Normal shouldn't be a word, after all- what is normal? I ask this to myself when I feel alone, or when it happens. Is it a miracle, or a curse- evil, or justice? How would I know, I have nobody to tell me so. The book claps together as the binding hits the pages, I slide it back to the rightful position on the bookshelf and start walking out. I swing my black and white shoulder bag to my side and slide Pandemonium By: Lauren Oliver into the plush inside. I pull my matted hair into a simple ponytail, combing the black strands desperately. Damn, I am late… he'll kill me. I start to jog home, my faded gray sneakers slapping the pavement with each stride. Cement below me rumbles from the sudden thunder. Shit, If it starts raining… I shook the thoughts out of my head, I was two blocks from home and nothing was going to stop me from getting there as soon as possible. I quickened my pace, thinking about the punishment I might receive.
I started to run past the graveyard, and as I did I put four of my fingers together and blew a kiss to my mother's grave. I could see my home in the distance, looming down the road, side by side to the other houses that mirrored each other, each filled with families with similarities, not a worry in the world- you would never guess that my home was so different, so deformed on the inside of the brick on brick layout. I mentally counted the house numbers until I reached 154. I grimaced as I pulled ripped open the door, and started to run up the stairs located next to the entrance. I could hear my bedroom calling to me, and I knew that soon I would reach freedom, safety.
"Not. So. FAST!" he grabbed my calf just as I managed to grab hold of the railing, I was only three stairs before the landing. Shit, shit, shit.
"LET GO!" I started to try to kick him anywhere I could with my other leg, but his grip was firm, his knuckles threatening.
"You're late, sweetheart." I began hitting him with every open limb I had, but he started to slide us down the stairs until he was balanced on top of my chest with all of his weight, my arms pinned and legs worthless.
"Fuck you." I spat at him, and expectantly received a punch to the face, it stung, but I have had worse. Much worse.
"Excuse me? Watch your little fucking mouth princess, or this time you won't live to see another precious day- besides your little magic tricks." He licked his lips, eying me like candy as he had so many times before, he continued to say, "You know it was you don't you? Your fault she is gone… she loved you and all you did was murder her. You listened to her screams and sat there watching. If it wasn't for you, she would be alive. You deserve nothing, I'll take everything."
"Wasn't me…" I muttered, and in response he grabbed my face in his hand and greedily licked my cheek with his greasy, disgusting tongue.
"Oh please enough of this- I can't bear to listen to your lies much longer." I started to squirm as hard as I could, but his weight was too much for my small frame.
"You can't get away princess." He answered to my movements with a sloppy kiss to my lips. I shuddered and tried to pull away.
"Ah, ah, ah, not so fast." No, no, no… not again, not this time, not now.
"You think you're smart don't you," he yelled, "You think your little tricks are enough to fool me huh? Bull. Your trash. Worthless... TRASH!" with that he spun off me rapidly and kicked a blow into my stomach. Not this time. I can do it. I can protect myself. For mom. For Eli. For my heart. Focus hard… COME ON!
My hands started to tighten in odd angles, and the veins in between the bones started to flash. My fingers wriggled like a fly's legs. My teeth clamped together as I focused my strength, my power, to get him away from me.
"Does baby girl think she has what it takes? Huh? Don't make me laugh. You are NOTHING like your mother. A poor excuse of her offspring. I'll enjoy you a few more times…" he started to advance towards me, thinking my hands around my stomach was from pain, not from my growing power.
"SHUT. THE. FUCK. UPPPPPPP!" I aimed my hands at his greasy forehead and started to scream. My hands tinged with pain but I grimaced through it, and screamed, and screamed, until I noticed I was uncontrollably shrieking. "DIE! DIE! DIE!" I started to push all my energy into my hands, and closed my eyes from the flames. My charcoal hair was blowing black from the blast, and I was running out of energy. My soul calmed a fraction, and I ended it.
"Oh God." I held my unscathed hands over my mouth as I watched my father's twitching body pour blood onto the wood floor. I went too far. I did this, me. No. No… "IT WAS YOUR FAULT," I screamed at the blood shot eyes peering blankly at me through the mess of blackened flesh. "YOU MADE ME!" Oh god, oh god, please. I know you are out there. Angels? Please…
I made a dash for my room and shot into my closet. I crawled into the carpeted corner and sobbed. My eyes burned from the tears, and I shook from fright, and cold. I was trembling, and couldn't feel my hands. I snapped my fingers with the last of my energy, and lit the candle with my fingertips, before letting myself fall into the darkness, with the exception of the warm glow.