Alice Short Story

            Alice Baker hated the rain more than she hated her neighbor’s cat. They shared many similar traits: the wailing at night as she attempted to sleep, the unexpected visits when all she wanted was some time for herself, away from home and cats, but most importantly, they both seemed to enjoy her company much more than she enjoyed theirs. The cat would always appear at her feet the moment she stepped out of her house, almost as if he was waiting for her. When she first moved into the blue house at the end of the street with her family, she was flattered that the cat found her appealing, constantly bending down to stroke his soft shiny black fur; he would purr into her hand, as she massaged the crease under his chin, where his only white spot shone. That was a year ago. Things grew old quickly; Alice would step out of her house to head to school and the cat would be there. On most days, he would slide between her ankles until she petted him, and if she refused in her rush to leave, the cat would pounce at her every step, sometimes following her all the way to school.

            Alice had also enjoyed the rain at a certain point, but it, too, had reached its peak. The day the Bakers moved into the house with the pink door was cloudy and rainy, the showers speaking in a Morse code the entire day. Alice hadn't minded, but it made unpacking a hassle. Her parents cursed at the heavens under their breath as they carried in their soaked dishes and bed sheets from the movers’ truck. Alice had laughed as the rain made her chestnut colored locks frizz, and she pulled her hair into a ponytail. The following morning she awoke to a meowing by her second floor window—this would be known as the first time she met the neighbor’s cat. The moment she stepped out of bed and reached the window, a flash of lighting crackled in the clear sky. The cat shot out of her view just as the sky began to cry and darken.

            Upon moving from San Francisco, the Bakers were excited to get away from the bipolar weather, but the on and off rain in their new town caused them to miss the Fog City. The rain came suddenly, sometimes a flood taking place, other times lasting all day in a light drizzle. Alice took to always carrying an umbrella, despite the large number of mornings that she awoke with the sun caressing her face. She carried it in her small, brown, worn-out canvas backpack—her soul mate.

            The backpack had no real value, just that of sentiment. It was a gift from her late aunt, Isabelle, before her sudden disappearance just a year before. She had come for a visit as the Bakers got together their belongings to move and had handed the bag to Alice. “Goodbye my dear,” she had whispered as she placed the empty bag in the arms of young fourteen year old Alice. She smiled tenderly at Alice, looking deep into her eyes, reciting her favorite quote: “watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.” It was the last time Alice would see her aunt.

            Alice grew attached to her new bag quickly; it was the one thing her aunt had left behind. Although Alice rarely saw her aunt, she admired her way of approaching life and her wisdom. Aunt Isabelle was the youngest from her father’s side of the family, and also the only girl. From a young age she saved every penny she got, and by the age of sixteen she had well over a thousand dollars, she then began working part-time and saved every paycheck, and when her parents passed away when she was twenty-six she inherited half of their savings. She had always lived off the minimal and now was her time to enjoy herself. Isabelle had dreamed of living her own life exploring, and at twenty-eight that’s exactly what she did. She was always considered as kind of awkward, weird and way too kept to herself to be normal, but now she was admired by many for being able to retire at such a young age.

            That was not why Alice admired her. Even if her aunt had not been able to retire, Alice had a feeling she would never be tied down, but would find a way to live her dream. She also had one of the most positive outlooks on life, something Alice had a hard time with at times. Alice never had anything against her life, she just knew she wasn't meant to be where she was. She was like her younger version aunt, very kept to herself, awkward, and there was just something off that even Alice couldn't put her finger on it.

            It was on the last day of school that Alice was beginning to understand what it was. Alice opened her eyes to rays of sunlight spilling into her room, landing on her nightstand. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, glancing at her alarm clock. 6:08 AM. She still had thirty minutes to sleep, but with all the sun on her face, she knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. Alice pulled the covers off and swung her legs to the side of her bed, her legs barely reaching the floor. She stared out her window, squinting at the sun, partly from suspicion that it would suddenly be replaced by gray clouds and cool rain drops. Still, the sun kept shining, and so Alice got to work. She dressed in jean shorts and a short sleeve plain black t-shirt, along with her black high-tops, leaving her long hair down. Just as she was about to leave her room and head to the kitchen she heard a meow.