January 5, 1992

It was a cold and violent night. All around laid an eerie mist. Lighting occasionally pierced the air as if to illuminate the earth but the land was so dark the light could only barely slice through.

Many were asleep in their beds away from the hour that was coming. The natural world was at rest even though the supernatural world was just coming to life.

The world slept as everything finally began.

A six year old Joel waited by her bed patiently, giddy but slightly worried. She clung to her best friend ,Mr. Theodore Dennis Beare aka Mr. Ted D Beare as the winds picked up and the fog grew thicker.

The world looked terrifying but she was not afraid. No fear could be seen on her face… Just excitement. At that moment she wanted to scream out loud in exasperation at waiting. She wanted to demand that time hurried up.

She looked down her as she spoke to Mr. Ted

“When do you think they’ll come?” she asked impatiently “ They are taking too long.”

She couldn’t help but pout as she listened before speaking to him again “ I know I’m supposed to be patient but c'mon this is hard I’ve never had an Other before. What will they say? what will I say ? …. what if they don’t like me just like mama?” she clung onto him harder as she whispered the last part .

she felt warmth as her friend tried to comfort her.

“hey freak what are you still doing awake?” Joel’s head snap up just before a pillow hit it

“Jodi this isn’t the time ,leave me alone” Joel growled glaring at one of the other foster kids in the house .

“ Maybe if you would stop talking to that stupid toy and act normal I would” Jodi sneered back as her freckled nose crinkled. Joel wanted to hit and maybe bite Jodi but she knew that the reason that Jodi was acting meaner than usual was because her foster parents had just sent her back.

Joel really wanted to bite her maybe take a good chunk off but she knew that feeling of thinking that she finally had a home just to have it snatched away so she just glared and went back to looking around.

“ Crazy always talking to that damn toy like he’s ing real. What kind of bunked (ed up) is this” Jodi mumbled turning around

“Whatever Jodi just go to sleep before I tell on you for swearing” Joel said while plucking at Mr. Ted’s ear “ Besides he’s not a toy he’s my best friend”

“what a freaking weirdo” she spat out

Joel hated when she called her that and was halfway to hit Jodi when she felt it.

“They’re here “ she whispered softly as she held on tighter to Mr.Ted. She tried to keep herself still even as her body shook and shivered in excitement and fear

“Who is-” Jodi began

“SHUT UP AND GO TO ING SLEEP BEFORE I SMACK YOU!” Joel screeched. the thirteen year old looked shocked but hurriedly complied since this was the first time Joel ever cursed.

Joel looked around but didn’t see anyone. she scurried back to Mr. Ted and picked him up “Where are they ? I can feel them but I don’t see anyone”

Joel’s mind started to spin as she quickly got up and ran past the other rooms looking for the person. She started looking in the kitchen, the bathrooms, living room everywhere but then it hit her. With all her might the little girl threw open the door and ran outside.

There she was.

Joel gaped in shock as she saw a beautiful Asian woman calmly sitting on the swings.Around her the fog mist around.It was an ethereal vision and it almost seemed as if she was bathed in the only sliver of moonlight that was able to get past the storm clouds

Joel quickly swiped her curly and now soaked hair out of her face and ran over to the woman on the tree swing. her tiny little feet pitter pattering in her haste. Even as she slid she ran. Even as she stumbled she knew where she needed to be.

When she reached the woman all she could do was stare. She was so beautiful and she looked just like a human but with a soft glow around her. The more Joel looked the more excited she got but the more confused. This was a grown up, they were more powerful than a big kid in the child’s mind. In what way could a kid help a grown up?

Joel wiggled in only the way a child could, absently picking at a loose thread on her handed down sesame street pajama, looking at the woman as the woman looked at her

Mustering up her strength she spoke “ Hiya my name is Joel and I’m a Watcher. That’s just a fancy word for helper” Joel stage whispered in her innocence thinking she was letting the pretty lady in on an amazing secret. “ what’s your name?”

“Annyeong, Mwo Rah Goo?” the woman said in this tinkling voice as her face held slight confusion and worry “Where am I? Am I dead?”

The little girl just gaped at the woman before turning to her bear. “ What the heck did she just say?!??!”

the bear looked at her and softly whispered “ I can’t help Ellie all I’m supposed to do is help you find your first ever Other. I have to go now”

the little girl just whimpered and tried to hold on even as the bear slowly vanished

And there the unusual couple sat in the rain. A tiny child in a too tight bright green sleeping wear whimpering while looking at her hands and a beautiful soul in white trying to wrap her mind around her new life.

****

Okay y’all Let’s try this again. I’m trying to see if I can finish this story. I hate unfinished stories and this one has been driving me up a wall. I don’t know why I can’t finish it even as I’ve finished like 8 other stories which I started AFTER this one. Let’s try this again