Think Happy

Chapter 1: Flightless

It had been eight months since the last opportunity to knock arose. Though no one was stopping Mickey or anyone to take a chance with the man behind door number fifty-two, the chance was never taken and the opportunity therefore never arose.

Mickey was now an official HfH officer and had been for seven months. Her training barely took a month with her up beat and positive spirit. Even as she praised ever day she could bring purpose to the world, she still could not bring herself to help him, and she could never forgive herself for that.

Still, her internal conflict could not bring down her fighting spirt. Once again she greeted Carols with hopeful eyes, singing and dancing her way to good vibes.

It was a misty Tuesday morning, the damp air filling Mickey's lungs and cooling off her warm skin. It must have rained the night before. Her street was mostly empty with the exception of a few of kids splashing in some shallow puddles without a care. She smiled weakly, her eyes wavering as they still ached for sleep.

Mickey took a look back at the fifth floor of her apartment building as she always did before she left for work. Though she generally didn't understand why she looked up there, she always had the urge to know that everything was at peace. It was quiet, but before she realized it she had caught the eye of a gray soul standing at his balcony fence. They stared at each other, forty feet apart for a few tense seconds as if it were a western stand-off of anxiety. Unable to turn her head, Mickey quickly blurted out "Good morning!"

Whether he replied or even heard her Mickey did not know. The man simple turned around and went back into his apartment, messy yet sleek hair waving across the back of his neck.

This left Mickey in a state of forbidden feelings that she couldn't shake off. Her skinned crawled in a strange mental agony. Was that my answer?

Mickey decided this was no good for her, especially since it was a work day. She swept her damp hands across her face and hopped on her bike, pedaling as fast as she could. To get away from him. To get away from her lost chance.

-

"Aww, Mickster! Don't let that lil' freak bring ya down," boomed a hairy old man, patting Mickey on the back.

"Yeah Mickey, the feelings of defects should never affect those who actually have purpose," added a woman from across the room.

It was evening. By now, or even a few minutes after an emotional blow, Mickey would be back to her usual self. But her shift was almost over and she still felt as empty as ever. Luckily, she didn't have any major duties to fulfil that day and just hung around her office filling out happiness pamphlets. Not even the big smiley faces and stickers could lighten up her mood.

A serious looking man from Section C of the HfH department grumbled under his breath as he shuffled a deck of card for another game of poker. Though he was a respected officer in the department, Mickey often felt unease in his presence. He had an aura of many forbidden feelings, including the ever dreaded H word.

"This is why we need to get rid of insects like him, plaguing this good nation," he spat. Mickey was sure he didn't know much about William, as most did not, but he spoke with such a grudge she felt the urge to pump some sense into him.

After a long moment of silence, Mickey mumbled, "I'm sure he could be fixed with a little attention." The man's eyes darted to Mickey as if she'd just entered the room. Noticing her worried demeanor, he smiled at her, taking her aback.

Putting on a lighter tone of voice, the man said, "Defects don't get fixed. Their good feelings just overcome their forbidden ones. Most defects put their happiness in the forefront, while others. . . ." He trailed off.

"Others. . . what?" Mickey remarked nervously.

The man smirked, his brown eyes glowing with an inner flame that only Mickey could see. "Others. . . must be removed."

The night shift bell rang across the Section B office room, a speaker calling out "All day shift officers are dismissed. Have a lovely night."

An ocean of navy blue uniforms flooded out of the room, officers shaking hands and offering to pay for drinks at the local bar. Mickey was left with the serious man from section C as the night shift began to weasel in. After a minute or so of a strange awkward silence, the man blurted out, "Welp, have a good night miss. . . ?"

"Sanders. Mickey Sanders."

The man grinned a semi-faux grin, the grin of a man with a reputation to keep. "Miss Sanders." He tips an invisible hat and exits the room.

Mickey took a deep breath and sighed. The crawling sensation in her skin came back again, unsettlingly familiar.

-

Mickey yawned as she made her way back to Clifford Boulevard. All she wanted to do was go home and rinse out all of the unsettling feelings she was going through. As she grew closer to her street, she began to hear yelps. Probably the kids out playing, she thought. Then the yelps grew louder, rising to screams. Mickey's eyes widdened as she quickly turned the corner to see a large crowd of people gathering around her apartment building, around one of its few balconies.

On the fifth floor.

There stood no other than him. The Gray Soul. Scrooge of Happiness. William Seoung.

He sat like empty soul on the rim of his fence, his eyes filled with lifeless bliss. A flightless bird ready to make its departure to another world.