That family is odd, whisper the neighbours. They wake up at noon. The youngest goes to college- she's fourteen! The oldest is only twenty, but he's already a doctor! Not that I'd trust him, I heard he cut of a person's arm to attach to a dog.
Not much of the speculation is true. My sister is in college, however she is actually older than me and is twenty-three. My older brother is not a doctor- he's a taxidermist. He did sew an arm to a dog, but it was a fake arm and the dog was already dead. Also, he's twenty-three as well, since the two are twins. I'm only sixteen, though I will be seventeen in a month. I'm the youngest in the family.
I heard, the neighbours whisper, that the mother bathes in blood and the father cheats every chance he gets.
Also not true. My mother bathes in rose bathes, the water tinted pink. My father would cut of his hand to give to my brother before he would cheat. Mother and Father are like star crossed lovers, despite being married for over thirty years.
Who is that boy? the neighbours whisper.
I am Holly. I am a girl, actually, but I excuse the misunderstanding. I do have an unfortunate tendency to flirt, something the neighbours think is abhorrent for a young lady. Even my school, since it is so deeply interconnected with the community, has only ever given me male uniforms and refer to me as a male. My father finds this funny, but Mother despises it.
“You are a beautiful young lady,” she says often. “Even if they do not accept it.”
I suppose she is correct, even if the male uniform is more comfortable than the girl’s skirts.
*******
I am the one who shops for my family. We live in a big house in the middle of the woods with Grandmother Rose, Uncle Hennry, Skully (my sister), Skelly (my brother), Mother (Joanna), Father (Charles), and the maid Mother hired who is actually Aunt Faith. We all have our roles in the house, mine is to shop.
There is a group of stores just inside town that I go to after school. I go to one for groceries, another to replace whatever clothes have to my attention as needing a replacement, and the last to longingly gaze at puppies. I have always wanted one, despite my family's distaste for such creatures. I delight in the barking and the shedding, and though my family doesn't comprehend it, they support me as best they can. They allow me to play with the dogs for as long as I want.
“Your name is Holly, right?”
A new voice knocks me out of my puppy-induced daydreams. The dogs that had been playing on me had all stopped but one, which sleepily chews on my braid from its perch on my shoulder. I look up to see a boy my own age, maybe older, smiling down at me. I recognize him from school, but have forgotten his name.
“I’m Holly,” I agree, the pup on my shoulder lapping at my face to my great joy and pleasure. The others sleep around and on my lap. “I feel like I should remember your name, as I know your face so well.”
He blushes. I open my mouth to apologize- what I say often comes out as flirtatious- but he answers before I can say anything.
“My name is Zack,” he says, gently picking up the puppies around me to set in their kennels. “You probably know my face because I'm a musician. I've seen you at every performance.”
I recognize him, now. He plays the oboe. His large doe eyes and freckles make him boyish while his height makes him sit a head above everyone else. He has caught my eye before. He also works at this shop, though he has never spoken to me before.
“Is there something you need?” I ask. “You don't usually talk to me.”
He has long curls that he plays with, now. He can't seem to meet my eye. He’s blushing rather hard, which is clear on his pale skin.
“I wanted to ask you to come to the Halloween dance with me,” he murmurs.
“Sure,” I reply. “It's a date.”
Zack goes purple so fast, he has to sit down and fan himself off. His manager rolls her eyes. The pup on my shoulder nibbles my ear, then finally falls asleep.
*******
“Mother,” I begin, treading carefully. “What are you being for Halloween?”
“A sociopath,” she chirps. “Your father is going to be my victim. What would you like to be, Darling?”
“A vampire countess,” I respond. “It's a couples’ thing.”
“How exciting, of course you can be-”
“Did you say couple?” Skully snarls, popping out of the blue.
“Couples’ thing,” I repeat.
“Absolutely not,” she snaps, hand on her hips. “You are not old enough to date.”
“I have a license,” I respond.
“He's too young.”
“He has a license.”
“He's too old.”
“He's a month younger than me.”
“You can't date, sis,” Skelly whines, embracing me from behind while his twin fumes. “When will you have time for us?”
“Anytime before and after the date,” I reply.
Father is even more angry. I consider sneaking out to go back to Gany, the pup who sits on me. At Fathers look, I know he knows what I'm thinking and doesn't approve. I sit back down.
*******
I wonder, as I watch Zack struggle to work up the courage to speak with me, how this boy became such a good oboist. I also wonder about Gany, because I love him. Then, thinking about Gany, I ponder the taxidermied bird Skelly completed for Mother's birthday. It has actual human teeth that Skelly got from a dentist. Mother adores her grinning raven.
“Good morning, can I sit with you?” Zack finally gets out words.
“Are you sure you'd like to date me?” I ask. “My family is already plotting your murder.”
“I'm sure,” he replies, face pink as he smiles warmly. “You're the sweetest person I know. I want to date you.”
“Thank you,” I mumble. “Nobody has ever called me sweet before.”
“What?” he laughs, looking baffled. “What do they call you?”
“Hellspawn, mostly,” I answer.
“How odd,” he says, sitting beside me. He suddenly gets it. “They haven't seen you with puppies.”
“You are one of the few that has,” I reply. “How is Gany?”
We fall into a comfortable conversation about dogs. I find that talking with Zack is easier than I had anticipated.
*******
Zack dresses as a count, I as a countess, both as vampires. Mother takes dozens of pictures on her phone and with a camera. Father, Skully, and Skelly all watch unapprovingly. Aunt Faith smacks the backs of their heads with the feather duster as she pecks both my cheeks and wishes me luck. Uncle Hennry hums while Grandmother Rose dances around the living room with me. Zack looks thoroughly wooed.
“Have a good night,” Grandmother Rose cackles, kissing my cheek.
Uncle Hennry hums approvingly, kissing my cheek.
“Be back before it gets too dark,” Mother reminds us. “You don't want to hit any trick-or-treaters.” She pecks my cheek.
“Take care of my daughter, Boy,” Father growls, pecking my cheeks protectively.
“We know how to hide a body,” Skully and Skelly coo in sync, each kissing a cheek.
“Goodbye,” I state, and close the door. “I'm sorry for them.”
“Don't be!” Zack laughs, looping his arm through mine to lead me to his car. “My family owns a mortuary. It isn't anything I'm not used to.”
“Oh.”
*******
At the dance, we get kicked out.
“For two reasons,” the principal sneers. “A man wearing a dress and a gay couple. We don't want that image.”
“My family hides bodies for a living!” Zack hisses and spits as I drag him away. “I hope you burn in Hell! Die in a pit of fire! You evil bastard!”
“It's okay, Zack,” I tell him, looping our arms together. “I'm used to it. It's okay.”
“It isn't!” Zack stated. “You shouldn't have to be used to it! You're a girl!”
“Zack…” I trail off. Tears fill my eyes as I look down at my flat chest. “Zack…”
His hand cups my face. I look up at him, teary, but he kisses my eyelids gently to soothe me.
“I know,” he murmurs, taking my hands in his. “But, you're Holly now. You aren't James anymore.”
The tears are hard to hold in. I hiccup and sob, but Zack stays with me, going so far as to wrap his arms around me and rock me back and forth. I dig my nails into his vest and bury face in his neck.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“Don't you worry,” he whispers back. “They'll pay for what they did.”
“Don't kill them,” I huff.
“I wouldn't. Your family, though-”
“Don't even think of telling them, Zacharias.”
He laughs.
*******
He tells my family in a cold, even tone. He explains everything. I don't begrudge him this, since they had thought he made me cry. I can't meet my family's eyes. Mother hugs me tenderly.
“Oh, bella bambina,” she lilts. “There's nothing to be worried about! We aren't mad at you, bella.”
“We’ll kill that damn principal,” Skully promises.
“I'll taxidermise his fear so it lasts forever,” Skelly agrees.
“Don't,” I respond. “Like I told Zack, it's no big deal.” I felt my face heat up, but surged on. “As long as I have support from you guys, I don't need the principal to care.”
There was silence.
“You're okay, kid,” Father told Zack.
*******
The new principal was a lady who was more accepting. She was a psychiatrist, she explains, and she understands my situation.
The first time I get a girl's uniform, I tear up. I can't believe it. I put on the skirt and blazer, my hands shaking. With my long hair and estrogen pills, I finally look like a girl. I cry.
“Is it okay?” I ask.
“You look lovely, baby girl,” Mother says
“Suits you,” Skelly chirps.
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