Tribes

It was one of those gray days when the world seems to shrink. Outside, the rain beat down with a rhythmic persistence, inviting people to turn on the lights, stoke their fireplaces, and seek refuge in the warmth of family. But in the Everlast household—an impeccably placed two-story suburban home—that warmth seemed to have stopped at the front door.

Maxine Everlast, thirteen years old, leaned against the window frame of her bedroom. Her dark eyes followed the trail of the droplets, and her freckles, dusted across her nose like grains of cinnamon, wrinkled in a pout of melancholy. She pressed her fingertips against the cold glass; the fogged mirror under her touch felt like a wall separating her from something that no longer existed. In the distance, the treehouse—her beloved "Forest Tribe"—stood lonely among the soaked branches.

She used to spend every afternoon there with Mía. She remembered the pirate games, the scientific expeditions, and the secrets shared with that little black cat who always knew how to comfort her. Now, of all that, only a jar of ashes remained on the living room mantle and a red collar that no longer jingled.

"Honey, come down for dinner, please. We need to talk about tomorrow," her mother’s voice called from the hallway, sounding strangely cheerful.

Grace Everlast stepped into the room. She was a woman in her forties who had passed down her blonde hair to Maxine, though she kept a pair of emerald eyes that used to be enchanting, but now Maxine felt they watched her with an exhausting intensity.

Heavily, the girl stood up. She gave one last look to her old refuge and headed downstairs. A distant sound gave away that her father was in front of the television again, seeking to fill the void of the house with background noise. Upon reaching the dining room, the scent of grilled chicken, rice, and vegetables greeted her from the plate. Surprisingly, Edmond, her father, was already seated at the table. He was a man with black hair and sharp, dark eyes, whose presence usually commanded the room, though lately, he seemed more like a ghost than anything else.

Maxine sat in silence, puzzled. It had been a long time since her parents had managed to be in the same room without the air turning heavy.

"Honey… do you know what you want for your birthday?" Edmond asked, breaking the silence as he toyed with a piece of chicken with his fork.

"We thought about inviting your classmates to go to the zoo," Grace chimed in, her tone heavy with a forced understanding and a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I heard they’re putting animals up for adoption, and maybe you could find… well, another friend."

Maxine stopped moving her silverware abruptly. The knot in her throat tightened.

"I… I don’t know if… The truth is, I still miss Mía."

She cast her gaze down at her plate. For a brief moment, she felt her parents lock eyes for the first time in ages, sharing a spark of frustration or pity that she couldn't quite decipher.

"Hey, Maxine, it turns out I have to go pick up a car for the company right now," her father blurted out, trying to rescue the situation. "Want to come with me? We could get ice cream afterward."

"Actually, that wouldn't be bad. I haven't been out in days," she replied. It wasn't that she felt excited, but the idea of changing perspectives and getting away from that table seemed like the lesser of two evils.

Dinner ended on a low, quiet note. Soon after, Maxine and Edmond got into the car. She pressed her arm against the window, hypnotized by the highway lights that began to shine brighter now that the rain had subsided. Edmond turned on the stereo and, suddenly, Michael Jackson’s voice filled the cabin. Her father knew he was her favorite artist. To the beat of "Bad," a tiny, almost imperceptible smile formed on the girl’s face.

They arrived at the dealership with renewed spirits. As they stepped out of the vehicle, something caught Maxine's eye. The salesman waiting for them was an exceptionally short man with a long, bushy beard, dyed black but peppered with gray hairs that gave him an ancient air.

"Valued customers, welcome. My name is Earl. I will show you your vehicle; follow me."

Maxine, who had devoured fantasy books for years, couldn't help but associate Earl with a storybook dwarf. They were nearly the same height, but the salesman was much sturdier and more thickset than he appeared at first glance. After a while of negotiating, Edmond and Earl reached an agreement.

"Then I’ll bring it to your house tomorrow morning, Mr. Everlast," Earl said with a wide smile hidden behind his thick beard.

In that moment, his eyes met Maxine's. For a second that felt like an eternity, she swore she saw a bolt of electric blue glow in his pupils, even though just a moment before they had seemed a dull, ordinary brown. Earl closed his eyes, keeping his enigmatic smile, and said his goodbyes.

On the way back, they stopped at the ice cream parlor. They bought vanilla with chocolate chips for Maxine, strawberry for Edmond, and an ice cream sandwich for Grace. When they entered the house, her mother was waiting for them on the sofa, reading a book in search of inspiration for her next mystery novel. She took off her glasses and hugged Maxine affectionately.

However, as Maxine buried her face against her mother’s stomach, her gaze inevitably drifted toward Mía’s jar. Her eyes began to sting. Hot, bitter tears threatened to overflow. She broke away from the hug abruptly, hardened her expression, and forced a fake smile that made her cheeks ache.

"Mom, I feel really tired. If you want, save the ice cream for tomorrow—it’ll be more special that way."

She fled upstairs before they could see her face.

"At least put on your pajamas and brush your teeth!" her mother called after her, her voice heavy with a worry that Maxine no longer wanted to hear.

She threw herself onto the bed, burying her face in the pillow to stifle her sobs. She wanted to turn back time. She wanted the void in her chest to disappear. Finally, emotional exhaustion defeated her, and she sank into a deep sleep.

Suddenly, Maxine opened her eyes. She wasn't in her room. She was surrounded by clouds that stretched to the edge of the world. The sky was tinted with a warm orange and a deep, vibrant, refreshing blue. She felt she could move at will, as if the air were her natural element.

And then she saw him in the distance. It was impossible, but her heart did not lie.

She grew serious and flew as fast as she could. A black smudge began to move toward her from the horizon. When they finally collided, Maxine wrapped Mía in a desperate embrace. He was just as she remembered: a little black cat with soft fur, but with eyes of a deep blue that seemed to hold the sky itself.

"Mía, I’ve missed you so much," Maxine sobbed.

"And I’ve missed you, Max. I’m sorry I left you alone."

Mía spoke. In the dream, it didn't feel strange; he had a soft voice, exactly as she had always imagined it. They spent what felt like hours in a dreamscape: flying through cottony clusters, talking, and playing pirate and adventurer again. It was all laughter and light until Maxine noticed a curious detail.

"Mía, do you have something in your mouth?"

"My, you’ve grown very sharp. A year hasn't passed for nothing, has it?"

Mía opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue. There, glowing with a soft yellow light, was a mark shaped like a heart.

Suddenly, a shrill, unreal sound flooded the sky. The peace of the landscape began to crack.

"What’s happening?" Maxine asked, frightened.

"Easy now, you’re just waking up. It’s been a pleasure to see you again, Max. I love you very much, okay?"

Anxiety took hold of her.

"Mía, don't go! Don't leave me again, please!"

The cat gave her one last smile, full of a peace she didn't understand.

"I never left. I am always with you."

The dream dissolved like smoke. Maxine woke up with a start in her bed, her breath hitched and the trail of warm tears at the corners of her eyes.