Little Miss Different: Short Story Collection [#Wattys2018]

3: Wild

Content note: contains depictions of ableism

About two years ago

Backstage, the lady in Katie's dressing room - a woman dressed solely in blue Autism Saviour merchandise - assured her mother that she could take great care of Katie. 

"Nobody can tame this autism," moaned Rin Himura. "I'd be happy for some help."

"Hello, Katherine!" the lady said slowly and sweetly. Katie was eight. Katie could understand.

"Hello, Katherine!" the lady said again. "I'm Leanne, and I'm here to get you ready!" Her voice kept going up at the end of every sentence. "We have a lovely blue dress for you to wear!"

Katie looked at the blue dress Leanne was holding reproachfully. "I only like wearing pink," she replied.

"Don't be difficult, Katherine!" screeched Katie's mother. 

"You've upset your mummy now," said Leanne in a disappointed tone. "Is she always like this?" she asked Mrs. Himura, as though Katie couldn't hear words unless they were directed at her.

"Always," said Mrs. Himura, exasperated. "Katherine, just wear the pretty dress!"

Eventually, Katie wriggled into the dress and Leanne zipped it up. Glittery seams sewn into the dress scratched at Katie's skin the way tags did on the top her mother bought her. She started squirming.

"Stop that, Katherine!" yelled Mrs. Himura. "Good grief."

"Have you seen the children whose parents allow that self-stimulatory behaviour?" said Leanne. "How on Earth is that meant to help cure the child?!"

"And when they insist on saying 'autistic person', or that a person 'is autistic'," sighs Mrs. Himura. "Do they not realise that their normal child is being taken over by this autism?"

A stagehand looked into the dressing room cautiously. "Get ready to come on stage!"

Right before going live to the country

Katie stood nervously in her itchy blue dress as the stagehand does a countdown to going on stage.

5...

4...

3...

2...

1...

The presenter walked onstage. "Good morning!" he boomed, his loud voice amplified by numerous hidden speakers and microphones. Katie tried to cover her ears but her mother snatched her hands away from her face.

"This morning, we have an autism special. Today, we have five special guests all affected by this horrible burden," said the presenter. "So first, we have a woman whose fight against autism is so well-known it's constantly a trending topic online. We have Autism Saviour's most famous sponsor, Rin Himura and her daughter, Katherine Himura, who has autism."

The two walked onstage, Katie looking nervous.

"Hello, Rin," said the presenter.

"Hello, Mark," replied Katie's mother.

"So, how is your battle with autism going?"

Katie didn't listen to her mother's words. She was brought back to tragic reality when the presenter announced the next guest.

"Joining Rin Himura, we have Autism Saviour's Autism Angel, so named for her online videos about Autism Saviour and numerous public appearances and fundraising in the name of a cure for autism, we have special needs parent Sienna Twine!"

Sienna Twine walked onstage in a fashionable blue dress and accessories, shook hands with Mark-the-presenter, offered condolences to Mrs. Himura for whatever reason and glared at Katie reproachfully before sitting down.

"My low-functioning son is such a nuisance!" she exclaimed. "All he ever talks about is plants. He never says 'I love you, Mummy'. I can't wait for the cu-"

"I like plants," interrupted Katie.

"The person with autism speaks!" said Mark excitedly.

"I apologize for my daughter's interruption," said Katie's mummy.

"I like plants. I like daisies best. Daisies are pretty," said Katie.

Sienna Twine rolled her eyes. "See? This is exactly what my son does."

...But I'm not her son. Why doesn't she like me? What would Lucie say?

"Katie, don't listen to them," Lucie would type. "Clearly none of these people know what autism is. Autism is lifelong superpower! Don't let anyone make you think otherwise."