Numbers

7 was no ordinary number. He was born with a purpose. He, and not any one else had been chosen. As he lay on the clean white floor just moments after his birth, he knew that he would one day amount to something great.

7 looked around and saw that he was alone. "I wish there was someone else to share this great wide whiteness with.." As if on cue, another number appeared before him, fresh and new. "Who are you?" 7 asked.

The new number looked up at him and answered with a giggle, "Silly 7, can't you see? I'm 9!"

"Oh! 9! Right…" said 7, feeling a warm and fuzzy, "We're awfully close, aren't we?"

9 giggled some more. "Yes, we are," she snuggled up closer to him. "We're meant to be, don't you think? You and me? 7 and 9 together?"

"Yeah!" said 7, "You and me. We'd be 79!"

"No, silly!" 9 laughed, "I don't mean together like that! I mean...you and me, I was thinking we could….multiply…"

7 smiled giddily, "That would be nice…"

"Well, you can count me in!" said another voice.

5 appeared on the other side of 9 looking sharp, as if he was on top of the world. "C'mon! It'll be great! I'd be a great addition."

7 looked at 9 and he could tell that she had no objections either. "Well, I guess it's alright." he said to 5.

Soon they were all having fun and laughing. But suddenly someone else appeared.

"Oh, sorry...didn't see you all there…" he said apologetically, "well, don't let me take away from your fun.

"Aw, geez, 2! You've already gone and done it!" 5 whined.

"Don't be mad at him!" said 9.

2 looked faint and uncertain, "Look, guys, I'm real sorry!"

"It's fine, 2." said 7, stepping in to calm the chaos. Even though 2 had jumped in and stopped a perfectly good party, he didn't mind having someone else there with him. In fact, he rather enjoyed the fact that he was mediating for problems; on his own, there hadn't been any problems.

"Yo! Wassup, guys!" came yet another voice.

5 groaned, "What is it now?"

"Man, you look bent out of shape! I said, how is it going!"

"Oh, now you've gone and done it...5 is going to be mad again!" said 2 as he caught the look 5 had emanating from every millimetre of his body.

"Hey, now, don't be so negative. Hahaha!" laughed the newcomer.

5 glared at him, "And who do you think are, barging in here like that?"

"Woah there, dude! Don't hate on the 8!" he said with a smirk. "And who's this here pretty little lady?" 8 said shooting a dodgy grin at 9.

9 sniffed indignantly, "This "little lady" is none of your business!"

8 shrugged carelessly. "I was just thinking you and I should get together."

"For your information, I'm already with 7!"

"Him?! Psh…" 8 glanced over at 7 and scoffed. "You know I'm bigger."

7 didn't get irked easy but 8 seemed to have a thing for ruffling others' feathers. He had never been faced with anything like this before but he thought that he should at least stand up for himself.

"We don't like your attitude, so...I'd like you to get out of here!" said 7 trying to be confident. 8 wasn't joking when he said he was bigger. 7 could see that 8 practically towered over him.

8 was no longer grinning. He stomped towards them with a mean look, "And what if I don't want to leave? What are you going to do about that then?"

"W-we'll do something!"

"Ha! Yeah, I'm real scared!"

"I-I mean it!"

"Well, then, let's go!" roared 8 charging towards 7,9,5 and 2.

It became a great big jumble. Everyone was on top of each other and there was clawing and shouting and punches here and there. When it all stopped, everyone slid back into their place, looking guiltily at each other.

There was 8, knock over and lying there on his side. He was no longer moving.

9 was the first one to speak up "Look what we've done!" she started to sob.

"Oh! It's all my fault! I shouldn't have come here!" wailed 2.

5 said nothing, only stared at 8 and hung his head.

7 was in a panic. He didn't like this. He didn't like this at all. It was much better before when everyone got along. Come to think of it, it hadn't been so bad when everyone hadn't gotten along either. It had been interesting.

"Guys," said 7, "Let's not do this! We were great together! We can't let ourselves be divided by 8! I mean, it was fun with all of you. Even 8!"

Everyone was watching him now. He continued, "Look, I know what it's like being alone and trust me, it's not fun. With all of you, everything was so much better. Sure we disagreed and argued, but it was better. You all, even 8, made me feel like I was something better."

"Yeah I guess so," 9 agreed, wiping a tear.

"It wasn't bad," 5 shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess it was pretty awesome, wasn't it?" said 2.

"Right?" 7 said. "Let's all try to be better than what we are alone! If we let what happened with 8 em-power us, I'm sure we can be equal to something truly great!"

Suddenly 7 was no longer alone. Everyone had gotten together and had changed because of it. 7, 9, 5, 2, and 8 were no longer insignificant single digits. 7 felt the change as they combined and became as one. They were now something great, a symbol of eternal harmony: ∞