Life Changes Quickly

I must have tossed and turned in my sleep because my sheets are on the floor. I also slept funny because my tail hurts and won't stay down. It's kind of embarrassing. It's like bedhead but funnier and more socially awkward. It'll pass but still kind of stings. I still have things that need to be done today but for some reason, I feel funny.

It's a nice, sunny day and animals are bustling about doing their own thing. It's nice out. Seems like one of those days where "YOU!"

"Sweet Raptor Jesus!"

The grainy voice that yelled at me shook me to the core knocking my balance off.

"You! I smell magic on you."

"What are you doing?"

"Mm, a great tale of 9's. Beware young one. Many will be after you."

I step off keeping my eye on the homeless-looking opossum still shouting at me to beware. Magic? A tale of 9's? What was he talking about?

For some reason, that opossum threw me off my day. Everything just felt weird. I started getting a burning headache around noon. Sitting at the dinner table with the folks it almost became unbearable. A few tablets and a sleeping pill later I was able to fall asleep. Even though I had that sweet dream last night, the dream I had this night was horrid. A dark figure took me away from my family to abuse me mercilessly. I woke up in a cold sweat with no blankets once again.

I started the day with a headache; the same one from yesterday. I arrive in the living room with an unfamiliar voice greeting me, "There he is. Good morning sleepy head." Another red fox is sitting across from my parents. She's wearing a very Halloween-themed black dress. It's fairly exposing on her chest with a slit up the side to her hips but it looks very clean cut on her. But I am no less confused.

My mother speaks up first, "Red, this is Odette. She's been a family friend for a very long time who wants to speak with you about something important." I look towards my dad who keeps quiet for now. I look at the lady named Odette and somehow she moved right in front of me. I jump back almost falling but she grabs me, "We'll fix that."

She looks me over, poking, prodding, and commenting quietly as she circles around me. She finally stops and faces me, "You will address me as Madam Odette for the course of your training which starts now."

"Training?"

"Training. Here." She hands me a canvas bag, "Fill it with what you need and only what you need. Be quick! We'll be leaving in half an hour."

"Leave where?"

"Go pack, the clock is ticking."

She shoves me out with the bag in my hand. I take a minute to try and process until my dad walks out to join me in my room. Grabbing the bag he sits down on my bed with a sorrowful face, "I was hoping this would skip you but it seems like it didn't." The light in my room goes out and a small orb of light hovers in front of me. It's in the palm of his hand. "You were unlucky enough to inherit my family's ability to control elements. At first, it may seem amazing but I will warn you now, it's more of a curse. You will need to keep your guard up for the rest of your life through everything. So please, pack what you need. Odette will keep you safe."

I have no choice in this. I pack the bag and my dad throws a few extra things as well. It's mostly clothes and a few small sentimental things. As I walk out of my room my dad tells me, "Don't worry. I'll keep everything as it is." Odette is waiting by the door impatiently. It was a sad goodbye but was explained. I still feel uncomfortable. Odette leads me to her limo parked by the curb. My bag gets loaded into the trunk and I get loaded into the back with Odette where she begins laying out her rules, "I need you to understand how this will work. I will give you nothing. You will have to earn everything you want. You will be up with the sun and will be released when it is dark. You are going to do as I say when I say it. I'm going to be teaching you what you need to know. I want you to know that I am going to be mean and act like what you will think is cruel."

"Odette, I…"

"And again, you will address me as 'Madam Odette'. You will only speak when spoken to so you do not miss anything. When you get to my home you will only speak to me with the previous rule applied. Do you understand so far?"

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, Madam Odette."

"There's hope for you yet, Red. But know that what you have just been thrown into is going to be nothing like you've experienced before."

She goes quiet for the rest of the remaining 6-hour ride. I nod off until we arrive. She had failed to mention that her house was a mountainside villa. Everything was surrounded by greenery. Every plant was professionally maintained. There were four moles pruning and weeding the topiary near the entrance. Everything about this house is astounding. I follow Odette to the stairs where she stops, "I will see you tomorrow Red. Sleep well." She begins back up the stairs but before my foot can hit the first step she stops to turn around. She yelps at me, "No!" I freeze in place looking at her. "You do not live here."

"Where do I stay?"

"You have to earn it. There are about four hours left in the day before it gets dark. Goodnight Red."

The front doors close and a mean-looking badger moves in front of them. It was an hour's drive from the last place that could be considered civilization. There's a luxurious mansion in front of me and I'm homeless. With the bag on my back, I wander around the grounds. There's a large garden behind what I now know is the main house of this estate. There are smaller houses that are clearly for those who work here but are still very nice. I decide to take a wild chance.

I find another red fox-like myself and approach her, "Hey, is there any way that I can steal a space for the night?" She goes to speak but puts her head down instead. I feel someone's hand land on my shoulder and my stomach drops to where I feel like I'm about to vomit. "Well Anne, can he?" Yep, that's Odette. The poor girl in front of me fidgets as she speaks, "Sorry Red, but we are unable to spare a place for you. You're also not allowed to speak to us."

The car ride flashed through my mind as Odette speaks, "Remember that Red? Only to speak to me and only when spoken to?" I stand still waiting for her to let go. "Well? Do I get an answer?"

"Yes."

Her voice is stern, "Yes what?"

"Yes Od… Madam Odette."

She softens a bit but there are thorns in her words, "So do you remember what I said?"

"Yes, Madam Odette."

"What did I tell you?"

I hesitate, "Only to speak to you."

"Hm?"

"… Madam Odette."

She quickly got annoyed, "So why did you not obey me?"

"I thought that…"

"What did you think? That you could just ignore my order?"

"No Madam…"

"But you did Red. Now how am I supposed to take that?"

"I… but… uh…"

"I want you to answer Red."

"I… I don't know."

I try to keep my body steady but I can still feel every muscle in my body shake. I'm as focused on my shoulder as I can be trying to keep it as still as I can. Her hand disappears but I know she's still there. Sure enough, there's a hard smack to the back of my head, "Don't do it again." I could hear her walk off. The maid Anne looked at me with sorry eyes before my legs gave out crashing me to the ground. She left me there to wallow in my defeat. I looked around the garden wandering for an hour before I found a tool shed with an overhang outside. I found a steady spot to hang my bag up. With a heavy sigh, I sat down on the grass. Lucky for me I remembered packing a small blanket so I had something to wrap myself in.