Read The Runes | Tapas Web Community

Describe all members of your family, focusing on both appearance and personality and assign each one a color and an animal.

My family is very big. We are 7 people, plus 1 cat and 1 uncle who lives with us.

My dad Charlie is a scientist. He has curly dark brown hair and a not too long beard that always tickles me when he kisses me on the forehead. His eyes are blue and very big, and he wears glasses. He is very tall, reaches up to the sky, and when he takes me in his arms I feel like a giraffe. He’s very soft to hug. He doesn't believe in magic because he is a man of science, and he creates many inventions. He is always very kind, helpful, and ready to listen, and he makes delicious desserts. His favorite color is blue, and I associate him with a big friendly brown bear.

Fred is my second father, and he stays home all day cleaning the house and cooking. He is also the chief of the neighborhood association, and always fights with our neighbor, Karen, the co-chief. When he was young he realized he was a boy and not a girl so he switched. It was easy, because he's also a wizard. In fact, when he is home alone he always uses magic and works very little. But he pays off by defeating all the bad guys who try to kill him, kidnap him, or kidnap us. He has straight blond hair, brown eyes and freckles. He always paints his nails and occasionally puts on makeup. Compared to dad he is shorter and thinner. He has a dramatic and extreme personality. He complains when things don't go his way, and exaggerates his emotions. He and dad love each other very much. His color is red, and I don't know if the best animal for him is a cat, or a swan, because swans are evil, so they reflect him a lot.

My older sister Vivian was adopted 3 years ago, and she is 17 years old. Previously, she was an undercover agent of an association that hunts magical creatures that live the real world, and she tried to kill us for months. But then when she tried to hit dad Charlie, he noticed she was lonely and sad, and so my parents adopted her. She is strong, serious, and often babysits us, leaving us free to do what we want and eat sweets even before sleeping. She has red hair that is shaved on the sides but is otherwise long and straight. She is very pale, and has green eyes. She is slender, muscular, and does ballet. She really likes playing darts and working out. She doesn't talk much and sometimes seems evil if you don't know her, but she is very protective of us. Her color is black, she always dresses in black, and her animal is the fox, because foxes are smart and fast, like her.

Manuel is my older brother and is 15 years old. He and I are Dad and Fred's only natural children, so he's been in the family the longest of all. Being the first born he was cursed by an old enemy of Fred who said that Fred's first born would have super destructive powers or something. Manuel has the same curly brown hair as dad and blue eyes. He’s small and skinny, even if he occasionally tries to train with Vivi and is a cheerleader at school. He has many friends, he is always happy, smiling, and kind to everyone. He’s like a sun. Before Vivian, he was always our babysitter, and he often plays with me and Teddy. But he sends us to bed at the right time and doesn't let us eat sweets. He always acts like a big brother, even with Vivi, but he's good at it, so we listen to him. His color is yellow, and as an animal, he is a cute dog.

Bailey was adopted from a very young age, and she's 12, I think. I can't know for sure because she's a shapeshifter, so if she wants she can be even bigger, and she doesn't have a definite shape, even if when we're outside she's always the same. I use she/her, but actually sometimes she’s a he, sometimes a they. This morning she was a girl, though. When we're out, her hair is very dark brown and she keeps it short, but long enough to almost cover her eyes, which are blue, like dad, a choice she made to look like him, I think. Her skin is dark like chocolate. She wears glasses when we're out, but she doesn't need them. She's not very tall. She can become absolutely anything. And she's always playing pranks around transforming herself and stealing things from all of us, especially Vivian. She is very good at school, and reads a lot. She doesn't have many friends because she doesn't like people. But she likes us, that's why she stays.

Her favorite color is also blue, like dad Charlie, and I see her well as a chameleon.

Then there's me and Teddy.

My name is Tiffany, known as Tiff, I'm eight years old, blond hair and brown eyes just like Fred, and I also got my freckles from him. I also have many powers, but I have yet to learn to use them. But I'm super powerful, and one day I'll be as good and strong as Fred. I care a lot about my hair, and keep it long. I enjoy experimenting with many different hairstyles. I'm sociable, but my best friend will always be my twin. I like playing with dolls, playing hairdresser, and defeating bad guys with my family. My favorite color is pink, and I'm a butterfly.

My brother Theodore, whom everyone calls Teddy, is my twin. He's not exactly my twin, because he's actually a fae, which some guys from the fairy realm who hate my father tried to swap in the cradle with me. So he was supposed to be in my place. But then dad got me back and decided to keep both. He doesn't look much like me, actually, because other than his eyes, his skin is slightly darker than mine, and his hair is brown. He's very gentle, and quiet. His hair is shoulder length because he lets me play hairdresser with him, and we always do everything together. We are inseparable. But he is better than me at school. His color is green, and his favorite animals are birds.

Then we have a cat, Chack, but he's not really a cat, because he's actually Fred's familiar, and he holds some of his powers to make him better control them.

And we also live with our uncle, Ernie. He's not really our uncle, but he lived in the house when Dad and Fred bought it, so he's been with us all our lives, and we call him uncle. He's a ghost who died two hundred years ago or something. When Teddy has a nightmare, he's always the first to come and help.

I love my family so much, it's the best in the world!

When everyone finished reading, there was silence in the teacher's office for a few more seconds. The two parents looked at each other a little upset. Charlie was mostly confused, Fred tried not to show how annoyed the reading had made him.

Teacher: As you can see, I'm a little concerned about your daughter's essay

Charlie: It seems well written to me. She also wrote a lot in just an hour. Did she also make a draft?

Teacher: No… that's not the point. The writing is indeed admirable, but the content worries me a little, and I was hoping to be able to shed some light on what is happening at home

Fred: You mean fairies and wizards and ghosts? She's just a very imaginative little girl. She and Teddy are always playing in the garden daydreaming. They are kids, after all. The subject probably bored her

Teacher: So you have no idea why she wrote about a ghost who comes running after a nightmare, and enemies who try to kidnap, kill or hurt your family? It almost sounds like a call for help

Fred: So you called us here to accuse us of something?!

Charlie: Don't worry, Freddy, I’m sure she didn't mean that. Reading the text, it seems to me that Tiffany lives these reveries as fun little adventures with her family, I don't see what's worrying about it

Teacher: Yes, but… well… I'm afraid that she might indulge in these fantasies and lose touch with reality. Sometimes children who live in a situation that might overwhelm them, bury their feelings in favor of unrealistic fantasies

Fred sarcastically: Wow, I didn't know that you…

Charlie, interrupting him: Don't worry, Miss Kellys, I don't think Tiffany tries to isolate herself from reality. It's true that she plays a lot with Teddy, but she's very mature and happy. She has never talked about supernatural matters at home, and when she has a problem she always comes to us to talk about it openly. I don't think she's hiding any personal conflicts, but we'll talk to her about this issue.

Fred: I think she should come here and tell us herself why she wrote those things

Teacher: Er… all right, I'll call her…

Meanwhile, outside the office, Tiffany wore a sly smile. Beside her, her twin Teddy was shaking his head.

Teddy: Why did you write those things? You know that now the teacher will ask questions, and Fred could get in trouble

Tiff: You have to admit it was fun! And we are eight years old! Who would take us seriously?!

Teddy: The gym teacher, who is a troll

Tiff, laughing: But he's a good troll! He already knows who we are, he won't sell us to the fairies

Teddy: Never say never, faes are treacherous

Tiff: You are one of them! And you are not treacherous

Teddy: Who knows…

Tiff, pushing him: Stop it… what did you write?

Teddy: Boring stuff. It was a really boring topic

Tiff: Exactly! That's why I played with it.

Teddy: But at least I got an A, and you just got a C

Tiff: Because teachers love you and hate me.

Teddy: Yeah, I wrote that in the essay.

Tiff chuckled, and just then the office door opened, and the teacher, Miss Kellys, motioned for Tiffany to join her.

Tiffany walked into the room, and checked her parents' expressions. Charlie was smiling and encouraging as always. Fred glared at her. Exactly the reaction Tiffany had hoped to get. It was always fun to annoy him a little.

Charlie: So, Tiffany, we read your essay…

Tiff: Did you like it, dad? I didn't even do the initial draft and there are very few mistakes!

Charlie: It was a beautifully written essay, honey. Miss Kellys is just a little concerned about the content. Why did you write unreal fantasy elements in an essay about your family?

Tiffany was almost tempted to say it was all true, but she knew it would be dangerous if she persisted, so she shrugged.

Tiff: The subject seemed boring to me, so I came up with something to have a little more fun. After all, Teddy was also writing an essay about our family, so the teacher would have read the same things and thought they were boring, or that one of us had copied the other. The teacher always thinks I copy Teddy

Teacher: It's not like that, Tiffany. I evaluate the work of both very carefully

Tiff: Then why did he get A and I got C?

Teacher: For the content, Tiffany

Charlie: Personally I understand that she has gone off topic, but a C for such a well-constructed text does not seem correct to me. I would have given her at least B-

Fred: The assignment didn't specify being realistic in the description. That Tiffany invented something shouldn't affect the vote.

Teacher: I'm not here to discuss the grade! But your daughter! Tiffany, when you write about attacks by your father's enemies, what are you talking about?

Tiff: It's just a game we play with Fred and our brothers, and it's super fun! And the ghost is just an imaginary friend Teddy and I had when we were kids, no big deal.

Fred: See? Just a game

Charlie: The ghost must have been passed to you by Manuel, he too always talked about this ghost when he was little.

Teacher: …I understand

Fred: I'm sorry Miss Kellys, you'll have to find another excuse to shame the gay parents

Charlie: Come on, Freddy, that was clearly not Miss Kellys intent, she is just very attentive to her students. I bet if it had happened to Mark Monroe, the teacher would have had the exact same behavior

Teacher: Er… yes, of course…

Fred: I bet that child's essay was flawless

Teacher: Yes, it didn't present any problems. His mother is educating him in an exemplary way, despite being all alone

Tiff: He got full marks, and wrote that his mother killed his father when he was just born

Charlie: …

Fred: …

Teacher: …

Tiffany, smiling innocently: …?

Teacher: Tiffany! You shouldn’t peek at other people’s essays!

Charlie: Yeah, well, I guess we don't have much else to discuss. We have listened to your concerns and will act accordingly. Come on Tiffany, a B should be celebrated!

Teacher: But…

Fred: I seem to have read that a lot of teachers are being reprimanded because they are trying to extinguish the imagination and creativity of the children… it is lucky that no one has ever filed a complaint about you, Miss Kellys

Teacher, in a low voice: And it's a miracle that no one has taken your children away from you, deviated...

Fred: Excuse me?

Teacher: Nothing… pay more attention to your daughter, or other people might get the wrong idea.

Fred, fuming: You...!

Charlie, putting a hand on his shoulder: Come on, Freddy. It's starting to get late, we should go

Fred, suddenly calm: Sure, honey!

The happy family walked out of an irritated teacher's office, and they hurried to the ice cream parlor. Charlie headed inside to order ice cream for everyone, leaving Fred, Tiffany and Theodore alone.

Fred: Did you really have to write all those details?!

Tiff, innocently: Child's imagination

Teddy: I told her not to, but she was bored

Tiff: In the end I wrote a very long and perfect essay without even a draft.

Fred: And all in just one hour, huh?

Tiff: Exactly!

Fred: Didn't it take you, by any chance, three and a half hours?

Tiff: …

Teddy: Ohhh he got you!

Tiff: Farts, I thought you wouldn't notice!

Fred: You blocked time for two and a half hours, young lady! I didn't teach you to cheat like this

Tiff: You always cheat with housework and holiday preparations! You also cheat to beat Karen at Bridge!

Fred: …it's not the same thing! I'm a responsible adult who knows when it's okay to cheat and when it's okay to do things right, and in school you have to do things right! And don't tell anyone we're a family of wizards and other creatures with a ghost haunting our house! You know it's dangerous!

Tiff: But nobody believes it anyway!

Teddy: Except the gym teacher, who's a troll

Tiff: But he already knows about us and he's on our side, it doesn't count!

Fred: But Charlie can't know anything, you know that!

Tiff: …you're right, dad, sorry

Fred: Be more careful next time

Tiff: I know, but it was just an innocent essay, and you should have seen the teacher's face when she handed it back to me

Fred: It was actually fun, even if frustrating… how many drafts did you make?

Tiff: Only two! I wanted to irritate her with a perfect writing

Teddy: I did two too, but I pretended it was just one, also almost perfect

Fred: ...nice

Tiff: Can I ask you something, Fred?