Together Forever

     “It’s not what you did, it’s what I want!” Katie said.

      I stared at her, trying to understand what she meant when she said that. She looked like many of the other humans in Neopia Central. She had long, dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a regular nose. She had been our owner for fifteen years, and I could hardly believe she was leaving. I was only created six years ago, and she was leaving now?!

     “What do you mean? I thought you loved us, Mommy!” I cried

     “I’m NOT your mother, and it’s not that I don’t love you, it’s just that I don’t want to be here anymore. I’m done, I’m going to move on and forget about all of this,” Katie said, grabbing everything that was hers.

     “NO! You can’t just leave! What about us?! What will we do?”

     “I don’t know, and quite frankly, I don’t care! Get a job, get a life, and get out of mine! I’m done with you!” Katie yelled, grabbing the suitcase that held all of her belongings.

      With one final look over her shoulder, she closed our front door behind her and left us. DarkMoon sat in the corner, looking extremely hurt. Darrel just stared at our door, probably hoping it would open back up and Katie would come back, laugh, and it would all be over. Misty knew something was wrong, yet she couldn’t say anything so she also stared at the door with her head tilted and a confused look on her small face.

     “Well, it’s pretty late. I want all of you to go get ready for bed. I’m sure we will figure out something in the morning,” DarkMoon said, his deep Blue Lupe eyes filling with tears.

     “Did that really just happen, or is this a joke? Please tell me it’s a joke and Katie’s going to come through that door saying 'Got you',” Darrel begged, his eyes meeting with DarkMoon’s.

     “Just get ready for bed, Darrel,” DarkMoon said with a sigh.

      I watched as my Baby Lupe brother crawled up the stairs with one more depressed look at our oldest brother DarkMoon. Misty was still very confused with what was going on, so she just stared at the door. I looked down at my feet, hoping she wouldn’t see the tears that were streaming down my face. Then DarkMoon put his paw on my back.

     “This is going to be hard for everyone, Heidi, but if we all look out for each other, we can make it,” he said half-heartedly.

      I just nodded and picked up Misty, my month old Baby Kougra sister. DarkMoon followed as I walked her up into Darrel’s room. He was staring at his feet with a grim expression on his face. We all just sat down on his bed and said nothing for what seemed like hours.

     “Cheer up, guys! Maybe we can... do something... like... umm... go to... that... that one place... next to the... thing?” DarkMoon tried.

     “Like that one place next to the thing that RIPS YOUR HEART OUT AND TEARS THE PIECES TO SHREDS! YOU MEAN THAT PLACE!” Darrel yelled.

     “Umm, no not... not exactly, I mean I don’t think that’s a real... place,” DarkMoon tried.

     “It is, and right now... WE'RE LIVING IN IT!” Darrel yelled, frustrated with all of us.

     “I know it's hard now, but years from now we're all gonna look back on this and laugh!” DarkMoon tried again

     “Oh, Hahahahahahahahahahahaha... NO!” Darrel cried, jumping off the bed and running down the hall.

     “I said years from now! Not right now!” DarkMoon called, yelling after him.

      I went across the hall into Misty’s room and placed her in her crib. She giggled as I gave her a Blue Kougra Plushie and laughed as I made it talk in a funny voice. I gave her a sad smile, tucked the blanket tighter and began to leave the room. Just as I was about to turn off the light, though, she called out and I had to go back and sing her to sleep.

      When she finally fell asleep, I tip-toed out of the room, switched the light off, and walked to Darrel’s room where DarkMoon was tucking Darrel into bed. He was clutching his blanket tight and begging DarkMoon to tell him a story and not leave him alone.

      I sat on the end of his bed as DarkMoon told a grand story about Faerieland and Fyora. Darrel got so caught up in the great story he almost forgot about Katie leaving us. When he finally finished the story, Darrel was far too tired to ask for another one so we left and he fell asleep.

      I had dreaded the talk DarkMoon and I were going to have ever since Katie walked out, but I knew we had to do something, so I followed him into the vacant living room. He sat on a Green Bean Bag chair and watched as I sat on a purple one. I sighed and let him begin the conversation.

     “Okay, so I think the only true way for us to be able to keep the house, feed ourselves, and take care of Misty and Darrel is by getting a job and playing as many games as possible. What do you think about the Neopoints issue?” DarkMoon asked, very sophisticated.

     “I think that your plan would be the best, but for the sake of everyone I also think we should still use the money Katie left for us and get another job each so we have enough Neopoints for luxuries,” I said, almost certain I sounded as he did.

     “Good thinking! Now we need to figure out a way to not get caught by the pound,” he explained, another problem I never wanted to face.

     “Well, I say we don’t worry about that yet. If we play it safe and keep up with our jobs, we might be able to pull it off!” I said happily.

      DarkMoon just nodded and told me to go to bed. I was only six, but I felt like I was ten years older when DarkMoon and I had talked like that. It made me feel grown-up and older, like I could play mom for the whole family. I was floating on air when I fell asleep, and I dreamed about being a mom all night.

      The net morning I packed Darrel’s lunch for Neoschool, put Misty in the nursery, and went to the job place in Faerieland in between a million lies. It made me feel dirty when I was lying to all those people, but it also made me hate Katie more. She was the reason all of this happed, and I hated her for it.

      For six months DarkMoon and I took care of Misty and Darrel, held up two jobs, and played games in the gameroom as much as possible. It was hard at first, but as soon as I told myself that that was what mommies did, I felt better. DarkMoon seemed happy too, and after a while Darrel forgot about Katie. Misty began to talk and she always called me Mommy. Life seemed to be doing just fine without Katie.

      Then one hot summer afternoon in between DarkMoon’s and my jobs, someone knocked on our door. Darrel was teaching Misty how to draw a Lupe and a Kougra holding hands on the living room table and DarkMoon was busy packing a lunch for our next jobs so I answered the door. When I did, though, I immediately wished I hadn’t.

      There, behind our front door was Katie. Her brown hair seemed a little longer and she was wearing a ton of make-up. I turned around just in time to see Darrel’s eyes grow five times as he dropped a blue marker. DarkMoon dropped the sandwich, spilling its contents onto the floor and Misty frowned at Katie.

     “Look who's back! I hope you’re not still mad at me!” Katie cried, arms wide open and giving us the puppy dog face.

      All of our lives we depended on Katie for everything, and when she left us we had no idea what to do. We could only go by the best of our knowledge. Then, after six months of being able to do stuff by ourselves and help each other, Katie comes back. I just rolled my eyes at our family and slammed the door in her face.

      Everyone clapped and cheered as it slammed, and no one complained about not having her. We didn’t need her, and she abandoned us when we did need her. So why should we be there for her when she needs us?

     “Together forever, never apart, maybe a distance, but never in heart!” DarkMoon cried from the kitchen.

      And after that, we always stayed together, without Katie. Our lives got better without Katie in our lives, and that is how right now, we are still together.

The End