Night fell on Maddington.

The moonlight’s pale glow lightly embraced the silhouettes of the pines that cradled Alex’s little townhouse. The nearby pond was a pitch-black soup of stars, a perfect stage for the frogs to chirp their amelodic songs. Save for the occasional car, the roads in the neighborhood were nothing but a warm, flat sheet of asphalt, a convenient path for the mewing stray cats to conduct their nightly affairs. Sure, the large window by Alex’s bed was a prime viewing spot for the suburban ecosystem, but it was nothing compared to the seaside. The pines and the oaks were mighty barricades, and the white picket fences his pale, wooden jail bars.

Aimlessly staring out the window didn’t do much good. It only served as a cruel reminder for what could have been. Maybe he was just cursed to never see the shore again, like a selkie without her fur coat. There weren’t that many options for burning the late night oil, other than wasting away time with games on his PC. Getting new hobbies is tough when you don’t really have friends to share them with.

Oh right. Posture check. He promptly straightens himself out before CuttleChat shot him another ping.

Hey! Another ping!

> UraniumCure sent you a message!

UraniumCure: Aaaare ya ready Alex?

SilicaSiren: oh great, now you’re using up a’s!

UraniumCure: Well, lex?

SilicaSiren: ready freddy! what kinda weird illegal stuff are you and cryptic hiding?

UraniumCure: Illegal stuff? :?

SilicaSiren: well, yeah. wouldn’t you get in trouble if you showed me?

CrypticIronsights: Technically “illegal”, but not in the way you think it is.

SilicaSiren: cmon! tell me already! i’m the only one of us who’s not in the know!

UraniumCure: Nuh uh! Eager McBeaver! You’ve gotta make a promise on your end too!

SilicaSiren: i do?

CrypticIronsights: It’s simple, just promise not to go blabbing about it in public. At best, it’ll make you

Look like an absolute lunatic. At worst, we won’t be able to contact you again.

SilicaSiren: oh..this is heavier than i thought.

SilicaSiren: but i promise not to tell a soul! i’d never want to hurt you like that!

UraniumCure: Hehehe! Says the guy that screwed us at online UNO!

SilicaSiren: draw four! The new color’s yellow!

UraniumCure: AAUGH! I DIDN’T HAVE YELLOW! You’re giving me card game-related trauma! >:(

CrypticIronsights: Focus, everything is riding on this.

SilicaSiren: alright, seriously, a promise is a promise. and i promise not to screw you over by keeping my mouth shut!

UraniumCure: Alrighty! Look down! We’re right there!

This seems like a dumb prank, but he looks down nonetheless just to play along.

SilicaSiren: i don’t see anything?

SilicaSiren: are you just really small?

CrypticIronsights: Sort of.

CrypticIronsights: We’re attached to you, Alex.

SilicaSiren: emotionally?? what do you mean??

UraniumCure: Okay, enough bush beating! We’re your limbs, Alex! I’m waving to you right now!

SilicaSiren: this is a weird prank. ._.

Alex scoffs at his screen. Is this like a joke where they’re from? Pretending to be a body part? Should he check again?? Screw it. He’ll check again. He ducks back under his desk just to make sure-

His toe is wiggling on its own..... What?

SilicaSiren: uh, guys. I think i need to see the ER. this is like my second muscle spasm today.

UraniumCure: Alex, that's me, silly! >:)

UraniumCure: Don’t you recognize your own right foot?

SilicaSiren: is this a dream?

CrypticIronsights: No, Alex. You’re very much awake. We’re your feet. I can provide more proof if you don’t believe me.

SilicaSiren: but, this doesn’t make any sense! How can feet even talk? How are we talking right now????

UraniumCure: Why else do you think you drop your phone so many times?

CrypticIronsights: Look down again.

Alex looked back down, his eyes widened in pure catatonic shock at the sight of his left foot pecking at his phone with its toes. The right foot excitedly waved again.

CrypticIronsights: I think that’s all the proof you need.

SilicaSiren: but..but how??? How?? How howhowhowhow??? Am i crazy??? Have I been talking to myself this whole time??

UraniumCure: No, this is very real and you’re not talking to your “self” in the way we limbs describe it! We’re our own distinct sorta people!

SilicaSiren: this can’t be happening. I need to go back to sleep or something.

CrypticIronsights: Alex, please breathe. You’re having a panic attack.

SilicaSiren: I CAN’T HELP IT. MY WHOLE WORLD’S BEING SHATTERED.

UraniumCure: You’ll be okay! I promise! We talk to each other every day anyways, right?

SilicaSiren: i guess you’re right but its still weird! you’re telling me you’ve been watching me in private this whole time??

CrypticIronsights: Don’t get embarrassed, we’re used to it. Besides, we fall asleep just like you do, so we aren’t constantly monitoring you 24/7.

UraniumCure: We give you privacy! Besides, we don’t wanna be awake for some of that stuff either!

SilicaSiren: o-okay, thanks for that..

CrypticIronsights: How about we walk to the kitchen together and get you some water, deal?

SilicaSiren: yeah..i could use some water..