Could these steps be connected to the voice? Only God knows. Now, back to embracing the night it feels so peaceful, I get no peace at home. I sometimes feel like I become one with the night, one with everything, like a vampire bat flying through the night air, me a bat.
WHOA! What? Where am I? Is this me? Am I flying? Did I really change into a bat? I mean, I know I wished real hard but, this is too much. If I keep wishing will I turn back into me? I wish, I was Jude again I wish I was Jude. Then POOF I’m back to me. That was the weirdest experience of my life. Oh, my god. I think I’m crazy. Wait, I know I’m crazy. That didn’t just happen because, it couldn’t have. I don’t feel safe here and I better get home.
Running down the sidewalk, I’m closing in closer and closer to home, when my imagination takes over again. I picture myself running faster than an Olympic gold medalist almost flying, when swiftly I began to fly. First a bat, now I’m flying! This cannot be happening. I’m afraid of heights. I want down, I want down, I want down. Then I fall, landing on my butt. Ouch.
Once I gathered myself I headed again for the house. At last, I arrive. Forgetting that the masses of children were asleep all around me, I beat a hasty retreat to my room. Slam! I lock the door. Breathing and panting heavily I sit on my bed.
“What happened out there,” I say aloud even though I don’t think anyone could ever answer that question for me. One moment I was just a recluse of a teenager, and the next I’m some freak that can fly. What am I? Am I a bird, an angel? Who knows, all I know is I don’t.
After finally getting my wits about me, I fall asleep. But, it was an uneasy sleep; the voice came to me in it.

“Jude, I know what happened to you. I can help you. Meet me behind the deserted pub on Maple Street tomorrow night, I promise I won’t harm you. Jude, you need this, you need me, and I need you.”
“AHHHHH,” I awake screaming. I don’t want to believe that the voice just gave me directions and told me where to go. That’s impossible. I decide to drag myself out of bed knowing I’ll never be able to get back to sleep after that ordeal. I walk across the hall to the bathroom to find it full of giggling little girls as usual.
“Hiiiii Judeee….,” They say simultaneously. I’m completely convinced half of those little girls have a crush on me, and the other half pretend to have one because they’re friends do.
“Get out, you little creeps.” I yell as I point them toward the exit. The little girls file out like in that song about the marching ants. I don’t know; I was never good with children’s songs. The shower is cold, no hot water left as usual. But, what can I say between Ma excessively cleaning everything known to man, Father making his 8 – 9 cups of coffee a day, kiddy pools, sprinklers, and everyone in the house trying to get their 8 – 10 glasses of water a day there really isn’t a lot to go around.
I dart down the stairs hoping to avoid Ma’s watchful eye. For a woman with now 14 children she is still a very watchful and crafty lady if I do say so myself. I almost make it do the door. While reaching for the handle, she spots me.
“Jude, dear,” she speaks in what I find to be such a shrill voice, “Where are you going?”
“I’m going out Mom, just out. Don’t expect me back any time soon,” I reply as I slip out the door.
Ah Ma, what a good woman, but such a push over. Still shaking from what I did or well, what I hallucinated last night, I’m going to go visit my only real friend in this world, Nathan. Nathan is an interesting character, always doing very peculiar things. For instance one day I came over and he was hidden in the bushes repeatedly chanting, “I’ll find you, you stupid mole, don’t think you can run from me forever.” Like I said, he’s an interesting character. Finally, I arrive at his door to find him in the bushes.
“Nathan,” I shout. “What in the heck are you doing?”
“Ahahaha, I got you right where I want you!” Nathan shouts emerging with a dead frog.
“Ew, what is that?” I cringe at the sight.
“I just wanted to keep it in my fish tank. It wouldn’t oblige my invitation so now, it’s perished,” Nathan retorted.
I shake my head as we walk inside. I hesitate to tell Nathan what I experienced last night but, I feel it’s my obligation as a friend to keep no secrets. I mean, I think that’s what friends do anyway. So I go on to explain my ordeal to him in perfect detail start to finish when he cuts me off.