise. Fox has vibrant red, shoulder length hair and mischievous brown eyes. They come off as quiet and curious, but they’re quite clever and open once you get to know them. I don’t know Fox’s given name and quite honestly I don’t care. I don’t ask them about they’re family or where they came from either. It never felt right. If they want me to know, they’ll tell me. 

The sun has started to go down. I like sunrises better, but Fox loves sunsets. 

They stand over the balcony, their speckled face glowing in the orange light. 

“You’re gonna leave soon right?”

“Yeah”

“Good. It’s not safe here. Where do you think you’ll go?” 

“I’m not sure yet. I like living on the ocean, so I’ll probably stay somewhere where I can be near it.”

“That sounds nice.”

“Yeah. I’m guessing you’re gonna follow me?”

“What makes you say that?”

“You always do. No matter where I go you always seem to pop up.”

“Don’t make it weird. It’s not like I can let my main source of entertainment leave me. I’d be bored to death!”

“Yeah sure.”

“You’re such a weirdo. Always making things up in your head.” 

…

‘Stop making things up’

‘You’re crazy’

‘It’s just in your head’

How many times have I heard something along those lines? 

More times than I could ever count, but no matter how many times I hear it, it never fails to get my blood boiling. 

“Leave.” I growl. Fox’s face shows that they understand they’ve crossed the line.

“Fine.” And they leave. Just like that, like they always do. 

Breathe Oliver. Breathe. I tell myself. 

I’m not crazy. I can’t be. It’s not possible. I’m just different. 

Just because other people don’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Even if it isn’t real to them, it is to me. Fox sees them. Fox understands. Fox is like me. Fox is the only person I can trust. I was a little harsh earlier. I’ll apologize to Fox later. 

Fox will get it; they always do. 

I go into the bathroom to wash my face with some cold water. Sometimes when I look into the mirror, I don’t even recognize myself. My messy chestnut brown hair is in desperate need of a haircut, I have the biggest bags I’ve ever seen, and between the dehydration and sleep deprivation, my cyan eyes have become extremely bloodshot. 

“Quit staring at yourself in the mirror. It’s creepy.”

“Back so soon?”

“You got it. But seriously, how can you stare at yourself for that long? I mean, you're not that pretty.” 

Pretty?

“Whatever. Sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have gotten so pissed off.”

Fox shrugs it off. Just as they always do. 

“I’m glad you’re around and that we’re friends.” 

What's with that look? They’re giving me their usual smirk, but they’re eyes are sad. 

“Yeah I know.” 

“What do you think about leaving tomorrow?”

“I think we should leave now.”

“Why?”

“Because somehow, one of those things got in your house.”

My heart skips a beat and my breathing gets heavy. I begin to sweat. I don’t understand how Fox is always so calm. They always support me and in serious situations like this they always are able to take leadership and get us somewhere safe. Fox is a perfect friend. Sometimes, I wonder if they were made to help me. 

I step out of the bathroom to see it. Each one looks different. This one looks human, but with irregularly long arms, a face with only two completely white eyes, and no skin. 

Even though it has no mouth, it seems to say something to me, but I can’t understand it.

“Oliver snap out of it. We need to run now.”

Fox starts moving and I charge after them. The thing doesn’t seem to be able to keep up. Thank god. 

“Oliver, grab a knife from the kitchen.” Fox orders.

I can’t think clearly. I’m too scared. So I just do as they say. 

We sprint outside my apartment and to the elevator only to find more of them. Each one different and each one just as terrifying as the next. 

“Not the elevator dumbass, the stairs. You don’t want to lock yourself in a confined space.”

I follow Fox down the stairs, running down as fast as I can, trying my best not to slip. 

There's one behind us. Crap. 

“Oliver, you have the knife right? Kill it before it catches us.”

I don’t hesitate. I stab it quickly, so that it has no time to react. It’s eyes are full of terror. As it exhales for the last time, it shifts into a human. My neighbor. 

“Oh my god.”

“No wonder they keep popping up everywhere. They can disguise themselves as people. From now on we can’t trust anyone but ourselves.” Another one comes through the same door as the one I killed. It immediately goes to the body of the dead thing. 

“Oliver we need to run before it comes after us.” Fox says, helping me focus once again. 

We run like our lives depend on it, because they do. 

We get in my car and drive as fast as we can. We will get as far away as we possibly can. Not even ten minutes of driving, police sirens come up from behind us. I pull over. 

“We should run.” Fox says and before I can reply they sprint out of the car, leaving me behind. 

What's their deal? I’m sure it was just because I was speeding. Probably. 

“Oliver Green. Step out of the car with your hands behind your head.”

What the hell? Whatever. It’s best to just do as they say. 

An officer comes up from behind me. 

“Your being arrested for the murder of Ellery Lee.”

Ellery Lee? She was that thing killed. She was a monster. I did what I had to do to protect myself. They shoved me in the police car before I could explain myself. 

Fox will come get me eventually. They always do. I can trust Fox. Fox is the best friend I could ever ask for. 

Two days later…

I’ve been in this holding cell for 52 hours. 52 hours, and Fox is finally here. 

“Oh thank god you’re here. Are you here to bail me out?”

They don’t say anything.

“Guess not huh. Are you here as a witness?”

No reply.

“Then how are you here? They aren’t allowing me any visitors.”

“It was quite easy for someone like me to get in.”

“Someone like you? Whatever. You’re going to help me right?”

“Why would I help you? You’re a murderer.”

What?

“No I’m not. It was one of those things remember? I needed to kill it to keep us safe. You told me to.”

“You really are crazy.”

“Fox what's wrong with you? This isn’t like you.” 

“I’m here, to be what you need and right now what you need is the truth.”

The door opens. 

“Who are you talking to?” 

“Who do you think? This is my friend Fox, they’re here to visit.” I hold my hand out, gesturing to Fox, standing on the other side of the bars. Fox doesn’t say anything. The police officer just stares. 

“What a lunatic.” The police officer mumbles as he leaves. 

My hearts pounding so hard I think it might explode out of my chest. 

“Fox?”

“Yeah?”

“Why couldn’t he see you?” Fox giggles, and it’s not like their usually cheerful, comforting laugh, it’s sinister. It scares me. 

When they look at me, their face contorts into the most frightening grin I’ve ever seen.

“It’s really quite simple. It’s because I'm not real.”

And just like that, my entire world shattered.