"Mr. Wizard, get me out of here," was written in silver pen on her
black notebook. Along with that, there were cryptic messages written all
over her belongings, like she collected words. "A word collector," she
thought. "Interesting."
Who was she? Nobody really knew, she kept to herself. A bit of a loner, perhaps. She didn't talk much, but everyone assumed they knew just what she wanted - to be left alone. They didn't know her at all.
The bell rang, and the class was dismissed. She went to her locker, which was decorated with anime pictures, and got her things for her next class, art. She was walking down the hallway when somebody tripped her. She saw who it was; it was that big football player Steven Jensen. Jocks loved to target the weak.
Her books spilled to the floor, and everyone stood around her, laughing. Some kicked at her things, others tried to play Keep-Away. She tried very hard and succeeded in ignoring them and picked up her books, continuing her walk to class among false catcalls and yelling of derogatory comments. They just didn't understand.
She was late to art class. Sitting down next to her friend, Ren, she leaned back and sighed. "What's wrong?" Ren asked.
"Nothing."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"Oh, okay."
They sat in silence while the class got their assignment. They had to draw a fantasy world. The girl picked up her pencil and began drawing in her sketchbook. She drew furiously until the time was up. By then, her hands were gray with pencil lead. The teacher asked her to turn it in, so she did. The teacher held it up and studied it for a moment. "I don't think you understood the directions, Miss Anderson," she said.
"I understood them very well, ma'am."
"Then what is this?" The picture was visible. It was of a girl standing in the middle of many different people and horrible things. She even drew a figure resembling Steven Jensen, who looked very much like a pig.
"Miss Anderson, your work in the past has been exceptionally good. Thus, I am surprised you turned in something like this. This is the real world and I asked you to draw a fantasy world."
"But this is a fantasy world! It's clearly represented!"
"I'm afraid you are wrong. This is the real world, not the dream world. We know this because we can use our senses and actually feel pain. I'm afraid I cannot accept this."
"No! You can't do that! I was being creative!"
"Do not tell me what I can and cannot do! I am your teacher, and I feel that you did not give me a satisfactory job. I'll let you redo it, if you want. It would be in your best interest."
"I am not redoing that piece! It is perfect." She stormed out of the classroom, absolutely furious. She went down the hall and got her belongings, going home. She was the last one to get on the bus, so she had to sit up with the kindergarteners. It was humiliating, but they treated her nicer than any people her age. All she could think about was her art teacher. What a charlatan.
She put her headphones on and turned up the volume. Today's pick was the Sex Pistols. Old school punk, hell yeah. Soon enough, it was her stop.
She lived in an apartment building in the middle of the city. A bunch of other kids got off at the same stop, but none of them talked to her. She went inside the building and climbed up the stairs to a door marked "101." This was her apartment. She turned the knob and found her dad in the living room, watching TV. That was surprising, since he seemed to work in his office/bedroom twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. He greeted her with a smile. "Hello, Horizon dear, how was school today?"
She gave him a forced smile. "It was great!" She knew he wanted to talk more, but she quickly hurried off to her room. It was so tiny, but it had so much in it. A computer, a TV with cable, her bed, and her stereo occupied most of the space. Most kids her age would kill to have a room like that, but she knew the only reason she had those things was to keep her occupied while her parents worked and later gifts because 'they couldn't be there for her all the time.' She just wished to be loved.
Horizon Fate Anderson, hell, they even had to give her a stupid name. She didn't like her parents at all. At least she was an only child. She could only imagine what would have happened if they had another kid. They couldn't take care of one alone. Most nights her parents would be working in or outside the home, and she always had to do chores and dinner.
She tossed her school bag to the side and flopped on her bed. She flicked on the TV and watched some anime. Soon, she fell asleep.
Most people treated her terribly, but only if they knew! Only if she knew! She was a truly amazing gift. Alas, she did not know that and she constantly contemplated suicide and dreamt of a world better off without her.
If only...
Who was she? Nobody really knew, she kept to herself. A bit of a loner, perhaps. She didn't talk much, but everyone assumed they knew just what she wanted - to be left alone. They didn't know her at all.
The bell rang, and the class was dismissed. She went to her locker, which was decorated with anime pictures, and got her things for her next class, art. She was walking down the hallway when somebody tripped her. She saw who it was; it was that big football player Steven Jensen. Jocks loved to target the weak.
Her books spilled to the floor, and everyone stood around her, laughing. Some kicked at her things, others tried to play Keep-Away. She tried very hard and succeeded in ignoring them and picked up her books, continuing her walk to class among false catcalls and yelling of derogatory comments. They just didn't understand.
She was late to art class. Sitting down next to her friend, Ren, she leaned back and sighed. "What's wrong?" Ren asked.
"Nothing."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"Oh, okay."
They sat in silence while the class got their assignment. They had to draw a fantasy world. The girl picked up her pencil and began drawing in her sketchbook. She drew furiously until the time was up. By then, her hands were gray with pencil lead. The teacher asked her to turn it in, so she did. The teacher held it up and studied it for a moment. "I don't think you understood the directions, Miss Anderson," she said.
"I understood them very well, ma'am."
"Then what is this?" The picture was visible. It was of a girl standing in the middle of many different people and horrible things. She even drew a figure resembling Steven Jensen, who looked very much like a pig.
"Miss Anderson, your work in the past has been exceptionally good. Thus, I am surprised you turned in something like this. This is the real world and I asked you to draw a fantasy world."
"But this is a fantasy world! It's clearly represented!"
"I'm afraid you are wrong. This is the real world, not the dream world. We know this because we can use our senses and actually feel pain. I'm afraid I cannot accept this."
"No! You can't do that! I was being creative!"
"Do not tell me what I can and cannot do! I am your teacher, and I feel that you did not give me a satisfactory job. I'll let you redo it, if you want. It would be in your best interest."
"I am not redoing that piece! It is perfect." She stormed out of the classroom, absolutely furious. She went down the hall and got her belongings, going home. She was the last one to get on the bus, so she had to sit up with the kindergarteners. It was humiliating, but they treated her nicer than any people her age. All she could think about was her art teacher. What a charlatan.
She put her headphones on and turned up the volume. Today's pick was the Sex Pistols. Old school punk, hell yeah. Soon enough, it was her stop.
She lived in an apartment building in the middle of the city. A bunch of other kids got off at the same stop, but none of them talked to her. She went inside the building and climbed up the stairs to a door marked "101." This was her apartment. She turned the knob and found her dad in the living room, watching TV. That was surprising, since he seemed to work in his office/bedroom twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. He greeted her with a smile. "Hello, Horizon dear, how was school today?"
She gave him a forced smile. "It was great!" She knew he wanted to talk more, but she quickly hurried off to her room. It was so tiny, but it had so much in it. A computer, a TV with cable, her bed, and her stereo occupied most of the space. Most kids her age would kill to have a room like that, but she knew the only reason she had those things was to keep her occupied while her parents worked and later gifts because 'they couldn't be there for her all the time.' She just wished to be loved.
Horizon Fate Anderson, hell, they even had to give her a stupid name. She didn't like her parents at all. At least she was an only child. She could only imagine what would have happened if they had another kid. They couldn't take care of one alone. Most nights her parents would be working in or outside the home, and she always had to do chores and dinner.
She tossed her school bag to the side and flopped on her bed. She flicked on the TV and watched some anime. Soon, she fell asleep.
Most people treated her terribly, but only if they knew! Only if she knew! She was a truly amazing gift. Alas, she did not know that and she constantly contemplated suicide and dreamt of a world better off without her.
If only...