Out of Sight, Out of My Mind

By Anne of Lothlorien

Ever since I read through fifty-six Nancy Drew books in one summer at age eleven, I’ve wanted to be a detective. Five years later I got my first case. What I hadn’t imagined was that my first case would be the mystery of my own disappearance.

After my older brother Levi learned August 12 was National Middle Child Day, my family celebrated every year by pretending I was invisible. Literally. They ignored me the entire morning, cracking jokes about middle children being forgotten. It was in fun… mostly… and they usually accepted my existence by lunchtime.

I’d no reason to suspect this year was different. When six-year-old Danny walked past yelling my name for breakfast, I rolled my eyes.

Yawning, I stepped around the coffee table towards the kitchen. Last night had been a late one. The Perseids were at their peak now, and Dad had taken us to watch falling stars, urging us to make wishes.

“What’s for breakfast?” I asked. No one answered.

I can do this. Only a few hours.

Until next year, and the next, until I went to college or moved. Even then Luke would probably text me lame jokes and get everyone to prank call me.

I decided I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of ignoring me, so I waited until they’d cleared out to get breakfast. Surveying the cupboards’ offerings, I grabbed the frying pan to move it aside.

“Ow!” I jerked back and rushed to the sink, fingers stinging. Apparently, it hadn’t cooled completely. “Oh, that hurts!”

Nobody appeared, which was surprising. They always kept the joke religiously, but after yelling in pain, I’d expected Mom or Dad would come see if I was seriously hurt.

“There’s dedication for you,” I muttered. I told myself the tears I blinked away were from being burned, not being ignored.

Lunchtime passed, afternoon wore on, and still nobody had acknowledged me. Hopefully they hadn’t decided to make it an all-day thing. I thumped downstairs to find Mom. She’d crack first, I was sure. She was conferring with Dad as I rounded the corner into the living room. Levi slumped on the couch.

“You haven’t seen her all day?”

“No, honey. I know we joke about this, but I’m serious.”

“Dan, I’m worried. Her friends say she’s not with them. She doesn’t usually go anywhere without telling someone.”

“I’m not with my friends, Mom. Hello?” I exaggerated my face, waving my hands around. Not even a glance. Why were they taking it this far? Had they seriously not seen me just now or all day?

“Maybe she ran away,” Levi put in. “Maybe we’ve teased her too much. She’s giving us a taste of our own medicine.”

“Should I call the police?” Mom worked her phone out of her pocket. She was the worst at holding a poker face, and right now… she was worried. She was really worried.

Dad pulled his phone out too, tapping a nervous rhythm on the case. They wouldn’t take the game this far. What was happening?

“Mom! Dad!” No response. I stood in front of them, punching the air. They shouldn’t be able to keep from flinching, and yet…

They truly didn’t see me. It was like… like I was invisible. For real.

I raced through different theories. I could’ve received superpowers. Aliens could’ve experimented on me in my sleep. I could be dead. I clutched my chest like I could hold back my panicked gasps.

“Mom! I’m right here!” I reached for her arm and my fingers passed through her. I felt nothing. She walked away, and my scream went unheard.

Okay, okay. Don’t panic; that won’t do any good. Don’t hyperventilate over wild theories. Collect evidence. Um…

I couldn’t touch Mom, but my feet still touched the floor. I reached for the coffee table and slapped it, soundless but solid. Okay, let’s use that.

Danny zoomed into the room and tugged on Dad’s arm. “Did you find her?” His lower lip pouted. “She’s been gone forever. Will she be back by dinner? You promised you’d take us to see shooting stars again. I wanna make another wish!”

A wish.

Suddenly, I was back in the truck bed last night, shivering because Danny wouldn’t share the quilt.

“I think she’s turning invisible already, look!” Levi had said. “She’s fading around the edges.”

I’d glared at him, and Dad and Danny laughed, so I turned my attention to the sky. So many falling stars! And then…

Oh.

I’d muttered it so quietly I barely heard myself, but I’d said it all the same. “I wish I really was invisible tomorrow.”

Don’t tell me all those movies about wishing on stars were right.

I wanted to laugh hysterically. It was ridiculous. Unbelievable. I’d wished on a star, and I’d gotten my wish. Years of hating the teasing, and now… It was the dictionary definition of irony.

For one moment, I saw the appealing side. No one could make jokes to my face. No more laughing to hide how they made me want to cry. No more pretending the ignoring didn’t cut deep. I almost didn’t want to stop.

“We shouldn’t have been so hard on her.” Mom rubbed her forehead wearily.

What?

Levi sat up, pulling down his headphones. “It’s my fault.” Was that… regret? “I started it. I think I’ll officially declare this joke finished.”

I never thought I’d hear him almost apologize for all the teasing. I had to fix this. What could I do now?

A pad of sticky notes sat next to the house phone. Perfect. I just had to explain what’d happened, about the shooting star and my wish. I’d only wished about today, so by tomorrow the invisibility should be gone. If not… I could always try wishing again. I didn’t really want my family to never see me.

I laughed to myself as I searched for a pen. This was going to be the most unbelievable Post-it note I’d ever left my parents.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

‘Anne of Lothlorien’ made two decisions the summer she turned eight; to become a Christian and to become a writer. She’s never regretted either decision and knows she never will. Dabbling in all genres, but mostly fantasy and contemporary, Anne has many finished and unfinished short stories, novels, poems, and projects. When she’s not writing or reading, Anne enjoys journaling, watching movies, and graphic design. She loves roller coasters, cheesecake, Disney World, sparkly things, and getting mail.

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