UNA ran through her house, rushing from one hiding spot to another, as her parents laughed and followed. The house, while not particularly large, seemed almost infinite to her, partly due to how tiny she was, but mostly because of how impatient her current state of excitement had made her, and how disorganized it had made her search patterns. Rather than looking through each part of the house thoroughly, she zipped frantically from room to room, looking through whatever hiding spot she suddenly remembered. Her parents kept up with her for a while, but eventually fell to the floor, hugging each other and laughing at how crazy they had made their daughter.

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“I can’t find it,” UNA yelled, as she zipped past them.

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“Where is it?” she yelled again.

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“You looked there already, little doll. Come here. We’ll give you a clue,” her mother said.

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UNA ran to them, and jumped up and down as she waited for one of them to speak.

 

“Have you looked everywhere?” her father asked.

 

“Yes,” UNA replied.

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“Are you sure?” her mother asked, as she effortlessly raised one blue eyebrow.

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UNA nodded.

 

“Are you sure? No. No. Think before nodding. Think, birthday baby. Have you really looked everywhere?” her mother asked slyly, as she repeatedly tilted her head towards the coat closet.

It took a minute for her mother’s hints to sink in. UNA barreled towards the closet at full speed the instant she understood. She closed her eyes out of reflex, as something soft and fluffy hit her head the second she managed to wrestle the closet doors open. It bounced off her and fell to the ground. She opened her eyes and screamed in delight.

 

“It’s so cute,” she screamed, as she picked it up and ran to her parents, who had still not gotten up from the floor.

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She jumped into her father’s lap. “What is it?” she asked, as she examined every inch of her gift.

It was an animal of some kind. Bright white all over, just like her hair, with blue eyes that were lighter than hers. Its head had huge, ever expanding horns, and its behind a long bushy tail. The creature’s hands were similar to hers, but its legs were exactly like its hands, unlike hers, which were similar to her hands and yet not the same. She wondered if something was wrong with it, but quickly lost her train of thought a few seconds later, when she noticed the creature’s smile. She smiled back at it and gave it a big hug.

 

“What is it, Daddy?” she asked again.

 

“It’s a SKIMMA,” her father answered. “Maybe you’ll see a larger one someday.”

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“There are larger ones, Daddy?”

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“Yes, my little doll. They don’t live near us though. They live far, far way, on the other side of our planet.”

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“Why Daddy? Why don’t they like living with us?” UNA asked.

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“UNA,” her mother laughed and said. “What do you want to name it?” she asked.

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“Doesn’t it have a name?”

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“No child. It’s yours. You have to name it.”

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UNA thought for a minute. “UNA’S SKIMMA,” she screamed, as she tossed her new friend in the air, just like her father tossed her.

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Her parents shook their heads and smiled. “Come, little doll. It’s time to cut your cake.”