The world of Charlie

Invisible

My head was hurting when I woke up, it was late, unusually late for a Sunday, and I had had nightmares. The house was silent, like a Sunday morning.  My mouth was dry and I needed a glass of cold, sweet creamy milk.  Barefooted, I walked to the kitchen, I felt something strange when I went by the mirror at the end of the hallway.

I just needed that milk in my mouth.  I looked around for Harold and couldn’t see him.  He always comes to say hi when I come into the kitchen.  Not this time.  I opened the fridge, and with both hands took the milk carton out and put it on the table.  Then I hopped onto a chair and climbed to get my favourite yellow glass.  I filled it with milk, carefully, not to make a mess.  Haaa...the milk was just perfect, cold and nice.  My head was still hurting.  The hurting was on top of my right eye, and it was like when you have something stuck. I felt something soft caressing my feet, it was Harold!  “Moning Harold,” I said, “I had nightmares last night and my head hurts a bit this morning...how did you sleep?” Harold looked at me as if he was asking what was going on.  You know, animals know more than humans about things!

“I dreamed that I could make myself invisible Harold,” Harold sat down.  “If I put my fists together and press them really hard while I crouch I will become invisible Harold,” I said while I demonstrated.  Harold’s ears lifted up like when he has seen something and opened big eyes. He jumped back and barked twice. “Shut up, Harold you're gonna wake up Mom and Dad.”  Harold was nervous, he started pacing quickly from one side of the kitchen to the other, then stopped and said, “Charlie...I can’t see you...I know you're there but I can’t see you.”  He barked one more time.

I looked at the mirror and...“Wow Harold,” I howled, “am I still dreaming?”

Harold sat down again and staring at me he said in his low voice, “No Charlie, you are not dreaming.  What are we going to do now?” At the same time I heard noise coming from my parents bedroom. “Uh oh, I’m in trouble," I chimed.  My Mom showed up in the hallway and opened my bedroom door.   She looked around and then kept on coming to the kitchen.  I moved to the side and sat on the couch by the fireplace.

The kitchen had an eating area where we had all of our meals.  There was also a family, it’s very cozy, it’s my favourite room in the house besides my bedroom.  I find it big but my parents are always talking about moving to a larger house, what for! I have everything I want here.  There is a fireplace, a real one and sometimes in the winter when it's cold out we light a fire.  I like the smell of the smoke and the room smells like that all the time.  My Mom is a great cook, the best in the whole world.  When she cooks, the warm smell of the food mixed with the smell of the smoke is my favourite.

I was sitting on the couch when my Mom came into the kitchen, “Charlie, where are you honey,” she called.  “Are you hungry?” I remained quiet, breathing as quietly as possible.  She looked around and couldn't see me.  Harold played along coming to my Mom’s feet and barked twice, wagging his short tail.  Harold is a white little dog, I don’t know how old he is but he likes to play with me most of the time. Harold doesn’t like to chat like Betty, but he is good company.  Mom got her glass and poured milk.  She drank it while looking around trying to find where I was hiding.

Finally, she gave up and went back to her room. I looked at Harold who was looking in my direction.  “Charlie, how do you get visible again?” asked Harold.  “I don’t know but let me try,” I replied.  I pushed my arms back and a little cracking noise came from my back.  Harold jumped, “That’s it you're back Charlie!”  I ran to my parent’s room and jumped on the bed and hugged them. “Charlie,” said Mom, “where were you? I was looking for you.”  "Mom...you won't believe it...I was in the family room sitting on the couch and you couldn’t see me, I was invisible!”  My mother grabbed me, hugged me and said,  “Sweetie you are adorable!”  My Dad was looking at us, over the top of his book.   He mumbled, “Charlie, you sure have lots of imagination, don’t you? Buddy?” Dad rubbed my head with his big rough hands.  He was not like Mom, all sweet and soft with a nice smell.  Nothing smells like Mom, I thought.