Elicia Hughes

( The Inner Introspection of a Confused Child )

[Voice]

U-um...

[the buzz of silence, for a few seconds]

It's all real funny... Everything's real funny... B-but—!!

[another pause, like she's thinking, really thinking.

When she speaks up again, there's a determined, watery noise in her tone.]

But why's that mean it's gotta all go away? How come we can't have both? What's wrong with being families still?! I know it was just make pretend, b-but it wasn't! Don't all go away and not wanna be family no more... 'Cause p—'cause papa says you don't gotta be from the same family to be a real family! You don't! So please, still be my family here...

I want you guys to stay my family... Please, pretty please... 'cause I know me and papa want you to. 'Cause you're still my family, even if you don't wanna be mine...!

[another pause—she's full of them, it seems]

... Is it okay if I put my pictures on my wall, from when we picked fruits?


[Later on after school—what a lonely, quiet day it seemed, today—she sits in front of her real house, watching just how much this place seemed to be effected. It was sad. It was so sad, to see everyone so sad. She had to do something, something to make it happy! But what should she do? There's gotta be... something fun. Something that'd make people smile, like before! When she played giant robo!

Aha! Mama always said that when you give compliments, people feel better about themselves!

So she pulls out her New Feathers Stand and sits at it, except with a new sign (...proooobably with a little help from a certain papa. Judging by the spelling.):]

"FREE COMPLIMENTS!"