Young Writers Society

Harper liked Target. Perhaps it was the feeling of hominess and how most animals just came and went as they pleased. There have been times where she didn’t like the animals because of how rude they were but she had tried to calm down this feeling with chewing gum on breaks or punching the life out of her stress ball. One evening, while she was working her boring job, a wallaby with mint green glasses that were too big for his face came up to the checkout lane with an arm full of cheap video games. She eyed warily at the wallaby, scanning each item until she lazily turned around towards the dimly lit screen.

“12.35, sir,” Harper stated in a monotonous voice. The wallaby was startled and began digging into his pant’s pocket and pulled out 20 dollars. Harper took the money, unsure why the poor fella was so uptight. She shrugged off the thought, proceeding to give him the correct change and then watched as he headed towards the door. As the day went on and more animals came to her checkout line, Harper had thought about the wallaby. As she was lazily looking around her while on break. Harper caught sight the wallaby outside, pacing back and forth with the bag of video games hitting against his small legs.

“What the,” Harper muttered to herself. She was confused because she would’ve thought that he would be on his way by now. A thought telling her to go and ask him if he was okay had entered her head but Harper shook off the thought and decided it was for the best not to get involved with stranger’s personal problems. Harper looked in the far corner of her laptop screen, praying her shift would be over soon. Through the blurriness of oil that was on it, she could make out the time and sighed happily. It was only a few moments because she could leave and go home.

After a few moments, she clocked out of work and said goodbyes to those she actually like. Harper pushed the backdoor into the summer heat, which caused sweat to immediately form under her uniform. She squinted at the sun, mentally blaming it for the heatwave. Harper then trudged to her crappy blue Volkswagen that has stickers covering the back window of random things she found on road trips. She threw her purse into the back seat as Harper settled into the driver’s seat. She looked into the rear view mirror and saw her tired green eyes, swirling with small hints of gold. Her black and white fear seemed up, from all the stress of work. Harper licked her paw and ran it through her hair. 

She then smiled contently, admiring her work before settling into her grouchy state. When she pulled around from the back, Harper waited for traffic to clear before leaving. Cars rushed by quickly because it was rush hour and if she did go, it would cause for an accident. There was also a line of people waiting to go and that doubled her waiting time. While whistling to the radio, Harper noticed something from the corner of her eye.

She looked in her side mirror and saw the wallaby still in front of the store. He was sitting on the cement, with his head between his arms. Why is he still here? Harper thought. She pulled out of her line and stopped in front of the wallaby.

“What are you doing here?” Harper asked, rolling down her window. The wallaby bolted upwards with fear plastered against his face. Harper sighed, turning her car off and getting out. She realized that this wallaby only came up to her waist and brown fur that tipped with black on the ears and hands.

“I’ll ask again. What’re you doing here?” Harper asked, glaring at the wallaby.

“W-Well, I-I am wai-iting fo-or someone, y-you se-e,” he stammered, walking backwards with his hands up. As he was walking backwards, a rock was in the way and he didn’t realize it until his foot misstep on it, causing the wallaby to spin around in an attempt to gain his balance but it seemed hopeless so instead, he fell face down onto the cement with Harper who was stunned for a moment let out a snort noise and was trying not to laugh at the fallen wallaby. The wallaby sat up, holding his nose, and screamed, “It feels like I just snorted pepper!” Harper was chuckling a little as she walked over to him to check and see if he was okay. She noticed that the wallaby was tearing up a little.

“Hey, are you okay?” Harper asked the wallaby who was still on the ground.

“Um, I think so”, The wallaby said as his eyes started watering.

“Are you sure? Because you were kind of crying,” Harper said with a bit of sass.

“Am, n-not!”, the wallaby protested. Harper let out a sigh, finally picking up the wallaby and setting him on his feet.

“So back to my question, why are you still here?” Harper asked to the wallaby who was still crying slightly.

“O-Oh, um, well as I said I was waiting for someone because I don’t really have a place to stay,” the wallaby said as he was messing with some of the gravel that he had picked up. Harper looked down at the wallaby with a pitied expression.

“Well I guess I’ll be going then.” He picked up his bags and was about to leave until Harper went over and stopped him.

“Well, since I kind of responsible for breaking your nose I guess the least I could do is offer you a place to stay.” The wallaby turned around in disbelief at what he was hearing. His melancholy expression from before changed into a big bright smile as he ran over to Harper ready to give her a hug but was stopped with a hand on his forehead.

“Hey now, I don’t like hugs so save it.” She said with an edge in her voice. The wallaby nodded and followed her to her car. Harper felt like she was watching over a small child but she didn’t let that get in the way of her thought process as she gestured to the wallaby to get in the car.

“She’s rather crappy and excuse the clutter inside,” Harper warned as the wallaby titled his head.

“I think it looks fabulous. I mean, it has a nice shade of blue, I think.”

“Well, thanks but again. Excuse the random McDonald’s bags and you’ll be fine. Just hop in the passenger side then we’ll leave.” She then paused. “And, try not to get blood on the seat, m’kay?” The wallaby nodded, hopping inside the old blue volkswagen. They finally drove out of the store parking lot in silence as the wallaby looked around him.

“So, what’s your name?” Harper asked, focusing on the car in front of her.

“Ah, I’m Oliver. Pleasure to meet you!” The wallaby smiled brightly and Harper narrowed her eyes on the road. “What’s your name?”

“Harper.”

Another wave of silence washed over the car as Oliver took everything in again. The car smelled faintly of mangos and small pieces of straw paper was on the floor in front of Oliver.

“Up next is the Metal Demons with their new song, Afternoon,” the radio announcer stated. Harper turned up the volume of the radio as the song came on but something else washed over the radio. She stopped at a red light and looked back at Oliver. He was lightly snoring with the bag of video games between his legs and drooling slightly. His head was angled weirdly due to the seat belt. Harper sighed. Of course. Now I have a sleeping stranger in my car. What’s next?

Harper stopped in front of her apartment and looked over at Oliver again. He looked quite peaceful in his slumber but he needed to wake up because she didn’t want to pick him up.

“Hey, Oliver, wake up,” Harper whispered, poking his arm. He grumbled, turning his head. His glasses were coming off his nose slightly and Harper also grumbled, resorting to just shaking him by placing a hand on his shoulder and rocking slowly.

“Wake up!”

“Momma just killed a man!” Oliver yelped.

“What?”

Oliver yawned and said, “Oh, don’t worry about it. Wow, are we already here?” Harper sighed, reaching behind her seat to grab her purse.

“Yeah, because I used super speed to travel here,” she sarcastically said.

“Really?” Oliver asked, genuinely interested.

“No,” Harper said and then got out of the car. Oliver made an ‘o’ with his mouth and followed suit. Her apartment was between two other apartment complexes, squished from the constant budgeting and weather. Vines crept around the old brick buildings with small red flowers. Harper flung her purse over her shoulder and gestured Oliver to follow her, which he complied.

The old landlord greeted them, a zebra wearing a flannel, with a smile.

“Ah, good evening, Harper. Oh, is that your boyfriend?” He asked, looking towards Oliver.

“Um no, he isn’t, Larry. He’s um,” Harper stalled for a word. “A friend, I guess.” Larry chuckled before winking.

“Sure, he is. Well, I’ll leave you be,” the zebra said before moving past and through the door where they came from. Harper sighed, clearly annoyed. Oliver reached out and wrapped two small arms around her middle section. “Get your arms away from me,” Harper said coldly.

“I’ve never been called a friend before, so thank you,” Oliver stated before unwrapping himself and stepped away, holding a bright smile. Harper rolled her eyes, going to the elevator. They rode up with the awkward elevator music playing sweet jazz which had Oliver humming quietly too. When they got onto her floor, they exited the elevator and headed down the hallway. They ran into several of Harper’s neighbors, who all looked at Harper and Oliver, all thinking are they dating? before leaving them be. Harper took out a key card and slid it down the sensor, stepping in with Oliver following after. The smell of strawberries greeted with the wallaby as he smiled happily.

“Sit down on the couch while I go get you a clean cloth to clean your nose,” Harper said, throwing her bag onto a nearby chair. Oliver nodded and headed over to the couch, sitting down. It squeaked under his weight but he was more interested in the apartment. The walls were painted vanilla and harbored pretty paintings that showed different landscapes. A sliding window showed the outside, which was on the far right of the room and the flooring was white carpet, too. The couch was a soft red that had yellow pillows on each side.

Harper walked out of the kitchen, carrying a damp cloth and handed it to Oliver, who took it gingerly. He then placed it lightly on his nose, hissing at the pain before settling into the couch. The bag of video games was near his legs, the green bag seemingly glowing on the white carpet. The honey badger noticed the couch slightly leaning down and tilted her head.

“You need to lose some weight,” Harper commented.

“I’m not fat! I just have a lot of fur that’s all.”

“Sure, it is.”

Oliver pouted while Harper laughed lightly. “I’m kidding, you know that, right?”

“Well, it seems like you aren’t!”

Harper shrugged, leaning back into her chair. “So, tell me, Oliver, what brings you to this area?” Oliver slowly wiped away at the dirtiness of his nose before placing the cloth on his leg.

“Ah, I was looking for you.”

“Huh?”

Oliver yawned before shaking his head. “I am here because my parents didn’t want me living with them and to find friends because I’m ‘lonely’ so they suggested I look for you since your parents and my parents knew each other. We also were friends when we were younger but since your father left, we didn’t have much time to say goodbye to each other.”

Harper leaned forward. “So, you’re telling me you’re here because your parents wanted you to find some stranger on the street who looks your friend?”

“Basically, but I know you’re my friend!”

“How come?”

Oliver scratched his cheek while smiling sheepishly. “I think it is because you are honey badgers and both remarkably sassy.” Harper felt a sudden wave of nostalgia wash over her as fond memories that were blocked out of a small wallaby with a wonderful smile and herself. She had now realized it could possibly be the same dorkish wallaby from years ago.

“What’s my favorite color, then?” Harper asked.

“Ah, orange?”

“Correct. What’s my favorite thing to do?”

“Well, you enjoy being snappy at everyone and stealing things. Also, mint ice cream is your favorite ice cream flavor,” Oliver answered. He then cocked a smile before leaning forward. “My turn.”

Harper blinked. “I barely remember you, sorry.”

“Oh…” Oliver said sadly, leaning back. There was a strong silence with the cars creating a madhouse lullaby, singing with the airplanes that flew overhead. Harper was spacing out, thinking about what to eat for dinner when Oliver suddenly yelped.

“I don’t have a place to stay!”

Harper blinked a few times, coming back from her spaciness and looked at the wallaby. “Do you want to stay here? I kind of assumed you were, anyway.”

Oliver smiled brightly. “If you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. The only problem, I only have one room but.”

“But what?”

“Let me just show you,” Harper said, getting up. Oliver followed after, leaving his video game bag and the clothes near the couch. The honey badger forcefully opened the door and coughed at the swirl of dust that welcomed her. Oliver was standing besides her and looked in. The bedroom was covered in a thin layer of dust and in the right hand corner of the room, there was cobwebs. As he looked around, he also caught sight of some weird lumpy furniture near the cobwebs in the corner.

He turned around with weary smile and looked up at Harper and asked, “You wouldn’t lock me in there, right?”, Oliver said with a nervous tone.

Harper thought about it and considered the state of the room and simply stated, “Nah, nobody deserves to suffer that much.”, which was followed by a huge sigh of relief from Oliver.

“Hmm, you could sleep on the couch but then again I don’t want you to break it.” Harper said looking at Oliver cautiously. Oliver rebutted with, “It’s not fat, I am just fluffy!” Harper then patted his head and chuckled. Oliver made a pouty face but accepted the pat on the head.

“Oh? What about that room?” Oliver pushed pass Harper to get to the last room at the end of the hallway.

“That’s my-” before Harper could finish, Oliver had opened the door and squealed so loud. Oh jeez, the honey badger thought before walking to where Oliver stood. He then turned around, with that big smile and and looked at Harper.

“You have stuffed animals too?”

“Well, yeah, but don’t you dare tell anyone. I only keep them there because it helps me sleep. Now, you can’t sleep in here bec-”

Oliver gave Harper his best puppy eyes which then caused Harper to groan and facepalm. “Fine! But, you have to sleep on the floor.” Oliver giggled and went into her room, sitting on the floor.

“Can I sleep with this one?” He was patting a large stuffed honey badger wearing a red bowtie. Harper groaned again.

“Fine, but you better not snore or anything funny like that.”

“I promise.”