Short Story Children – The Sixth Sense
Photo credit: atroywy from morguefile.com
He was the last of the children in the Sense household – the sixth of the lot. He hadn’t taken after anyone in particular, though he was blessed with copious amounts of Mother’s benevolence and Father’s adroitness. There was a softness in his smile that you’d find in none of his siblings, or even his parents for that matter.
Adriel was one of a kind, with a seemingly ancient soul, one that warmed your heart, like a really delicious soup. It wasn’t easy being the sixth Sense, it wasn’t easy at all. By the time it was his turn for anything, seasons would change. This had, however, taught him to be content with everything he had, which was far more precious to him than being up-to-date with the rest of the world.
Adriel was happy, always.
He was a second generation immigrant in a land of dreams and opportunities; his parents had given their progeny new lives (and a new name, though they had stuck to their own) when they had moved to this sleepy little town in England. Both were employees at the local bank and had modest ambitions for themselves as well as the family. Adriel fit right in: as agile as his own wants and needs were, he was very malleable and was considered obedient to a fault.
This evening he sat alone on their little porch, looking out into the horizon. The sun was about to set in the distance, and Adriel looked at it through sheets of heavy rain. It took his breath away, for he loved witnessing this anomaly as much as he loved life itself. It wasn’t often that you actually saw the sky in this weather, let alone the setting sun!
There was a heap of autumn leaves a few feet away from the house. Adriel could see something rustling beneath, when suddenly a tiny furball poked out of it. He walked up to the small mound and knelt down to take a closer look.
It was a curious little kitten – creamy white, with one eye a brilliant green and the other a sharp blue. Why, this one’s just as different as I am… thought Adriel as he pulled it out of the foliage and quickly brought it up with him to the porch. The kitten was so wet and cold, she was shaking. Adriel hugged her, hoping for some heat to transfer into her little quaking body.
He looked up at the horizon again, but the sun was already gone. Adriel rubbed the kitten’s ears, sad at her having missed such a magnificent sight. He picked her up by the scruff of her neck and took her into the house.
No one was home at this hour, which meant Adriel could attend to the kitten before the house got busy for dinner time. He pulled out a saucer, poured a little milk into it and held it tightly on opposite sides so she wouldn’t knock it over. But before he could stop her, she had already nosedived straight into the saucer and was now sitting drenched in a pool of milk, looking stricken with her huge bicoloured eyes staring up into his.
Adriel laughed heartily, but not unkindly; “What am I going to do with you, Veronica?” he sighed.
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