Wally stared at herself in the mirror. She was wearing her orange dandelion summer dress, and was shivering in the cold. There was always a draft in her house. She did up her hair, and thought of what the day’s events could hold. She’d sent an invitation to all of the children in the neighborhood to come play at her house. No one had written her back, and she was anxiously awaiting a possible knock on the door. Wally Kensington’s house was the biggest on the block, with a meadow of red tulips that stretched miles into the distance in the back. Wally had always seen children longingly stare at the field, wanting to play in it. She herself wanted to play with the children, but for unknown reasons, her parents forbade it. Now, her parents were busy all week and she figured if she invited them to play for a bit while they were out, no harm would be done. She had invited four children: Rafe Winthrop, Gaia Jameson, Jacob Florence, and Lilya Petrovski. The doorbell rang. A surprised Wally flinched. Hardly anyone ever rang her doorbell. Wally sprinted down the hall, the carpeted stairs, to the front door to get it. There stood little blonde Lilya Petrovski, fiddling with the ribbon on her elegant white lace dress. In her left hand, was Wally’s invitation. Wally opened the door, and smiled at Lilya. “Hello. You must be Lilya.” Lilya’s face became fraught with confusion. She looked past Wally, and for some unknown reason, wouldn’t look her in the eye or say “hello” back. Lilya leaned into the house. “Hello? Ms. Kensington?” Wally tilted her head. “I’m right here. And you can call me Wally.” Lilya still didn’t respond, and stepped into the house, out of curiosity. “Mrs. Kensington? Mr. Kensington? Anyone?” Wally started to get worried. Was this a mean trick they were playing on her? Was Lilya pretending she didn’t exist? “Lilya, I’m right here,” said Wally calmly. This made no difference. Suddenly, Jacob Florence and Rafe Winthrop walked in together, side by side. “Hello?” Jacob called. “Hello! Jacob!” Lilya called back and turned around to greet him. This was definitely a mean trick. Lilya greeted Jacob and Rafe, who Wally had watched her play with before, and failed to acknowledge Wally. Jacob and Rafe were dressed in button-ups, trousers, and dress shoes, though they talked to each other and Lilya without manners. Jacob was tall and handsome and Rafe was rail thin, but had a good smile. They must’ve been very familiar with each other. Now Lilya and the boys were engaged in children’s banter, rifling through topics like their headmistress and their mothers. How Wally wished she could join. She didn’t understand why she couldn’t. “So, where is this Wally?” Jacob said, glancing around for a sign of her. A frustrated Wally yelled, “I’m right here!” Yet again no response. Now a frazzled Gaia Jameson muddled in, missing a shoe and her hair ribbons off-centered in her thick brown hair. “Ms. Kensington! Sorry I’m late!” called Gaia. Finally, someone’s acknowledging me,” thought Wally gratefully. But then the confused look of the other three children spread across Gaia’s face. And Wally realized she was ignoring her, as well. She glanced over toward Jacob, Rafe, and Lilya. “Hello Jacob. Hello Lilya. Hello Rafe. Where is our host?” Rafe tapped his chin. “That’s the very question we’re asking ourselves. Wally Kensington hasn’t graced us with her presence.” Gaia’s face became more confused. “Who arrived first?” Lilya raised her hand. “I,” she proclaimed. “How on earth did you get inside?” asked Rafe. “It-it was all very strange. I knocked on the door, and… it just opened…” Lilya replied nervously. “Lilya! Why would you go in?” snapped Gaia. “We-we were invited! And um, haven’t you guys been curious about this house? Haven’t you wanted to go to the tulip fields? Haven’t you wondered why our parents forbid it?” muttered Lilya. Wally gasped. Their parents forbid them from coming to her house? What was the reason? The same that her parents forbade her from playing with them? Jacob crossed his arms and nodded. “Well, yes. But no one tells anyone we came here, okay?” The other three nodded. “Well, I suppose we’re all here to play in the tulips, correct?” Rafe asked. “Yes, um… this house is a bit… unsettling. And cold. I’d like to go outside,” replied Gaia. Jacob moved toward the sitting room, which had the door to get outside. The other three (and Wally) drifted after. At this point, since the children refused to communicate with Wally, she decided to just keep her mouth shut and observe. It was odd how the children so desperately wanted to play in the tulip field. Wally had gotten bored of it years ago. Although, she supposed, she was biased considering it was her own house. Jacob stopped on the backyard’s porch and looked out over the two acres of red tulips. “I can smell them from here. They smell incredible!” exclaimed Gaia. An out of character Lilya shoved her way past Rafe and Gaia and started walking very briskly to the tulips. She bent down and smelled the first tulip she saw. A big smile crossed her face. She looked back to Gaia, Jacob, and Rafe still standing on the porch. “What are you waiting for?” Lilya asked. Jacob and Gaia shrugged and headed into the tulips’ aroma in the same trance that Lilya seemed to be in. Rafe still held back. Gaia started to run into the flower field with brute force, while Jacob remembered his manners and walked slowly so as to not trample the flowers. By now, Lilya was sitting in the flower beds, picking tulips, and feeling the petals. Because of her small stature, the tulips drowned her up to her shoulders. Gaia leapt into the flower bed, hugging the tulips like an old friend. Jacob inspected the flowers in the way Lilya had done in the beginning. Gaia somehow diverted her attention from the flowers and looked back at the back porch to see Rafe still lingering. “Rafe! What are you doing?” she called to him. “This doesn’t seem right!” Rafe called back. Gaia was able to detach herself from the flowers and walked back to Rafe. “What doesn’t seem right, Rafe?” Gaia asked. “This all seems odd. I feel like we’re trespassing on someone’s property. Especially since we’ve not been greeted by someone who lives here,” Rafe shuddered. “Rafe, it’s all right. We were invited, remember? Maybe someone will arrive later!” declared Gaia. “I suppose,” said an unconvinced Rafe. Nevertheless, he followed Gaia back into the tulip field. And within ten feet of it, his expression changed from worry to delight. Wally wasn’t sure what was becoming of her visitors. She still hadn’t gotten over their refusal (or inability) to acknowledge her, and they acted very strange once they approached the tulip fields. Sure it was quite nice, but not so nice as these children would make it out to be. 

Hours later, the children were still entertaining themselves in the tulip field. Wally had watched from a distance, enjoying their games and banter, but wishing she could be a part of it. Eventually, they all sat together in a circle and started talking very quietly. Wally got up and moved closer to the children to listen to their conversation. But this time, however, as she moved toward them, their heads turned in her direction. All four children stared at her in wonderment, with a hint of fear in their eyes. Wally looked behind her, because they must have been looking at something else. Nothing notable. “Hello?” Jacob called out. They must be able to see me now, thought Wally, but why?. “Hello,” called Wally. She walked closer and sat down next to Gaia in their little circle in the tulips. “Are… y-you Wally Kensington?” asked Lilya coyly. “Yes,” answered Wally. “If you don’t mind me asking, Ms. Kensington, where have you been?” asked Rafe. Wally folded her hands in her lap. “Please, call me Wally. And I’ve been here this whole time.” The children’s faces became very confused. Eventually, Gaia’s gained a hint of understanding. “Oh! I understand! You must’ve been upstairs and not heard us come in!” she said. Wally nodded. Better to agree to that than try to tell them she was amongst them all along. “Well, I’m Jacob, and this is Gaia, Rafe, and Lilya. So, Wally, if you don’t mind me asking, what was the reason you invited us all over?” Jacob asked. “Well, I’ve seen you all playing together and I’ve always wanted to join you,” Wally replied. “So why didn’t you? You were always welcome,” said Rafe, kindly. Wally hesitated. “I wasn’t allowed.” “Why not?” squeaked Lilya. “I’m not sure.” “So your parents allowed you to invite us over this one time then?” asked Gaia. Wally nervously rubbed the back of her neck. “Not exactly… my mother and father don’t know you’re here.” The four went quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry,” said Wally, “Please don’t be angry. I don’t understand why you aren’t allowed over.” Jacob spoke. “It’s all right. We weren’t supposed to come either.” Wally smiled, pretending she didn’t already know that. “So Wally, where do you go to school?” asked Gaia. “I’m homeschooled,” Wally replied. Gaia nodded like that made sense. “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” asked Rafe. “No,” said Wally, “Do you?” Rafe nodded. “I’ve got a brother named Phineas and a sister named Jasmine.” “Jasmine,” said Wally, “That's a pretty name. Jacob, Lilya, and Gaia, do you have any brothers or sisters?” “I’ve got eight older sisters. Anastasya, Mariya, Sofiya, Viktoriya, Polina, Elizaveta, Aleksandra, and Darya,” said Lilya. “Wow,” said Wally. “I have two little sisters named Georgia and Grace,” said Jacob. “And I have three brothers named Stephen, Cassidy, and Will,” said Gaia. “Do you guys have pets? I’ve asked my mother for one for years but she’s always told me no,” said Wally. “I’ve got a little puppy named Olivia. She’s very playful and cute,” said Jacob, “Gaia, Lilya, and Rafe don’t have a pet and they come over to play with her whenever they like. You may come over to play with her as well.” Wally beamed. “That’s very kind of you, Jacob.” Wally looked again at Lilya and Gaia’s beautiful dresses. “Lilya and Gaia, I love your dresses!” said Wally. “Thank you,” smiled Lilya. “Lilya and I have plenty like these. You can borrow one anytime you like. You should come over sometime and we could have an elegant tea party!” Gaia exclaimed. “That would be lovely,” said Wally. But now a sadness crossed her eyes. These children were so kind. But she’d never be able to see them again because of her parents. “Is something the matter, Wally?” asked Rafe. “No, I’m quite alright,” Wally replied. The sun had almost gone down, and the sky was a pink and purple painting. The cicadas started chirping very loudly. Wally heard footsteps behind them. And she froze. There were only two people they could have belonged to. “Walden Amelia Kensington!” screamed Wally’s mother. Oh no, Wally thought. She slunk back to the porch. The other children watched in horror. “Walden, what was the one rule you had! Don’t invite those children over, and especially don’t let them go in the tulip field!” Wally’s father cried. Wally wasn’t aware about the tulip field rule. However this was not the time to bring that up. “I’m sorry, father. I’m sorry, mother,” said Wally, deflated. “You should be,” said her very angry mother, “You have no idea the suffering you may have inflicted on these children the rest of their lives.” Wally stared at her mother and cocked an eyebrow. How on Earth did she cause these children a lifetime of suffering through a playdate? “Children, come here!” Wally’s father called. “Keep your fingers crossed. The tulips may have only had a temporary effect on them. If you aren’t visible to them by tomorrow, everything will be alright,” said Wally’s mother, hushed to her. So they really couldn’t see Wally in the beginning? Why had the tulips allowed them to see her later on? And what exactly had they done to the children? Wally was still very confused but by now became very aware that there were a lot of things her parents had failed to tell her. The children entered the house and were shown out by her father, each giving a gentle wave good-bye to Wally. Wally watched them head back to their houses, her mother standing behind her. “Those poor children. God help them not to have to suffer the way we do,” said Wally’s mother shaking her head and walking away. Wally continued to watch and said a little prayer that whatever it was might happen to them, that they’d be all right.

The next morning, Wally stared out her bedroom window the way she always did, watching the other children play jacks. Last night her mother and father explained everything to her. They figured it was time, and they didn’t want something like this to happen again. The Tulip Field, in the Kensingtons' backyard, was not just any tulip field. Her parents believed it had some sort of spell or witchcraft or evil cast upon it. It was very attractive to people, especially children, and it instilled a longing in people to sit in it, smell its flowers, play in it, think in it. When the Kensingtons bought their house, the first thing they did was have a picnic in it. The next day, no one acknowledged the existence of Wally, her mother, or her father. They were essentially invisible from the rest of the world. Everyone who knew them worried, thinking they had disappeared. The town constable determined that they were last seen in the flower field. No one ever figured any details about the Kensingtons’ disappearance. The parents of the children who lived on the street forbade their children from going inside the “abadoned” Kensington house because of the mysterious disappearances. But, upon receiving an invitation from the so-called “missing” Kensington daughter, curiosity got the better of them, and they went, agreeing not to tell their parents. They were able to see Wally and her parents after spending several hours in the field as well, rendering them invisible as well. Wally’s mother and father hoped that maybe they didn’t spend enough time in the field for the curse to be permanent. Maybe the curse would break for them. Just then, Gaia looked back up at Wally’s window. And she waved. Wally’s gut sank. They were invisible permanently, like her. Gaia pointed Wally out to Jacob, Rafe, and Lilya and they waved back. And then Wally’s gut rose back up. They had each other. They were all invisible, and they’d always be able to see each other. And they’d always be able to see her. They could play together. Forever. Beaming, Wally ran outside to play with her friends.

The End