The Secret

Fantasy short story about a shape shifting girl.

The Secret



I looked at Liam closely.

His blue striped shirt was clean and new, the sun hat around his head had no tears as mine had, and his hands were so soft, not at all worn down by years of working on a farm.

"Aren't you going to say hello to the amazing Liam?" He joked, giving a friendly smile.

"Why do you have to come?" I sat back down on my bed and picking up the book I was reading. Liam looked out of place here at the farm. He was accustomed to the sound of cars honking and people chatting, but not to the fresh smell of new plants wafting through an open window or the low buzzing sound of a tractor. He wasn't in New York City.

"I come here every year to your place!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands up dramatically. "How can you forget?"

"At least you're not wearing the fancy clothes you wore before."

"You noticed?"

"Of course I noticed!" Remembering the white T-shirt and new black jeans with ease. How could I forget?

"Wow," Liam truly sounded astonished.

Suddenly, before I could reply to Liam's remark, the door flew open and in came my best friend, Sunset. Her short, black hair was in two pigtails and her brown eyes looked excitedly at me.

"Sarah!" She strolled over to me cheerfully. "I was told to give this to you!"

It was at that moment when I noticed the pink, flowery wreath in her hands. Sunset dropped it on my lap, smiling. "I think it's very pretty!"

"Has someone died?" Liam asked, walking anxiously over, bending around a still smiling Sunset to see the wreath.

"No, Liam," She replied, moving to stand in front the boy.

"Hey, I recognize you. You said I was an annoying chitter-chatter the last time I came!"

"You are one," Sunset smiled playfully. "You talk way too much!"

"I do not!"

"Guys," I warned them, touching my braid as I always do when I'm serious or upset.

"Why do you always wear a braid?" Liam asked, peeking out from behind my best friend. "You've been wearing one since your mom disappeared!"

I glared at him and turned to Sunset."Who gave you the wreath?"

Pause. Her face changed from her usual cheerfulness to discomfort. Sunset didn't say anything for a few moments.

"I'm not allowed to say." Her eyes looked nervously at her feet. "I can only say that there is a message hidden in it somewhere."

"Where?" Even as annoyingly mysterious as the wreath was, I was interested to find out more. I picked up the wreath to see if there were any cards hidden among the strands of branches.

"It's about the Secret I'm sure," Sunset glanced up wearing a serious face. "Everything is about the Secret."

"What's the Secret?" Liam asked, curiously staring at the wreath. "I didn't know you had secrets!"

"It's none of your business," I snapped suddenly offended by Liam's comments. I unintentionally touched my braid again.

"You're wearing the right clothing." Sunset looked approvingly at my baggy green shirt and blue pants. "Let's go!"

"Go where?" Liam surveyed the room wearily. "Wherever we're going I'm ready!"

"Why does he have to be here?!" Sunset complained, blocking Liam's view once again.

"I've been wondering the same thing."

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Around two in the afternoon Sunset and I headed out to the Path. The Path, created by my dad when he moved here, was a narrow trail through the wheat field to a private place I could practice the Secret in peace. Only my dad, Sunset, and I knew about the Path since it was so cleverly placed in the worst part. Everybody knows that the area the Path is in is the place my dad likes to work, so nobody disturbs it.

"Where's Liam?" Sunset peered back at the house in the distance.

"He's inside probably taking a super long shower like he did last time."

Sunset laughed. I smiled, remembering waiting outside the bathroom door for my turn for a cleaning. Clutching the wreath tightly we went along.

Suddenly as we continued I saw a flash of blue in the wheat. I immediately told myself it was my imagination. Everyone knew not to go in this area.

Nobody knows about the Secret except my dad and Sunset, I told myself firmly, walking a little faster.

The wind was calm and peaceful, but the sky was dark. Some would say it was unnatural, but I'm used to things not being normal.

"Do it quickly," Sunset whispered as we came to the end of the path. She took a few steps backwards into the wheat. "Maybe something will pop up!"

I nodded. Thankful that I was wearing baggy clothing to help it be less painful, I stared at Sunset and a took a long, deep breath.

"Sunset! Sarah!" Liam's voice came from a little behind me in the wheat.

Too late!

I started to shrink slowly. Closing my eyes tightly, I prepared myself for the most painful part. My whole face felt as if a very strong person had yanked it forwards. When I was younger I shrieked at this part, but I became slightly more used to the pain over the years. An itching sensation started all over my now small body as little hairs poked out from under my skin. Within a minute I shapeshifted into a cat.

With my new sharp hearing I could hear the sound of Sunset pushing Liam to the ground behind me and the poor boy screaming in fright. The wind picked up and started to blow my fur in crazy circles.

Embarrassed, I raced off in opposite direction of where my friends were and deeper into the field. Looking at the sky I silently apologized to my Sunset and Liam, then reminding myself it was too late to fix anything. I ran faster.

Inhaling deeply, I let myself into the calm chaos of the wind.

Author's Note

Enjoy!

Reviews

[barleygirl]

This is a spellbinding little read. I was totally taken in by the believable conversation, the logical sequence of events, & even the imaginary aspects. I'm very hard to convince, when it comes to imaginary writing. It's hard for me to still my analytical mind. But reading your story, I felt no need to analyze, becuz it all flowed logically, even when there were illogical aspects. I also loved that your dialogue sounded true to the characters, but quite unlike any other dialogue I've read. Nicely fresh. Good job.