As the hours were yawning, Fionn’s mind continued to run like a trackstar, refusing him the sleep he wanted. The silence was occasionally broken by the noise of Ann’s soft breathing right next to him, like the steady rhythm of soft music

  “Just go to sleep already,” he said into the night

  But not even he would listen to it himself. He rolled over onto his left side, looking at Ann with exhausted eyes. She was sound asleep, not a care in the world. Peaceful. Unbothered. She almost looked like… Rosie

  No!

  Stop that!

  It’s been a year already!

  Move on!

  He could tell himself all of these things, again and again, but that wouldn’t get the thoughts out of his head. They were here to stay inside his mind, whether he liked it or not. She died while his guard was down. He had failed her. Failed the one woman who he could trust. What would she even say when he dies himself? Belittle him for not protecting her like he said he would? Scold him for thinking her job wasn’t dangerous? Rosie was an honest woman, adapting to whatever struggle came at her. She would stay true to herself, even when times were tough

  Fionn’s breathing grew heavier, a cold sweat running down his forehead. “Not again…,” he thought, his chest tightening. He recognized what this was–another panic attack. He tries to steer away from it, but as soon as he remembers that day, everything hits all at once too fast

  This exact moment clawed at his core of personal trauma from twelve years ago…

  Back in simpler times, Fionn was huddled outside in a rainy alleyway, crying to himself after fleeing miles away from his sister. His pale face was smudged with dirt and dust stains and his left front tooth was missing. There was a thin open flesh wound on his left hand, the blood trickling slowly. His blonde hair was nothing but complete filth, spots of mud clumping together and sticking to his face. He looked like he belonged inside a dirty dumpster if it wasn’t for his bright blue-green eyes

  “Sissy… Sissy…,” he whispered to himself

  He tried to stand up, but collapsed onto his knees like a bag of rocks sinking in a lake. His breathing was too heavy for a child his size. His vision blurred, tears streaming freely down his little cheeks before he black outs from exhaustion, his head slamming against the cold pavement floor

  Just outside a black building, a long line of men and women were impatiently waiting to be let in. The building was named ‘Solomon’s Concubine,’ the name being a popular choice for adult entertainment. Above the entrance, there were three bright neon signs: a red wine glass, a blue alcohol bottle, and a pink ‘XXX’ outline. Inside, many women were performing for their followers. As the music thumped against the walls from the dj, customers got drunk and smoked, the smell of perfume and strong alcohol making the air cry. Singles, fives, twenties, and even some fifties were littered all over the dancers and the floor

  One of the more famous stars was named Jewel, known better by her stage name Iron Bra. She had dyed silver hair running down to her hips, the two recognizable red lipstick tattoos on her cheeks, and brushed her bangs to the side to cover her right eye. She usually wore a short white tunic that covered her upper body, with a black corset over it to exaggerate her ample bust, white stockings with no shorts underneath, and black high heels. On special nights, or when working over time, she would dress more sultry–sometimes wearing a thin white dress to outline every curve, or a white seductive bunny outfit to catch men’s attention. She got her stage name for being one of the only few women within the facility to handle an excessive amount of ‘followers’.

  Another woman was named Samantha, stage name Venus. She was a recurring woman here, often rented to other men’s houses for ‘private parties’ or ‘house shows’. Venus was a beautiful woman, having half elf and half human DNA, customers were attracted to her exotic pointy ears, others attracted to her enchanting spells she could cast. She always would flaunt her dangling silver earrings, wear a mysterious cloak around her neck, and strike hearts with her iconic attire: a purple-white striped swimsuit underneath that didn’t leave anything to the imagination. When she dropped them, most men kept them as a souvenir of getting to see her in real life. She had dyed pink hair that faded into white tips, with small streaks of purple for highlights. Her glasses only made her more appealing, as whenever she took them off, her “followers” would go even more crazy

  Off to the side stood a woman named Rosie, keeping track of every discarded or empty beer glass. She wore a skimpy and small maid outfit, the skirt doing little to cover anything. She did, however, wear black shorts to avoid complete humiliation. Her dyed berry red hair was tied neatly into a low bun, secured by small golden pins, though a few rebellious strands of her hair stood out. Her bangs were swept to the side, restricted by a cute red rose hair clip. She was tasked with serving food and drinks to others, often having to endure unwanted touching in the process

  It wasn’t a life she liked, but she did find the payment higher than she expected. Because Solomon’s Concubine was an award winning adult club, the pay was beautiful. It was almost enough to stay, despite having to keep wandering hands away. When it was around the time to close up for the night, Rosie and a few of her co-workers talked amongst each other, making fun of some customers, teasing one another, or cleaning the floors

  “You did well tonight, ladies,” a male voice said

  Stepping out of his office, a man with short black hair clapped his hands slowly. He had a cigarette in-between his fingers, blowing up into the air as he exhaled. The manager of the ladies, Hilda, stepped outside alongside him. The man wore a white coat lined with thick black fur, gold-rimmed green glasses, a black collared shirt with a red tie, white slacks, and black leather boots. Hilda was wearing a white wool off-shoulder dress, black leggings underneath, white boots with fur along the rim, and a black ribbon tied into a bow to hold her brown haired ponytail in place

  “Some customers are coming back for midnight shows,” she sneered, her eyes scanning over the women. “Hope none of you have dates.”

  Some were obviously annoyed, groaning at the thought of staying late, others secretly were eager to stay later for extra money. Rosie rolled her eyes at Hilda’s comment. Luckily, she never had to do extra activities–a small mercy at this job. She wasn’t ever bought out to “services” such as these. She shrugs, emptying the dustpan into the trash and ties the bag up

  Samantha walks over, smacking Rosie’s behind in praise for her efforts. “You’re really good for a cleaner,” she said with a smile spreading onto her face. “It’s already shining.”

  A faint smile twitched at her lips. “Really? It’s just normal cleaning… besides the ‘stains’,” she said, her tone neutral

  Samantha raises an eyebrow, chuckling at her indifference. “Normal? Well, I see what you mean,” she sighs, stretching slightly. “Anyways, I hope you get the rest of the night off. Too bad Jewelry will definitely be called for service.” she teased, looking back at Jewel, who was downing two beer mugs

  “I hope she can walk later,” she said quietly, more to herself than anyone. Rosie holsters the trashbag with a huff. She slipped through the backdoor near the office. She stops when she sees the rain hitting across the floor outside, bringing her calm mood to agitated easily. “Damn it!” she muttered under her breath. She sighs, lifting the trashbag higher to avoid a bigger mess

  “I really hope no creep is out here again…,” she thought to herself, hesitating to turn the corner. The memory of last month’s eye sore crept into her mind fast. “That drunk bastard was so disgusting! If I wasn’t working here, I would’ve-!” Her thoughts froze as she saw an unconscious child on the floor

  She paused for a moment. Was she imagining it? No, there’s no possible way to imagine a child in this state. After confirming herself that this was real, all of her thoughts shifted into a complete panic. She drops the trashbag, dashing and kneeling beside the child’s side. She shook him almost gently, hoping that this wasn’t just a homeless kid. “Oh my God…,” she finally thought

  “Hey! Hey, can you hear me?!” she shouted, the panic worsening as she didn't see a reaction. She pressed two fingers against his neck, checking for a pulse of any kind. There was beating, thankfully, but it was barely noticeable and low. Fionn didn’t move for a bit, still dreaming in his current condition. After she repeated herself for the fifth time, he finally popped awake and his eyes snapped open. He lifts his small head up, eyes darting all over to find who or what awoke him

  “Hah?! Wha-what?!” he muttered, his bright eyes finally resting on Rosie

  There was a quiet pause between the two. She noticed the bags under his soft little eyes, how dirty he was, and the dried tear stains etched on his cheeks. Without thinking, she shields the rain from hitting his face by hovering her hand over his head. In return, and impossibly, he spawned a shimmering barrier high above her head to not get her wet either. Rosie’s eyes widened, staring up at the barrier in the sky with amazement

  “N-no way…,” she thought, her head stuck in place. “I-is that real?!”

  “It is,” he said quietly, just loud enough for her to hear. She looks down at him finally, her jaw hanging low. This child… just made a barrier?! “H-how did-!” she stopped

  “Don’t be scared. I’m friendly,” he said, smiling up at her with the sweetness of a toddler. He was way too innocent for his own good, especially in this disgusting alleyway. “U-uh… no sweetie. Don’t be friendly around strangers,” she advised him, crouching down to his height. “And that barrier… that’s real, right?” she asked, sounding calmer. He nods proudly, a wider smile plastering his cute little face

  Rosie’s voice caught in her throat for a second. She eventually was able to talk again after a quiet three seconds. “U-uh… where’s your parents?” she asked quietly

  His smile noticeably faltered at that question. “We–…I… I ran away from them,” he said, his voice barely audible. “They were bad people.” Rosie could tell he didn’t want to talk about it. “C-come with me, honey,” she guided, taking his hand into hers. “We’ll try to figure something out.” She leads him back to the club, his shoes made a nasty squelching sound with every step

  Inside, the air was thick with smoke, the smell of alcohol, and a strange smell of sweat. Some women were practicing their dances, others lounged around while chatting and smoking. The bartender was polishing the glass cups while talking to one of the women that was wearing lingerie. Rosie quickly covered his eyes like a mother would, a thick streak of blush heating her cheeks. “A-a child shouldn’t be shown this!” she silently screamed, almost loud enough to be overheard

  Jewel raised her head to see if Rosie was back, a grin plastering her face. “Rosi-!” her voice cut off abruptly. Her gaze narrowed on Fionn’s covered face. There was an awkward silence between the three, broken by the shriek of fear by one of the other women, instantly trying to cover herself

  “Rosie, what the hell are you doing?!” another worker demanded. Everyone turned their heads to see what was going on. Rosie’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, as Fionn only looked like he was confused

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  The silence was deafening, like pressure was being put on her ears

  Rosie, flushed and not wanting to speak, raised her voice into a small shout. “I can explain!” she blurted out. “He was unconscious on the ground so I brought him here for support!”

  “He’s a child, Rosie! Why didn’t you call the police?!” another worker shouted

  “My phone is in my normal clothes!” Rosie snapped back, flushing more as this continued

  Samantha takes a puff from her cigar, exhaling at the ground. “Now, now, ladies,” she started, trying to calm the approaching storm. “We don’t want to make it a big scandal over a young boy…,” Her voice trailed off, looking at how young he appeared. “Although, he’s definitely going to have some issues growing up.”

  Fionn removed Rosie’s hands from his face with relative ease, only looking at the eyes of the women. “My name is Fionn,” he introduced politely, his gaze only drifting from eye-to-eye

  The workers murmured amongst each other, taking uneasy glances at his small frame. Some noticed he only made eye contact with them, not wandering his eyes to exposed areas. Then, without warning, he dried himself by sealing himself in an air tank, having rough air blow the mud and dirt off. A couple seconds later, he looked brand-new like a shiny new toy. He now wore a little black jacket, white shorts, and black shorts. His blonde hair was purposely fluffy and undone, showing that it was a style of choice and not just because of the condition he was in

  Jaws hit the floor

  “W-wait, that’s-!” a worker stuttered

  “W-what the hell?!” another exclaimed

  “Either it is or one of them…,” an experienced worker muttered under her breath “No, that’s definitely an Anomaly.”

  Their eyes darted to Rosie, who flinched at everyone’s judgemental gaze. “I-I just wanted to help him okay?! Stop staring at me like that!” she shouted defensively

  “Ugh…,” another worker groaned. “You just brought in an extremely rare Anomaly, Rosie. He’s a Creation Anomaly. Maybe Sight Creation… or maybe Sound.”

  Fionn’s little eyes narrowed, catching Rosie’s attention. “Sweetie? What’s with that look?” she asked, the worriness evident in her voice

  “I’m not doing anything bad for you bullies! It’s always money or lust with you adults! I am a person, not a toy!” he snapped, his voice cracking as the anger was rising in his cute voice

  The workers exchanged stunned and startled glances to see that he was mad when they figured out what he was. An Anomaly of Creation that hates doing just their nature? That sounded ridiculous to their ears

  Samantha walked up to him, bending over with her hands on her knees, her cloak covering more than normal. “My, my,” she said sweetly, a warm smile stretching onto her face. “You’re very clever to know what those words mean for your age. How old are you?”

  “Six,” stomping his right foot down

  Samantha’s kind smile cracked after hearing that. “Come again?” she asked, hoping she heard that right the first time

  “I’m six-years-old. Fionn is my name,” he repeated

  Silence

  Absolute silence

  It was deafening again as the room went still. A six year old? Rosie brought in a six year old?! WHY?! Before they could discuss anything further, the workers heard the rattling of keys being inserted into the door near Hilda’s office. The women went into a panic as they scrambled to act casual as if nothing had happened. Rosie grabbed Fionn’s hand, her heart thumping against her chest. “Come with me, sweetie,” she rushed, snatching him through the front door. The rain no longer bothered her as the safety of what’ll happen concerned her needs more. She made her way to her car, unlocking it as she opened the back seat for him. He looked up at her, then at the open car door

  “I don’t trust you,” he said calmly, stopping the rain from hitting himself as he spawned a gray barrier this time around himself like an umbrella

  “Yes, I know, but I don’t have much of a choice to give you sweetie,” she urged, the panic in her voice still evident. “I don’t want to leave you here and endanger anyone.”

  He reluctantly climbed inside, closing the door himself. She slid to the front seat, pausing to collect her thoughts. She’s taking in a child. Everything’s fine. The child is safe. The child is okay. “Okay…,” she muttered to herself, trying to not frighten him too. “Okay… he’s fine with me.” She looked at the rearview mirror, seeing him fiddle with a small toy he created out of thin air. Seeing that he was calm started to relax her, even if it was a little

  Finally, she started the car, revving the engine. She reverses, pulling out of the parking lot. Fionn was silent, staring out of the window as they passed by stores and buildings. Rosie looks back at him. “How are you feeling?” she asked carefully

  “I’m good,” he replied casually

  She nods, looking at the road again. “What… what are you, sweetie? The ladies were saying you were some Anomaly,” Her eyes drifted back to the rearview mirror. Fionn pauses, thinking of how he should word his sentence

  “I’m a Mind Creation Anomaly,” he muttered under his breath

  “I’m sorry?”

  “I’m a Mind Creation Anomaly!” he snapped, raising his voice

  Her stomach sinks slightly, thinking back to her school days. The last time she had ever heard of a Creation Anomaly, all she heard was that they’re incredibly unpredictable and should be turned in as soon as possible. And yet… if this child was one, why hasn’t he attacked yet? He looked at everyone in their eyes, despite their outfits being as sultry and seductive as can be. Was it all just a lie? Nothing cruel in the way he spoke. True annoyance at having to create things. He even made himself presentable for the other women. The car came to a halt as there was a glowing red light just above them

  “Is this kidnapping?” he asked out of the blue. Rosie’s head turned to face him. “How do you know what that topic is?” she asked, almost impressed by how smart he was for his age. Fionn paused, hesitating to answer the question. Tears crept into his eyes as he finally talked. “I learned it from my sissy…,” he said quietly, looking at the ground with a pout. “But I don’t like her anymore!” Rosie raised an eyebrow. He has a sister? But the Creation Anomaly is only one in existence… unless…

  “Wait,” she said slowly. “Are you a half-breed or… a Pesudo?”

  His face scrunched up at her. “...Racist,” he said, looking out the car window again. “I want out.”

  “Wh-what?! Of course not, I didn’t mean–!”

  “Don’t call me that word! Ann said it’s a bad word!” he snapped

  The cars behind honked their horns at her, making Rosie jolt as she realized the light had turned green. “Sorry, sorry…,” she said softly. “I didn’t know it was offensive.”

  There’s an awkward stretch of pure silence again. Rosie clearly neither knows how to handle this situation nor does she understand what Fionn’s species is. She sighs, not bothering to continue their conversation. It was already plummeting, and calling him a Pseudo made it even worse. After a couple more minutes of tense driving, Rosie stops at a big apartment complex, exhaling with relief as this day is almost over

  All the buildings were spread out and looked endless, each built with bright orange bricks that had white trims. Lawns varied with sizes of grass, some being neatly cut for decorations, others having long enough grass to match two quarters of his height. He was more focused on the looming height of the buildings than the sheer number of each. He thought of himself as a simple ant compared to them. Rosie parks slowly, unbuckling her seatbelt to let him out of the car. When she unlocked his door with a click, she opened it and stretched out a hand to him, offering to carry him back inside. He scrunched up his face at her in protest, as if he was insulted by her caring nature. He jumped down from the car seat with a small huff. Although he was pouting still, he spawned another shimmering barrier above her head to keep her head from getting wet too

  Rosie blinks a bit, but slowly takes his hand again. “Thanks, little one,” she said walking back to her apartment–third floor, second door. He didn’t say anything, but could start to tell she is different from people he was used to

  Once inside, she flicks on the living room light. “Welcome…,” she said, her exhaustion creeping slowly. “You can crash here on the couch.” Her apartment was small and plain, but cozy. She had a couch, a tv, a coffee table holding onto unopened mail, and some appliances. “I know it’s not much, but I might have–”

  “I want to sleep next to you,” he said, looking up at her

  Rosie stood still like a pillar. They had met only an hour and a half ago and barely knew each other, and he already wants to sleep next to her? She furrowed her eyebrows slightly. “Didn’t I say you shouldn’t trust strangers?” she said calmly but firmly

  “A stranger wouldn’t pick up a child and try to protect them,” he replied just as calmly, staring dead at her eyes

  Her lips pressed into a thin line at his reply. To an extent, he had a point. She was really starting to not believe he was six years old. A small smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. “How old are you really?” she teased

  His little cheeks puff up like a pufferfish. “I’m six!” he said, only appearing more adorable that way. She ruffles his messy hair. “Are you hungry? I don’t want you sleeping on any empty stomach now,”

  “No, thank you,” he replied politely

  She smiles happily a bit. Despite being slightly sassy, he still had the mannerism of a preteen. He was much more mature than she expected

  “Well…,” her voice trailed off for dramatic effect. “How about a bath? It’ll make sleeping much more comfortable.” she suggested

  “I bathe alone,” he said, walking to the living room. He climbs onto it, sitting with his hands in his lap. Rosie started to really question what someone so small went through. He was unusually quiet, especially for a six-year-old. He wasn’t running around, he wasn’t tied to an electronic of some sort. Here he was, sitting in the corner of the couch, staring at her like an animal waiting to be ordered around. Her eyes softened slightly, thinking that he maybe went through something rough too early. “C’mere, little one,” she said sweetly, like a mother guiding her child. “We’ll bathe together.”

  She expected a protest–at the very least, expecting him to be sassy again–but to her surprise, he silently got up and followed her like a baby duck. Just as a test for fun, she took a step to the left. He takes a step to the left shortly after. She takes two to the left. He takes two the same way

  “You’re like a little cute robot,” she smiles warmly. She walks to her room, getting clothes. Fionn stood awkwardly at the doorway, looking at her while she grabbed casual clothes. She sees him out of the corner of her eye. “What’s wrong?” she asked, seeing the awkward face he was making

  “Boys don’t bathe with girls,” he said bluntly. She lets out a small chuckle, walking over and rubbing his head. “But, mothers bathe their sons. I’m not qualified to be called a mother…,” she said, looking at Fionn’s eyes. “But for you, I’ll try until you feel comfortable.”

  His small eyes opened in surprise. A strange feeling coursed through his little heart. “She’s… like Ann.” he thought to himself. Wet tears started to come together in his eyes, dripping down his cheek. She smiles, finally being able to get through to his soul. She crouched down, hugging him close to her shoulder. “It’s going to be okay, honey.” she assured him as he quietly sobs into her shoulder

  A bit later, Rosie and Fionn were bathing together. He sat between her legs, while she kept him close with her arms. “I don’t take baths really,” she said, grabbing her pink bottle of strawberry scented shampoo. “Showers are so much faster.”

  “Why did you put the plug in?” he asked calmly

  “Bathing you is super cute,” she teased, deeply scrubbing his head with her fingers. “Tilt your head back, please.”

  He follows, closing his eyes as she poured the warm water down his hair, scratching some more to get all the shampoo out. She quickly applied coconut conditioner as they were almost done bathing. Once she was done washing his hair, she stepped out of the bath herself to grab towels. She returns with three–two for her, one for him. She wrapped her hair and body, while Fionn only just dried his hair. He absorbed the excess water into a dim black orb, then transformed it into a little spark. Rosie noticed she was starting to get progressively used to his little quirks. Just earlier he materialized a beautiful rose flower made from golden flakes. He made his hair fluffy and messy again, where Rosie started to play with it. “You’re really special, honey,” she said softly

  A cute smile crept on his face

  “You’re really nice, Miss,” he replied politely

  She realized she never said her name. “Oh, that’s right. I never told you my name,” she said, taking the towel off of her head. “My name is Rosie Ross.”

  “I’m Fionn O’Dana,” he said with a cute smile plastering his face. “I’m Irish.”

  That’s why he said it that way. He always said F-yun. “Ah, that clears things up so much. Like the hero?” she asked

  His little eyes beamed up at her. “Yay! You know Celtic!” he cheered, clinging to her hip. She lets out a small laugh, rubbing his head. “Easy, easy,” she says, the grin on her face stretching wider. “I just vividly remember a co-worker talking about it, so I looked him up.”

  She crouched down, getting on his height. “And if you share his name…,” she said, holding his cheeks. “You’ll be an even greater hero than Fionn mac Cumhaill himself.”

  He smiles wide, his teeth on full display. Despite being dirty much earlier, his teeth were as white as snow. Rosie returns with a smile of her own. Once they were finished getting dressed, Rosie sat on her bed, Fionn climbing to sit next to her. She smothers him with her body, almost like a plush toy. She holds him close, curling into a ball, while he clings to her, softening against her chest

  “Goodnight, love,” she muttered

  “Goodnight, Rosie,” he replied sweetly

  It wasn’t a pretty introduction, but they would make it work between the two. Fionn looks up at Rosie’s sleeping face. It was only five minutes of resting and she was already out like a light. He poked her cheek. No reaction. He could see the pleasant face, not a care in the world, even with him around. He smiles, snuggling close to her as he drifted off to sleep too

  “She’s not Ann…,” he thought to himself, relaxing his mind. “She’s better than her.”