The next three days were both wonderful and terrible. I’d start the day scared the extra house would be gone and then excited when I saw it out my window. I’d end the day sad I had to leave them and anxious for the next day to come. It also was getting harder and harder to understand why my old family treated me like they did. I knew I wasn’t smart and pretty and good like the other me, but my new family still seemed to love me a lot and treated me wonderfully. Why couldn’t my old family be like that?

Maybe that’s why I acted pert with Papa one morning.

He had hit me for being slow to the table, calling me a stupid, dirty little thing. Normally I would have just lowered my head and sat down quietly, hoping to make myself small enough and quiet enough that he would forget me. But this time I looked up at him. I asked why he treated me like that. That he ought not to do that.

I knew it was a mistake as soon as the words left my lips. His eyes blazed to life as he grabbed for me, and I only barely stumbled out of his reach. Mama had overheard and was heading for me too, but I was quick and headed for the back door. I could hear them yelling behind me, telling me to come back or it would be worse, but I knew better than to stop. I hit the yard with my belly aching, a sour mixture growing there of sadness and fear and the terrible sureness that my new house would finally be gone.

But it was there, and what’s more, my new family was already coming down from the porch to meet me. I ran to my new Papa, feeling a surge of relief and gratitude when I reached his legs and felt his comforting hand patting my shoulder. When I looked back, I saw that my old Mama and Papa were in the back yard now, but they had slowed to a stop. They were looking at me, but they seemed to finally be able to see my new family and the extra house too.

They looked terrified.

“Baby, baby girl…Oh God, what is that? What are those…come away from that thing…” My old Papa’s voice was high and shrill, and his eyes were rolling in his head like a scared cow.

“Shit, Milly, get...fuck, how does it move like…come here now…” Old Mama was shielding her eyes now like she was looking into the sun, and after another moment they were both backing away. Old Thomas had started to come outside at the commotion, but before he could reach the yard, Old Mama and Papa were running back inside with him in tow.