Echo

to you tonight.” Jose said, still stroking Echo.
    “But Jose.” Abby sighed; her frustration and growing impatience clear as a bell. She rubbed her bleary eyes. “I don’t even know what happened here tonight. Something happened to me? You mean with Tomas?” Scotty came back to the table and hugged Abby.
    “Sis, this is going to be very hard to believe. Jose, I think there is only one way to do it. We need to show her.” Raising his eyebrows to Jose, he got a nod. Slowly, both he and Jose let their tails unwind from under their shirts, standing bravely waiting to be judged. They watched Abby, holding their breath.
    “Is this some kind of joke?” Abby appeared stunned and angry.
    “No, Abby,” Jose said softly. “This is who we are now, both of us. Please don’t be upset, but this is a side effect of being healed by Echo. We’ve all been healed by her, even Barney. We’ve been hiding this for years. Scotty, since he was a boy.” Abby looked over to see Scotty, the pain of isolation clear on his pale face, his freckles straining with the struggle to hold his emotions in, fighting back the tears. He had been just a little boy, and so alone.
    “It was hard, Ab. But now I have Jose and Echo. It’s so much easier. I don’t feel alone anymore. How do you think my eye straightened out and my scars disappeared? And now we have you.”
    “What do you mean, you have me? Why do you say I’m healed? Am I going to grow a tail, too?” Her voice was rising, faint hints of hysteria hiding behind her eyes. Calming golden auras spoke.
    “Sister Abby; I am pleased you are healed. You are special now. We have chosen you. You will be a survivor now. This will help make my mission easier. Soon I must make a decision. But now we are a family and always will be.”
    “Jose, what is she talking about? I don’t understand any of this! Where in the world did this … creature … come from?”
    “That’s just it, Abby, she’s from another world; another planet. She’s been here for a very long time. And she chose us to live with. I know she talks about mission stuff, but who knows? She’s ours. Isn’t that cool? And she cured you, Abby. That’s a great thing! She doesn’t seem to eat either, so she won’t cost us anything.” Jose tried hard, pulling out all the stops to sell Abby the idea of keeping Echo.
    “Well now, Jose, I need you to know just a little thing.” Scotty spoke slowly. All eyes turned to him.
    “It wasn’t Echo that healed Abby. I did it.”
    “What do you mean you, Scotty? How would you know how to do it?”
    “I don’t know Jose, my tail just popped out without me thinking. It healed her on its own. I guess that means that you can probably do it too. And maybe Abby will be able to do it.”
    “Echo, can you please tell us what’s happening to us?” Jose glanced around, not seeing the creature. Barney appeared to have slipped away too. The three of them hurriedly searched through the house. No Echo or Barney.
    “Hey guys, out here.” Abby peered out the back window into their miniature yard, its lone maple tree doing a proud job. Echo lay stretched out on her back with her face up to the sun, a waft of air ruffling her golden fur. Steadfast, Barney crouched next to her, a faithful guard.
    Scotty slipped outside to scoot them back in. Looking around, Scotty spotted a vintage white Volkswagen parked up the hill on the side of the road. He didn’t recognize the car. Was that someone sitting inside? Can they see into the back yard? Dismissing his paranoia, he closed the back door and returned to the living room with the two wanderers.
    Jose knelt down in front of Echo, slipping his arm around Barney’s soft curly neck. Echo’s head bobbed around, turning in all directions. Jose waited patiently until she settled down.
    “Echo it’s dangerous to walk outside without one of us with you. Someone might want to steal you. Do you want to leave us?” Golden rainbows flashed madly.
    “No, Brother Jose; I need you. I need Brother Scotty and Sister Abby. You are very, very important to me and my mission. And I would never leave My Barney, would I, My Barney?” Echo’s round furry face bobbled up and down as she rubbed her golden fur against Barney’s chest. Barney just sat there with big doggy insouciance; his sloppy tongue hanging over his mouth, dripping slobber on Echo’s shining head.
    “Brother Jose, if I am to live with you, I must be able to access the sun to do what you