• Prologue;
    “Why and how is what I ask.”


    I never really thought about what would happen if I actually found who I was looking for. I mean, by the time I made it to where I am now I can’t even remember what I’m doing. All I know is how to breathe, eat, and piss. That’s all I need to know when you’re living in a prison – well, it’s worse than a prison. It’s a camp. A concentration camp to be precise. Why? I don’t know. How? Because people have a hatred for the Vinri race or they just don’t like anyone. This is all his fault anyway… Then again it’s mine. I ask too many questions and I’m just too damn curious! Just like that girl in that story… What was it called? Oh yes, Alice in Wonderland by that man called Lewis Carroll. Amazing, he is, and how awful that everyone thought he was on dope.
    Sorry, I got side-tracked. Back to what I was saying; I never thought I would tell anyone, or write it, my life story because no one was ever interested enough to ask. That’s changed now, my cell-mate asked me how I got here and I thought I should tell him. I first told him my name.
    “My name is Ace Jerome Kleirr.” My voice sounded so small, and my throat was so sore that it burned to speak but I spoke anyway. You have to get past the pain to be heard. My cell-mate looked at me with his giant green eyes… he looked so innocent and it killed me on the inside that someone that seems so young and so innocent should be in this hell-hole. He opened up his tiny mouth, and his voice took me by surprise; it was so low and husky. It was higher pitched earlier.
    “Why?” he asked curiously.
    “Because my mother named me that.” I said quietly and smiled even though it hurt to think about mother. After the incident I never really thought about her… ever.
    “Why?” my cell-mate inquired. That question took me by surprise and I don’t know how long I sat there just looking at him because he asked me a second time, “Why?” It was as if my throat just closed up and I couldn’t talk, but I could certainly think.
    “I… don’t know.” I didn’t know. Why? Why was I named Ace? Mother never told me that story, or she did and I just forgot. Wait, she did tell me… I did forget… I forgot… I forgot?

    Chapter One;
    “The Forgotten”
    Goodbye, my hopeless dream
    I'm trying not to think about you
    can’t you just let me be?
    - Almost Lover


    “It’s been years and months since I’ve returned ‘home’ after being released from the lab. God, it was horrible there. I had been there ever since I was a baby and suddenly coming to this so-called home with this loving family? I can’t believe it. It’s not true. How could they be my family if they didn’t even try to come and find me? They just let Leeana take me away. I couldn’t stay in the house with Mother and Father. I’d wake up screaming and covered in sweat because of dreams from the lab; from the prison. I was a prisoner even in my own home. Mother decided it was time to move so at age eight we moved to another part of Vinri Isle. It’s more populated with different kinds of people. Hyoomins and Furres alike. Though some of the hymoonis weren’t so friendly looking, they’d give us looks of disgust and hate. It’s fair enough I suppose. I gave them the same look when I first saw them.” I sighed and looked out the window near my desk. Mother had bought me a journal last week and I just now decided to write in it. I suppose it does make me feel better, being able to get out all these bottled feelings that is. How long was I writing for? I can’t even remember when I started writing and by the looks of it I guess it was for a few good hours. The sky was already dark out and the stars were sparkling and twinkling. I could hear the background noise of the crickets chirping. How beautiful. I turned to look at the clock; the bright red letters read 10:26 P.M. I wasn’t even tired. Even if I was I wouldn’t be able to sleep, I’d end up waking up again screaming, yelling, or sweating. God, it disgusted how weak I was in my sleep. Bloody Hell, sometimes I would even claw at my own arms or other parts of my body. It was horrible! I almost have to be chained to the headboard each night to keep me from killing myself.
    I looked back down to my journal page. The lab; the prison.
    I remember when I was around two that Leeana treated me like her own child and at first I thought she was my mother. Despite the obvious differences such as appearance, species, and other traits I called her mother and obeyed whatever she told me to do.
    Though by the time I had turned four I would get beaten if I didn’t do something correctly. One slip up, one mistake and that was it for me. One of the guards would come over and keep me in the sides and stomach with those horrid steel-toed boots. God, it hurt. When I didn’t cry or scream for mercy the guard would keep kicking me until I nearly bled to death. Beaten to the very last inch of my life, but there is still one inch of me left each time. It cannot be taken away and it cannot be killed. I will always keep that inch with me.
    The boy who helped me find that inch was Joker. His name confused me though. Who would name their son Joker? I can’t say that though because that’s just like asking who would name their son Ace? We looked very much alike, at first I thought I was looking in a mirror. His fur was pure white with stripes of bright blue, a blue that reminded me of Robin eggs, on his face and arms. His eyes were a bright emerald green just like Annette’s. His hair was a dark blue just like mine, though. That was one of the main things that made me question who he really was. Mother didn’t have any more sons other than me, right? I’m not sure. She wouldn’t tell me.
    I sighed. This was no time to think about things like that.
    I got up from my desk and pushed the wooden chair in then walked over to the red wood dresser. I ran my hand down the top, it was so smooth and the smell of it was so refreshing. The shining gold handles in the shape of dragonflies reminded of our previous house. Dragonflies would always hang out around our home, no matter what season. Some were small and some were large but I loved them all. The way they just glided in the air and how fast they could move. Their anatomy intrigued me as well. I opened up the top drawer and pulled out my boxers with the extravagant pattern on them and laid them on my bed as I pulled off my pants and underwear along with my shirt, tossing them over in the corner along with all my other dirty clothes. I pulled the boxers up over my legs and just below the belly button and fixed my tail until it felt comfortable in its tail hole.
    I stretched out my body as much as I could and forced myself to yawn. Anything to help me fall asleep. I threw my whole body onto the bed, making a loud thud. s**t. I hope I didn’t wake anyone up. I held my breath and I listened intently as I could and lucky me, no one woke up.
    Even though my bed was the biggest size it could be it still wasn’t enough. My legs were already beginning to fall off the bottom and my arms fell over the sides.
    That’s okay though, I don’t mind all that much.
    Tomorrow is the first day of school though and if I don’t fall asleep tonight then I will hardly have any energy to get around the school. Meet new people. Meet a girl.
    A girl.
    When did that thought come to mind? Oh yeah, when I thought about school.
    A girl… I wonder what a girl would do if she liked me. If I liked a girl. What would I say? That’s just sad. I’m already sixteen and I don’t even know how to talk to a girl.
    What pick up lines do I know…?
    Do I need one? Shouldn’t she like me even if I was clumsy and awkward? Maybe if I wore pink… I love pink. Yellow too. Colour. Colour is the best.
    What colour would my dream girl like? Green? That’d be too ironic. Neon? Yeah, neon. I love neon. So bright and so happy. I love happy colours. I wonder if she would own a farm. Maybe she lives on a farm. Maybe she doesn’t even like animals. What if she was a hyoomin? Would a hyoomin like me? Leeana said no one would like me. What a lie.
    I hate her.
    I hate Leeana.
    I don’t want her in my life. I don’t want to know about her.
    I don’t want that memory and I don’t want this anymore. I don’t need to go through this. I’m just a teenager. Why did I have to be taken away from my family? Why? Why me?
    Why…

    * * * * *

    A dark room. It’s dark? Really? There’s dirt though. This place is dirty. I see people in lab coats. People wearing boots. Boots. Oh my God, no. I don’t want this. I didn’t do anything.
    I’m sorry! What did I do this time? I don’t remember being told to do anything… what did I do? I open my mouth to scream; to apologize but nothing comes out. Am I a mute? Why can’t I talk? Why can’t I make a noise?
    I turn my body to run the other way than the men coming towards me but I can’t move. I can’t move! I have to hurry! They’re getting closer. Why can’t I move? Why can’t I? Oh God, the memory of pain. The pain… I don’t want it again. God, please, let me run. Let me scream. Let me do anything.
    They get closer, but I can’t hear their footsteps… I can’t hear anything until… Oh God. Oh God, stop, God, please make it stop.
    I can’t breathe. I can’t move. I’m on the ground? I’m on the ground. The floor is stone cold, it’s not dirt anymore. Cold, hard cement. It makes it worse. My sides hurt. My heart is beating faster and it’s getting harder and harder to breathe. I can’t breathe. I still can’t move. I hear laughing. They’re laughing at me. What did I do?
    I can’t scream, I can’t do anything. I’m so helpless here. Why can’t I do anything…?
    Why…?
    I open my mouth to scream again and I hear it. I hear my scream. It scares me though, the scream, my scream. It sounds so painful, it’s more of a screech from a banshee. I keep screeching. I keep screeching, and screeching until…

    “ACE!” I suddenly jump up at the sound of my mothers voice and I realize I’m not where I thought. It was a dream. A dream. That’s all it was. Really? It was so real… so vivid. This can’t be possible. I blink and I see Mother crying and panting. She ran all the way up to my room just to check on me. But why was she crying? “Mom?”
    She broke down crying when I spoke. Why? She turned her face away from me shamefully and cried harder than I’ve seen her cry before. Why? Why was she crying? She was covering her angel face with tears, with worry and shame. Why? “Mom, don’t cry… please don’t cry.”
    I kicked off my blankets and got out of bed and walked over to her, kneeling down by her side and placed my hand on her back. Mother put her face in her hands and sobbed. Sobbed and sobbed. How long were we just sitting there? An hour? A few minutes? “Mom… what’s wrong?”
    “H-he left…” Her voice was so shaky, so unstable. So horror-struck. “He?” Who was she talking about? Father? He wouldn’t leave, would he?
    “Your Father. He left. He just left. He didn’t even say good-bye. Y-you… y-you were screaming. I woke up and he wasn’t there. H-h-he wasn’t there. I came up here… you… y-your face. Y-you cut it.” She broke out into another sob. My face. It did hurt. I touched my hand to my face and sure enough I could feel blood running down on my left cheek. I had scratched it deep enough to scar it, yes, but I’m not sure if it would scar.
    “Why did he leave?” I asked quietly.
    Mother just shook her head and continued to cry. I sighed and patted her on the back then lifted her up and led her back downstairs to her bedroom and helped put her to bed. I’ll have to go check on Annette now.
    I crossed through the hallways and went to the very last room where Annette’s was. I opened up the door to just a crack to peek inside to see if she was asleep and she was. Her long red hair was braided in the back and she was lying on her side. I could hear her steady breathing; she probably didn’t even hear a thing and if she did it was in her dreams. I closed her door then went back up to my room and plopped onto my bed with face in the pillow. The minute I closed my eyes I fell back asleep.

    * * * * *

    My alarm went off at 8:00 A.M. and I rolled out of bed with a grunt. I sounded like an ape, kind of, which made me laugh. I have a horrible sense of humor. It was chilly this morning, and it looked like everything had frosted over outside. What day was it today? Monday? Tuesday? It’s most likely a weekday so I’ll just get ready for school just in case. The carpet felt so nice against my paw pads, I almost didn’t want to put shoes on. Would the school get mad if I didn’t wear shoes? I’m pretty sure there isn’t a dress code… but there are also Hyoomins in the school. I wonder if they would be offended. I shrugged my shoulders and crossed my room to the dresser and opened it up to pull out a pair of black pants and a dark purple t-shirt.
    After getting dressed I walked to the bathroom to check out my hair which would most likely be a mess considering how my night was. God, I hate nightmares. It’s okay though, I’m not bothered by it. That’s besides the point, now back to my hair. Taking a deep breathe and closing my eyes I walked into the bathroom then opened my eyes in front of the mirror. Well, it wasn’t too bad. At least it doesn’t look like sex hair. I grabbed my brush and brushed through it quickly then grabbed my toothbrush from that little toothbrush holder. What is that thing called? Just a toothbrush holder? Interesting. I brushed my teeth then washed out my mouth and finished my routine in the bathroom and left for downstairs.
    Usually Mother is cooking something for breakfast but today I can’t smell anything cooking. I immediately go into the kitchen and turn on the lights. Nothing in the room has been touched. Walking into the living room I turn on the lights and she isn’t in there either. No one has been, except maybe Father when he left… I get closer to mothers room and I can hear her quietly sobbing and I suddenly get this pain in my chest. I don’t know why and I don’t know what kind of pain it is. Maybe it’s sympathy. I probably just feel bad for her… not probably… I do feel bad for her. I wish I could make her feel better but there’s nothing I can do. Nothing. I have the urge to go into her room and just pat her softly on the back and whisper to her that everything will be okay and that father will be back soon and that he probably just got a call and was needed in the war. The war, I hate the war that was going on right now. It was silly. I guess there’s a guy with the name Kleir and he’s got some land in Vienn and one day he suddenly felt like attacking my little town, Vienn Isle. So father has been off and on in that whole war battle thing. Hm… I just realized something… My last name is Kleirr and the dictator’s name is Kleir.
    But there’s no way he could be related to me of course! But… what if the man named Kleir was father? Is that possible? No, of course not! Haha! It’s not possible, if it was then that meant I was related to a murderer. A killer. Someone who didn’t deserve to even live… but why would I say that? Everyone deserves a chance. No, not really. God, I hate it when I argue with myself! I feel like such an idiot!
    I shook my head violently and hit myself on the side of my head to try and stop this train of thought. Don’t you hate it when you can’t stop thinking about something that you just dreadfully hate? Anyway… I ran back up the stairs to my bedroom and grabbed my school books and shoved them into my small black school bag. It smelt like leather. I wonder if it was leather. It probably wasn’t, we don’t have that kind of money to get something so wonderful. I looked at my watch: 6:29 A.M. I have five minutes to get to school and it’s a five minute walk to the school… so if I run… will I get there faster? Oh god I hate math!
    Screw it, I’m just going to run like the wind and if I don’t make it, it doesn’t matter. So here it goes… I wait two seconds then I shoot myself down the stairs, through the hallway and the living room and out the front door and slamming it shut and putting my foot to the ground outside and kick up a hurricane of dust behind myself as I run as fast I can to the school. The bell is going to ring in five minutes… I look at my wrist watch. Okay, make that four minutes. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this! I run through the my little town, Vienn Isle. I never understood why it was called Vienn Isle, because really, it’s not even an isle. It’s just a town in the middle of Vienna. So why was it called Vienn Isle? No one knows. Apparently no one knows what an isle is! Wait… What is an isle? I can hear the sound of guns shooting in the distance. Is the war really getting that close to the inner town? Inner town… that sounds weird. Shouldn’t it be inner city? Who knows, everyone in this town is messed up anyway and they all end up to be bat s**t crazy no matter how much therapy you get.
    Bang! Goes the guns in the distance. I can hear screaming too. It kills me on the inside. They sound so sad, the screams that is. They sound like they’re in agony but they’re also peaceful screams. As if death is the answer to all the problems in the world, but that can’t be. My ears perk up and I can hear a girl singing in the distance. What a beautiful song…

    Your fingertips across my skin
    The palm trees swaying in the wind
    Images

    You sang me Spanish lullabies
    The sweetest sadness in your eyes
    Clever trick

    I never want to see you unhappy
    I thought you'd want the same for me


    It sounded sad, but it sounded beautiful at the same time. Sadness is beautiful. I wonder if my dream girl would be sad… I wonder if she would ever cry in front of me. I would hold her close to me and whisper to her and tell her everything will be okay. Everything will okay…

    Goodbye, my almost lover
    Goodbye, my hopeless dream
    I'm trying not to think about you
    Can't you just let me be?
    So long, my luckless romance
    My back is turned on you
    I should've known you'd bring me heartache
    Almost lovers always do

    We walked along a crowded street
    You took my hand and danced with me
    Images

    And when you left you kissed my lips
    You told me you'd never ever forget these images, no

    I never want to see you unhappy
    I thought you'd want the same for me


    I wanted to just stop and listen to that girl sing some more but I got too far away and I couldn’t hear anything except my own heavy breathing. I was in front of the school with two minutes to spare. What should I do in that spare time? Walk around aimlessly inside the school? I wonder if the school still has that piano… I love the piano. So beautiful, so peaceful, so sad.