Hallie lived near a big, creepy forest. It’s not like she wanted to― when your parents find a house they like, there’s not much you can do to change their minds. The least Hallie could do was pick a bedroom that didn’t have a view looking out on the woods.

One day when she was playing outside, she noticed a blue light flickering in the woods. Eyes narrowed, Hallie weighed her decision very carefully. On one hand, she did not want to get mauled by a bear or a demon or whatever the heck was making the blue light. On the other hand, she really wanted to know what was making the said blue light.

Her curiosity won.

After finding a large stick to fend off possible creatures and murderers, Hallie edged into the woods, eyes darting every which way. Eventually, she reached the blue light.

It turned out to be some sort of portal. Abandoning all thoughts of turning back, Hallie leaned close to look at it. An owl hooted in the distance, and as careful as she was trying to be, Hallie tripped over a tree root and fell into the portal.

Hallie woke up in a blizzard. Eyes blurry from her fall, she sat up, rubbing her nose, which was stinging. She presumed she had fallen on it, which would explain the blood staining her fingers. She looked up, shivering in her shorts and tank top. There was a small village before her, wrapped in the white blanket of snow.

Snow?

Wasn’t it in the middle of―

A phlegmy cough interrupted her. Hallie looked around, startled― she hadn’t seen anyone by her. Then she saw a little old lady, only about four feet tall. Her white skin, white hair, and clothes covered with white snow rendered her almost invisible in the blizzard. She hacked again, clutching her heart. Hallie scrambled up to help. The lady stumbled, coughing harder.

“Ma’am, do you need―”

The lady took a shuddering breath and collapsed.

Hallie dropped down and felt for the lady’s wrist.

No pulse. The woman was dead.

Hallie stumbled into town, dragging the lady behind her.

“Help,” Hallie choked, snow flying into her mouth. “Help―”

Four people in identical white winter wear trotted to her with two stretchers. They put the woman on one and Hallie on the other, and trotted away. Hallie was too drained from dragging the woman into town to put up much of a fight.

Hallie woke up after the womans funeral. She got off her stretcher, yawning. Wandering near a crowd, she noted everyone had the same perfect features, wispy blond hair, pale blue eyes, and skin as pale as ivory. Hallie sneezed, and everyone looked around at her. Reddening, she felt very out-of-place with her black pixie cut and chocolate skin. Eyes narrowed on the young girl, they surrounded her, muttering.

“Who is she?”

“Where did she come from?”

“Why is she so different?”

“I-I’m sorry,” Hallie stammered. “I seem to have lost my way―”

“Obviously,” a tall lady sneered.

“Maybe you could help me? I can’t find―”

“We don’t help people who are different,” a teenager hissed.

Don’t be different, stay the same,

If you’re not like us than you’re to blame.

Similar is better, similar is good,

There won’t be any different people in this neighborhood.

the children chanted.

“To blame for what?” Hallie cried―

A man grinned and stooped down in front of her. “For making us angry.”

Hallie screamed and ran away. She ran faster than anyone had ever run before, faster than sound, faster than light. She ran to the snow bank she had woken up in and jumped through the portal.

Although lots of people tried and tried, the only words they could get out of Hallie was this eerie chant:

Don’t be different, stay the same,

If you’re not like us than you’re to blame.

Similar is better, similar is good,

There won’t be any different people in this neighborhood.

Then she would give a weak giggle and say it again…

And again…

And again…