The memory of those days has been branded into my mind, it seems.
Memories of days so far away, yet I can taste them in every breath... My innocent guilty pleasure...
But when was I truly happy? When was everything normal for us?
Will I ever even be able to answer such a question...?
Until I find the answers, I'll keep searching in the one thing we shall always share...

It was late that summer night, and fog permeated every inch of the town and clouded all vision. I found myself stepping on rock after rock, wincing in pain as I treaded in the footsteps being left for me to follow. "Hurry, we're going to miss him if you don't speed it along!" I hissed at the figure ahead of me, losing my breath from the dry air.

"My eyesight is only so much better than yours, so quiet down, jeez! Do you want to wake everyone in town? You know how Tiffany is when someone disturbs her this late. I still remember the last time..." She trailed off as she acutely sensed her way through the darkness. Did she really have to bring Tiffany into everything? I tried my best to ignore it, focusing instead on her blue twitching ears and striped, swishing tail. To my relief, I began to be able to make out a dim light in the distance, and I felt my feet tapping gently against a stone path. We must be close to the town hall now. And just in time. My partner in crime came to a halt, and led me inside the tall looming shadow in front of us.

In mere moments, it turned to a dimly lit room, devoid of any carpeting or furnishings. A lone lit candle was the source of light, placed on a table in the room's center, causing eerie shadows to manifest on the wall. It was a scary place, indeed, but nothing was scarier than what we were about to face: business.

"Ah! Both of you 'r just in time!" The yellow fox yelled in a voice muffled by the box his head was in. "Yessss, Crazy Red was worried you would not arrive! So glad to see you, cousins!"

Other than Red's smooth talk, the clanking of various pieces of merchandise was the only noise to be heard as he busily searched through his box of knickknacks. At last, he found what he was searching for and scurried in front of us, gesturing for me to take the box in front of us. I smiled astutely at the fox, unlatching the box and then peering inside. A small paper pouch resided inside, and my face lit up in glee. Both animals watched in silence as I shook the pouch, verifying the contents from their petite sound. "Yes, this will do. You have been payed in advance, lest you forget..."

"Yes, yes! Red remembers, dearest cousin Mira. Red remembers cousin Rosie's payment too. Fret not, worry not!" He chimed, rubbing his paws together, then hastily blew out the candle and began disassembling his tent. "I'll have all deliveries made to you as well that you requested, and to cousin Apollo."
I nodded, then clasped the box shut and took my leave. Rosie smiled at Red and waved before running back to my side as we began the walk back, leaving Red behind us.

"Mira, you think it's really real? You think we got what we paid for?"

I turned my attention towards the box in my hand, fiddling with the lock. "Well, this is Crazy Red we're talking about. But, somehow I don't think he would dare-"

I halted when I realized Rosie had stopped dead in her tracks behind me. And froze when I set my eyes on what was making her quiver.

A dark colored car was parked right in front of the town's gate. It was impossible to tell what shade the car was with no light and the moon obscured by the fog, however it was apparent that Rosie and I had the same thought running through our mind. "M-Mira! This is... This is...! Do we run...?!"

I did not know what to say. I wouldn't have spoken even if I remembered how to answer. My grip on the box tightened so until I could no longer feel my hands. There were only three reasons a car came into this town, and Gracie and Kapp'n were certainly not out this hour. In a panic, I snatched Rosie's hand and started to drag her along as I tried to run. But something caught my foot, preventing my escape. I fell to the ground, shrieking in pain as I collapsed, feeling my leg scrape against something sharp and holding my box tightly against my chest. I could see a figure running directly towards me. I thought it was Rosie at first glance, but I soon saw that it was not her, and I cowered in reflex. It was over.

It was all over.

I clenched my eyes shut and waited. Waiting for something to grab me. To push me down. To take me away. To destroy me. But none of those occurred.
Slowly reopening my eyes, I made out something that appeared to be a hand in front of my face. A hand... Not a paw...
I jerked my head up and blinked at the person before me. The person. I let the box fall to the ground and stared at him, mouth slightly agape, looking his features over in disbelief. Hair, skin, eyes, but all belonging to a human. To someone like me...
He then spoke softly and with genuine concern, his hand only inches from my face, and knelt down beside me.
"Are you all right, miss?"