NASH: Soundtrack of a Freak
Bio:
Name: Shawna 'Nash' Moranna Lee Zander
Age: 16
Height: 5'4
Appearance: Short Dark Blonde hair. Pale skin. Deep Blue-Green Eyes. Thin.
Abilities: Psychic Medium, Telekinesis, Telepathic (However in reading a persons mind she must touch them and pain is inflicted on the person as their thoughts are transmitted to her, feels like an electric shock)
Personality: Spontaneous, Unconventional, Loyal, Fearless, Tends to keep her emotions in however if provoked she can lose control of her telekinesis which has resulted in breaking windows, broken furniture, and broken bones. She likes to stand out and is described as being mature beyond her years. She Often is seen wearing contradicting colours or gothic apparel. She enjoys walking though cemeteries and communing with the spirits that reside with in.
History: Nash was born in Morrison, a small town in Illinois, she never knew her father, Akron Zander, but her mother says that he was from another country and before she was born he had to leave and return to his native country.
When Nash was seven her mother married a man she met over the internet, Michael Schaumberg, or as Nash calls him "The Troll." Who constantly went away to meet business collogues about strange terms and things Nash never understood. Her half brother was born shortly after the meeting stopped suddenly, The Troll stated he had been fired unjustly, but Nash had heard him up at late hours having conversations with unseen visitors.
Her brother Charles Or "The Goblin" is now seven and is torn between the Trolls lifestyle and personality and Nash and her mum.
A year or so after the marriage they continued to live in Morrison until the Troll got them to move to Chicago, where he was from; saying he had a job interview there and there would be more opportunities for work up there. So the packed up and moved and soon ended up living with the trolls mother "Grendal" at her house and the Troll became more and more abusive, going as far as to lock Nash out of the house and throw her down the stairs. He would provoke her until her emotions would overload and she'd have minor out bursts, which seemed to interest the Troll, as if he was studying her ability. He'd get drunk and stare at her as she slept mumbling unheard words and after four years her and her mother finally moved out into the suburb of Alsip, where Nash learned to control her abilities more and more until she could use them without any forethought. Nash then began her eight grade schooling and met and fell for Ash Kamer. But it was not long after that, that tension between the two began to manifest, she's was strong believer in the paranormal and studied over different Mythologies and legends in her spare time, where Ash discouraged her from doing so, saying it was bad to do so and she was slowly damning her soul. He tells her he loves her but she's afraid of him finding out about her abilities and leaving her. She does everything in her power to stop the out bursts but ultimately failed when she started going to South Side Baptist school, the high school she had agreed to attend with Ash. There she failed every class and was called to the principals office almost everyday. She was made fun of by the students, called a freak, a Goth, and a whore. She suppressed her emotions by learning how to balance her power in her veins allowing it to flow through her instead of bursting outward even though she'd like nothing more then to wipe the damn smiles off their faces.
One day she got into a argument with the typing class teacher over the results on the progress reports where everyone in the class had passed except for her and the teachers excuse was that she hadn't preformed as well as the others. She then went into how under learned Nash was and how she would probably end up having to repeat the grade anyway. Nash lost control and the rooms windows burst showering her class mates with fragments of the shattered window. She was instantly expelled and the principal even had the audacity to say that it was obvious that Nash was possessed. Nash is currently home schooled, having relationship problems with Ash and worried sick because the divorce between her Mum and the Troll hasn't been going well and he's been acting even stranger then usual. He's been sending Nash letters in a weird runic language Nash can't decipher. Nash is afraid something's going to happen and hopes that if it does she can stop it. And so this is where it begins, this is… The Soundtrack of a Freak.
If Today Was Your Last Day (Nickleback)
I lay on my bed balancing a pencil in the air with my telekinesis. Ash talked on the other line of my cell phone, I was becoming more and more frustrated at the fact that he just didn't understand anything about me, even after all this time he was simply clueless.
"I just need some space, I can't spend everyday with you, I need to learn more about what I can do, I've told you that…" I sighed into the receiver of my grey razor.
He sighed in return. "Yeah I understand that, I just don't understand why you act so cold anymore and so unemotional."
"I'm not cold its just I feel out of place with you anymore, you try to act like nothings wrong and that the whole world is just perfect, but I see the people stare and whisper every time where out I just don't get what you don't understand and choose to ignore that everyone thinks I'm some monster. And I'm sorry I don't cry during every movie we go to, and I'm sorry I don't get scared and run to you for help with every thing! That's just not the person I am."
He sighed.
"I'm just trying to figure out if this is going to work…"
I let the pencil I was suspending in the air drop to the floor and sat up shaking my head. "Wait what are you saying?"
"You don't understand what I'm going through in order to be with you, everyone at school always asks me how my freak girlfriend is, and how the exorcism is going, and its hard for me to keep defending you, and if you can't understand that then," He sighed. "Then we won't work."
I half laughed. "You once told me, that no matter what happened, what everhappened, you would never leave me, or let anything hurt me," I semi whispered. "And now you're the one doing the most damage…"
"Me doing the damage!?" He retorted. "Funny seems you're the one who does all the damage, do you even really love me! Remotely care about me!"
"Why the hell do you think that!? Of coarse I care about you! Do you honestly think I would have stayed with you this long if I didn't!" I shot. "You just don't understand anything about me, and I feellike you don't take anything I say seriously I have tried to talk to you about my interests my hobbies but you always tell me I shouldn't take interested in the paranormal because it'll 'damn my soul'! if you would just shut up once and a while maybe you'd be more open minded! I don't get why you don't Listen!"
"Because its not what I believe Shawna!" He said frustrated.
"What are you talking about! It's not a religion it's a fact! What do you make of my telekinesis then! You don't believe it, so you think its not a problem and it doesn't affect me!"
"Shawna this just isn't going to work…I'm sorry…I, I can't keep doing this your just so obnoxious anymore, I mean, did you ever stop to think of what your doing to me!"
"Doing to you! This is my curse! My problem! How dare you even think that I'm the obnoxious one!" I yelled as the pencil snapped in half.
"Well then, I guess I just can't deal with your problems…but I really do deserve better…I am sorry…" He said.
The phone clicked and flashed off. I sat speechless, angry and hurt. The light in the lamp exploded on cue, and the window was thrown open violently. I could hear my mum shuffling towards my room from the other side of the wall.
"You ok in here?" My mum said peeking through the door as she scanned my room.
I stood up angrily. "Oh, yeah, great, just fine…I'm gunna go walk to Sam's, she's been wanting to see me and at least she'll be happy to hear the news..." I mumbled.
My mum seemed to take this in bewildered "What news Hun?"
I shook my head. "I'll tell you later…" I mumbled.
"Yeah…um…ok…" She said in a confused sort of voice. "Hurry Home…"
I threw on my old combat boots before heading out the door into the apartment building hall barely noticing my mom saying Goodbye as I slammed the door shut. Hurrying down the three stair flights out into the brisk night air I began the long walk to Sam's. The night felt cool as the wind whooshed against my skin, a soothing sensation I needed.
Walking the streets leading to Sams I watched as the street lights made odd shadows across the street dark and long. Sam's house was about fifteen blocks away but it didn't faze me, it gave me time to think and sort out my emotions as I trudged on hands folded in my pockets and after a while the streets all began to run together and I simply trusted my feet to lead me to down right ones. I had got about ten blocks down when I heard a pile of leave rustle unusually behind me. Turning swiftly I felt a weird feeling creep into my stomach as if someone was watching me. Drawing some power into my veins cautiously I continued my walk, not long, it seemed before I stood in front of my target. Sam's house was a good size, made of Red-Orange bricks, positioned delightfully in front of one of the many public cemeteries.
I rang the door bell and stood waiting, not long however, before Sam's voice was heard from inside.
"I'm comin, I'm comin…Alex I swear if its you I'll…" She cut off as she opened the door and saw me. "Ah!! Nashie!"
She leapt at me and pulled me into a crushing hug.
I threw my arms up when she released me. "Ash broke up with me…I need Ice Cream…"
He mouth dropped open in shock, though I new inside she was happy; she had never liked Ash.
"Aw…did he! Jerk, I'll have to kick his butt and you know I will." She said grinning evilly. "Well, come on in and lets get some Ice Cream to celebrate" She replied pulling me inside. I grinned knowing how much Sam loved to 'celebrate'.
As we entered the house Sam went right to the large white freezer, and there she pulled out about thirteen containers of ice cream. All of which had high sugar contents and all of which contained chocolate, Carmel, or cake pieces. I smiled and placed my hand on her shoulder.
"I love you…you know that right." I laughed as I eyed the many flavors.
She laughed. "Yeah you better…"
We carried all the containers into the living room and sat them in a large arranged circle between us. We sat opposite of each other and began to consume our treats. "I don't understand why I even dated him anyway," I said through a mouthful of strawberry cheese cake Ice cream. "He was just to different from me."
Sam nodded in agreement. "Way to different. But don't worry you'll find a better guy, there are tons more fish in the sea…Hotter, Smarter, Funnier, Stronger, and more Understanding fish." Sam declared.
I snorted. "Yeah if I ever meet someone like that I'll be dreaming…" I said dully. "I'm not lucky that way…."
I shook my head and ladled some Double Fudge Brownie into my mouth.
"You will find someone else…just because he was a jerk and he made the mistake of not listening to you, and trying to change you doesn't mean every man's like that…you'll find Mr. Right someday" Sam said as her eyes shot open and a smile appeared on her face. "Oh and I got something that'll cheer you up!"
She jumped up and race off. After a bit of banging and clattering she returned with her laptop.
"More pictures of Hellboy go posted online today…and it looks like he posed for this one." She laughed showing me the picture on her laptop of a large red demon with a stone hand held up in a peace sign.
I began laughing instantaneously.
"Oh wow now that just made my day…" I said through laughs. "Screw Ash this is priceless…"
She pulled up youtube and found more videos taken from cell phones, and camcorders all documenting Hellboy in one way or another. Hellboy, was in a way my hero, and I thought it laughable that the one bald man, "Manning", who's always on TV denies his existence, I know he is real, hell if you thought he wasn't then your blind. I like to think that there was a bunch of people out there, people like me, rejected for their abilities as freaks of society.
'I wish one day I could meet him. He's someone who I could relate to. Eh, maybe one day, who knows' I thought silently as Sam put on a new Greenday music video.
"I love their new Album! Know your enemy is the best!" Sam exclaimed as he turned the volume up and began to jump around dancing randomly.
We watched a few Fall Out Boy and Greenday music videos all of which made Sam get up and dance, much to my amusement.
"Hey have you tried out your telepathy on anyone else lately?" She asked after about the tenth Fall Out Boy Video.
I shook my head. "There's no one else to try it on…"
Sam held out her hand. "Ok well tell me what I'm thinking of…"
"Doesn't this hurt you at all?" I asked my hand placed cautiously on hers.
"Eh, I've grown used to it, now come on what am I thinking of!" She said eagerly.
I rolled my eyes and dove into her mind.
'Here's a llama there's a llama and another little llama fuzzy llama funny llama, llama, llama duck!'
I pulled out laughing. "The llama song? Really Sam the llama song!"
She laughed and turned it on the computer and resumed her random dancing.
I laughed and couldn't help but join in.
When the song ended Sam plunked down on the sofa and flipped through a few tracks before she hit play on one of Nickleback's knew songs.
"If Today was your Last Day, its their newest release, and it's awesome!." Sam explained.
"My best friend gave me the best advise, he said each days a gift and not a given right, leave no stone unturned leave your fears behind and try to take the path less traveled by, that first step you take is the longest stride. If today was your last day tomorrow was to late could you say good bye to yesterday, would you live each moment like your last leave old pictures in the past, donate every dime you have, if today was your last day."
Suddenly deep a thought hit me and I turned to my bubbly friend who had began to sing the words. "Hey Sam, what if today was like your last day here…and like you knew you had only here and now…" I thought out loud.
She cocked her head to the side and placed her finger on her lips. "Hmm…bleak thoughts… but I guess it wouldn't be unexpected, I mean each day we live is like a gift, its not like a solid thing, we could just die anytime…" She answered. "I guess we just gotta leave our fears behind and just live, just do like the song says, its good advise if ya think about it."
I took what she said in and sighed. "Yeah…" I breathed. "But like if you knew today was your last day, like you knew you where going to die…what would you, personally, do?"
She laughed slightly. "Well it could go two ways, I could reek havoc knowing there wouldn't be consequences for me, or I could try to make a difference, help some people, or maybe go act like a crazy teenager and tip over the guy in the stupid hotdog suit at the mall."
She clapped her hands together and laughed. "I really hate that guy…"
I smiled picturing her tipping over the hot dog guy. "Only you could turn a perfectly dreary serious thought or subject into a joke…and that's why I loveded you…" I laughed. "Now hand over the double dark chocolate chip hot fudge ice cream! I'm threw with depressing thoughts and men!"
She laughed at slid the container over to me. "Pig…" She laughed.
"Hey look who's talking Ms. Chocolate Carmel Birthday Cake swirl!"
She burst out laughing as she sprayed a load of whipped cream straight into the container. "Darn Straight! I am Mrs. Chocolate Carmel Birthday Cake Swirl, I know this is one partner who will never leave me! Well, unless I eat him…but then I can get more of him!"
I laughed as she squeezed a load of whipped cream into my container. "Now that," I said pointing my spoon at her. "Sounds like a good idea."
The rest of the night went by with out any more depressing concepts and we finished about five of the thirteen containers of sweet ice cream, we experimented some more with my telepathy, and watched about four episodes of the Simpsons, with stomachs full to the sick point with ice cream.
Sam was about to put on Tree House of Horror IV when I looked at the clock. "Merde!" I cursed in Italian. "It's almost eleven, I gotta go before my mum sends the army to look for me."
She groaned. "Ok, but you have to promise to come around more often…I get lonely…and Alex is really annoying"
I hugged her. "I know, I know…"
"Ok and remember don't let any man get you down, there's plenty of fish in the sea!"
"I won't I'm over him, his loss," I replied. "I'll try to come by tomorrow round five, K."
"That's the spirit, ok see Ya then…I gotta go and get more of that Birthday Cake Ice cream stuff…and I do believe we used all the whipped cream…"
"Isn't your dad gunna be mad?" I questioned heading to the door.
"Nah, I got ways of dealin with him."
I looked sideways at her and laughed. "I bet you do…See Ya tomorrow Sam."
She laughed loudly knowing her ways.
"See Ya!" She said as I stepped out into the cool nights air and began my march home.
I waited until I got to the end of the block before I picked up my cell and dialed my mums number.
………………………………......................................
No answer.
'Odd, she always answers when I'm late…Hope nothings wrong…' I thought to no one important.
I picked up the pace after she didn't answer a second time and practically raced home after she didn't pick up after the third. I kept calling but it just kept ringing and going to voice mail. As I approached the building the outside of the complex didn't look different, but I did note that the security door was open. Racing up the stairs to our apartment on the third floor I found the door ajar, panic struck me like a bolt of white lightning. I drew upon my powers as a precaution before rushing in.
I hurried past the kitchen entrance to the living room. No one. The bathroom. No one. Then I peered into my mums, bedroom and my breath seized in my lungs. There my mother was lying on the bed bloody and lifeless. I walked closer but began to back away in shock, I began turning to run as I felt a cold hand dig into my shoulder. "We knew you'd come…" deep voice said with a slight Russian accent.
"Who are you and what do you want!" I shot as the glass shattered in the windows, my hands clenched into fists.
The man laughed crudely as the lights flickered.
"My name is Drakkar, and I'm here for you…"
"Then why did you kill her…" I hissed.
"We were looking for you, but you weren't here. You should know that if you hadn't have left then we wouldn't have had to harm her, and she probably would have still been alive…" He said mockingly. "So if you see it a I, personally, I think its really your fault she's dead…but its all in opinion I guess." He taunted laughing again.
"Where's my brother…" I asked quietly. "Or did you take him out like you did her."
Drakkar started to answer but was cut off another voice from behind him.
"I've got him, where he belongs." I monotone voice said from the door way, a voice I knew to well. Michael Schaumberg.
"Shawna, Shawna, Shawna…if only you could have seen it…her begging for us not to hurt you or Charles, you don't know how long I've waited to see that…" He laughed.
"What do you want with me." I hissed fists clenched.
The Troll walked forward and stood next to me.
"We need you to help us…" He started. "See a while before I was married to your mother I found out about the mighty Ogdru Jahad, The dragons of the Revelation, and the ones who will destroy the world and make a new Eden for it's loyal followers, so Drakkar and I have been searching for someone who can help us procure the right hand of doom. The key to release the Ogdru Jahad… and then I met a woman who had a daughter with an amazing gift…"
"What use would I be?" I asked buying time to draw upon my powers to full height.
The Troll leaned forward forcing me to look at his hideous features.
"We are working to resurrect our priest, Rasputin, and for that we need you to retrieve some things for us. Drakkar here, is a vampire, but he can only do so much, we need someone with your, 'Talents'. And when our preist is reawakened then you will be relinquished under his power and will do what ever he asks of you…he might even bring back your mother if you are obedient and faithful."My power peaked and I felt it coursing through my veins.
I sent a wave of power out wards from me throwing them back away from me. "I would never help you," I seethed. "Not after what you've done!"
My eyes glowed bright blue as the power continued to build and I could feel a out burst like none I'd ever produced.
Drakkar lunged at me, I tried to knock him back but was not nearly quick enough, and felt his fangs pierced my neck with white hot pain.
Screaming in pain and anger, energy erupted from me causing the floor to break open and the walls to crumple and fall around us.
Uncertain yelling, loud bangs, and frightened screams filled the air as the building collapsed underneath my feet.
The ceiling fell and crushed me underneath it as my blood felt like it had caught fire.
I sent out blasts of energy to stop the rubble from entirely crushing me as I attempted to look through the falling dust and rubble for The Troll and Drakkar but I could make out nothing but shadows and falling debris. I flowed with the falling stone and plaster until it settled and there was no more to fall. Crawling out from under the debris, blood still burning, and chest aching with every breath I drew into my lungs, I tried to locate anything familiar. And that's when I saw my mothers body laying a few feet away, even more bloody and distorted. Sorrow and helplessness welled up in me like boiling acid. I crawled to her, bones cracking and most likely shattering as reached for her cold body and began to sob. "Why…" Was all I could manage to whisper hoarsely as blood filled my mouth.
I cried until I couldn't breathe, the tears began to sting painfully as they entered cuts on my face. my heart was slowing…and I realized was dying.
"I love you…mum…" I whispered through tears kissing her cold cheek. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you…"
My heart was slowing more rapidly and the tears came no more. Death was but minutes, maybe seconds away.
I could hear sirens and the flickers of red lights in the darkened distance knowing that they would arrive to late as the world around me slipped away. I could hear Sams voice in my head, 'I'd try to make a difference…' Nickleback's song, the chorus playing on repeat rippling through my last thoughts. Fate Has its ways…Ironic though they are, and perfectly hidden in plain sight.
I never said goodbye, never said I love you before I left. I had been so cold…so unemotional.
A single tear flowed from my eye down the side of my face as I laid next to my mother, ready to join her in what ever followed death. I attempted to draw in breath, one last time, though it never came as the darkness slide over me and my heart gave its last feeble, unwilling beat. I was dead.
