A Particular Child

-0-

Of all the things she could choose, she asked for the bunny.

"I want that Spring Bonnie please" - she said and indicate it to the employee.

The worker in prize corner handled it to her and she hugged it as tight as she could, the plush molded to her grip, it was a plush made for kids of her age, perhaps even a little younger.

"Mary, are you sure you want to take another plush again? wouldn't you like that puzzle over there?" -Her mother knew the answer even before asking. Still, she tried.

"I really like this one, mom. And you know I always lose the pieces of the puzzles " Mary replied, holding even closer the squishy plush.

The mother sighed, what else she could do ? she knew that her daughter only used that excuse to keep that new toy, probably because at her age everything cute enough was a living cheerful friend, and in the case of Mary, that idea was particularly more tangible.

Her daughter looked so happy that she couldn't help to smile, but the smile soon faded away as the thought of the family heritage came along. She had another two kids, she had herself another three sisters, and of all of them, of all of her family, it had to be her Mary.

"Mom, why are you looking at me like that?" Mary asked, staring at her with her gray eyes."Can I go to play over there?Near the balloons" Once her mother nodded, she went with her little bunny in her arms.

As the mother saw her go, her mind went back to the issue. You can't keep on protecting her. She scolded herself mentally . Her powers are growing extremely fast and eventually someone will notice, or worse…they won't.

From the distance the mother could see how the little arm of the plush hugged back her daughter, it seemed so natural that anyone would think the plush was made that way.

Of all the people in the world , it had to be Mary.

-0-0-

As she walked around the place she felt her new friend moving its head to look felt excited of having a new friend.

"You are going to be part of a great family now"-she said quietly-"We have tea parties, and guessing games and you will have your own place in my room, it's gonna be great!"

The little plush wasn't able to talk since its mouth was stitched, yet she knew it was happy, she could sense it.

Mary knew that her mother was worried about her, there was something bothering her from time to time when they were outside in public, Mary wasn't sure what word could explain what she could see in her mother, but she could describe it as a blue-ish cloud inside her, her mother looked so uncomfortable when that cloud was in there than Mary felt it was her duty to distract her mother for whatever was causing it.

A noise called her attention, someone was crying.

She turned around to see if she could find the owner of such sad whimpers, but everyone was cheering and laughing, where was that crying coming from? her new friend touched her cheek to call her attention, she looked down at it and the little plush pointed at a table with its tiny arm. Bunny ears, very useful.

She moved closer to the table, curious about who could be crying in such a place.

"Hum, hello ? Are you okay down there?" she asked.

"Heh. Don't bother, he is not coming out"

The voice came from a boy near her, he was older than her, Mary wasn't able to see his face , since it was covered by a party mask.

"Why he is not playing like the others?" Mary asked, she could see the boy had a sharp red inside, it was complicated, but didn't seemed dangerous.

"He is just a crybaby. I have tried to take him out but he really doesn't want to." As the kid spoke, the sharp red seemed to grow inside him, it seemed hard for him to talk about it, like if he had to eat something he didn't wanted.

"Well…"Mary said , to distract the boy from what was growing inside him-"If he is not coming out I will go in"

"Fine for me, but you are lossing your time" he said, before leaving to play with his friends.

Mary went under the table and found a boy, just as old as her,holding a Fredbear plush and hidding his face in it.

"Hello ?" she said, unsure if the kid was aware of her presence "My name is Mary, what's your name? "

"Leave me alone" the kid answered between sobs "I just want to go home"

The kid was now crying with more intensity, what was his problem? Mary wondered, unsure if keep on asking would do any good to him, she explored what was going on inside his mind.

She could see a very gray atmosphere, the sound of rain and white noise, there was fog that was making impossible to see anything else, that was it, she knew that feeling.

"You are lonely" she said, moving closer to him. "You have no friends?"

The kid looked up at her, his blue eyes were red for all his moved his head to indicate a negative answer , and a strange feeling took over Mary's heart.

"Well I'm going to be your friend now!" she said, with such determination in her eyes than the kid blushed slightly "That way you will not need to be afraid anymore "

"B-but…" the kid tried to speak.

"What is it? " she asked "If you are going to tell me that boys and girls can't be friends then I will-"

"No, no it's not that" The boys said before she could finish "I would love to be your friend"

For a moment, they both remained silent, the boy trying to hide the blush in his face. "I just wonder what am I going to do when you are not around…"

Mary blinked a couple times "You are right…Hmmm" then, she looked down at her Spring Bonnie , and back to his Fredbear "I think I have an idea"

With care, she let her plushie down and took the Fredbear from his arms.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm going to tell him to look after you when I'm not with you, it will only take a second"

The kid seemed confused, but wathced quietly as she hugged his Fredbear.

Mary closed her eyes and thought again in all the things that usually caused her other toys to come back to life.

Hey there, I need you to look after this kid, he really needs a friend to be there, he deserves to be happy.

The small Fredbear nodded so quietly the kid hardly noticed it.

You have to be there for him when no one can, I need you to protect him and do anything to make him happy

Then, Mary felt something, from an unknown origin, a quiet voice replied to her thoughts.

Anything?

Mary felt an strange impulse inside, something new she was now modeling inside. She felt it so clear and so pure, she couldn't allow herself to stop just yet.

Yes,anything.

She felt the little arms of the plush touching her hands. The kid gasped.

Fine, but I will need take something from you if that's alright. ..

"Yes". Mary didn't thought before answer. "It's alright".

In a second, she felt something was taken away from her, something small, but important. When she opened her eyes, she was still under the table, with the kid looking at her and his Fredbear in her hands.

"Are you okay?" the kid asked, he seemed worried.

"Yeah, I am just a little tired" she answered and handed the Fredbear back to him. "Take him, he will take care of you know"

"What did you do to it?" he asked, now holding the plush in his arms.

"Well…"May was about to answer, when a familiar voice sounded outside.

"Mary ! Where are you?" the voice of her mother sounded between the cheering.

"I have to go now" Mary said, taking her plushie and going out of the table. "See ya later!"

"Goodbye! And thank you, Friend!" the kid said, waving with one hand and holding his Fredbear with the other. Mary looked at it and paralized for a second.

"There you are, Mary" Her mother said, taking her by the hand. "Where were you? Did you made a new friend?" she asked, looking at the kid under the table.

"Uh, yeah, I think I did" the little girl answered, and walked away with her mother. Her plushie hold her close, looking to the child as he walked away as well.

It was probably my imagination. She thought, and went back home with her mother.

Later that night, she dreamed with two white dots, staring at her from the dark.