'When my mum found out she was going to have another baby,' I started, 'she didn't think she could handle it. She didn't know until late, so the hospital could work out if I was a boy or a girl. I was a girl, obviously. My mum definitely couldn't handle another girl, as my sister was too much work anyway, and Anthony pushed her beyond the limits. She didn't want me aborted, so as soon as I was old enough she put me up for adoption. I grew up there, as I always refused to be taken from someone. When my sister was eighteen she graduated and everything, and went missing. I was adopted from my mum, as she could cope with two children maximum, and as we were older it was easier. My sister was never told, she was clever, cleverer than our parents, and would have found a way to take me back'
Serena had stolen the ice cream and was just finishing up. 'Woah,' she said, 'I'm so sorry'
'Don't be,' I whispered. 'My parents are the ones that should be sorry, and yet they aren't. I have to go now. I've said enough'
I climbed out of the window, the way I got in so Serena's parents wouldn't hear me, and waved a last wave before I sprinted down the streets. It had been raining - I slid and fell, missing the muddy soft grass by an inch. Instead I hit the stony streets, my face slamming across the tire-streaked road. At first I didn't feel much, quite peaceful if anything, then a raiser-sharp stabbing pain like an electric shock showed up in my body. I screamed in pain, but no-one was around at four o'clock in the morning. I've never had a loud voice, and my scream was weak and pitiful. If there was someone nearby and they couldn't see me, they probably wouldn't have heard me anyway. I gained the power in my arms to lift myself to a seating position. I crawled onto the grass, shivering. I laid in the mud, feeling my face's condition. A red liquid was pouring out of my face - I ignored it, and turned around and feel asleep in the sloppiness of the dirt.
I woke with a croak in my throat, and I coughed loudly. I reached up, seeing the misty moon still above me. I stood, and made my way home. I walked into the basement, undressed and stood under the shower. My hair was soon fine, the red liquid down the drain. When I looked in the mirror I screamed.
Across one side of my face was a long scar, barely a millimetre away from the corner of my eye and mouth. It reached from the tip of my forehead to under my chin, and it was as hard as a brick. I felt sick. I threw up over the shower, and screamed again. Three dozen strange caterpillar-like creatures fell down the drain. I stepped back, got into the hot tub and started to relax.
An hour later, six o'clock, I got out of the bubbly water and dried off, had a drink and wrapped a towel around my face. I felt for my key in my hair - all I found was the chain. I searched the floor, the hot tub, even the shower. Nowhere. I was locked in the basement spa. There was only one thing I could do. I took a step back, facing the door, started my position, and powered for the door. It happened once, it can happen again. It broke down like paper, and I left it quickly, running upstairs before my parents could prove it was me. Once I was in my room I started to play with my hair, making it fall over the scarred half of my face. I picked up my comb, but it snapped like a twig in my fingers.
I picked up another, a thicker stronger one. Again, it snapped. This was Anthony, I thought. He's broken all my damn combs. I dressed in pyjamas messed up my hair, and headed downstairs in my bunny slippers. As I grabbed the handle of my door I felt a creaking sound. I tore my hand back like I was touching fire - there, engraved in the door handle, were the markings of my grip. It happened all through the morning - metal spoons, knives, forks, mugs and scissors broke whenever I prodded them, and with a light shove I broke the grandfather clock. In the afternoon I went to the hospital, and had to go in a special aids department. I showed the doctor, who made a phone call. A moment later I was brought outside, supposedly to 'Get Some Fresh Air', and before me were ten helicopters. I was taken and put into the largest. I made a fuss, and had an orange liquid needled into me. I felt sleepy - I dozed off.