From the Outside

 From the Outside

 By BladeOfHope

Chapter One

I sit next to my sister, Belle, and watch.

From the outside, we really do look a lot alike; the ginger patches in my white fur match hers precisely, and we both have the same amber eyes. They're even shaped the same. Our paw-pads and noses are the exact same shade of pink. We both have medium-length fur, and long legs, and long tails.

From the outside, we could pass for any two "normal" littermates. But on the outside, I know her mind is raging.

Belle told me once that she loves her white world. She said that as long as it doesn't shake twice, it's the most hospitable place that anyone could ever live.

I... have no idea what that means.

Every once in a while, she tries to introduce me to some new friend of hers - some invisible cat that only Belle can see. I just nod and act friendly, introducing myself to the air like I can see whoever the new cat is. Belle always nods back at me, content, and then she leaves me alone in favor of her new friend.

Even when she sleeps, like now, she's never really free. I can see her paws twitching, her whiskers twitching, her tailtip twitching - everything twitches when she's having a bad dream. Her world must be shaking again.

Sometimes I wish I could go with her.

-tbc-