Joke

Nature has a way of being cruel. Every now and then freakish manifestations are created, bringing with them ill tidings. No one knows why these things happen. Perhaps they are an experiment gone awry. Perhaps they are a means of punishment for others.

Whatever the reason, they should not be allowed to live. Nature has created a Frankenstein of a creature; they are seen as an abomination. There is no way to justify their existence.

Yet they survive. They walk, breathe, and eat. They live. But on so many occasions they wonder why. Perhaps it was pity that kept them alive. When they suffer so, they themselves find that they wish for death. For death is their freedom from the burden that is their horrible, twisted lives.

They are just a sick joke of Nature.


SISTER

Everyone seeks acceptance. But everyone also seeks their own individual identity. That is when all the confusion starts. While one strives for individuality it may not necessarily conform to a certain amount of normality.

People accept the normal as normal. It is alright because it's normal. I am not.

Like anyone, I seek acceptance. Unlike anyone, I am not normal. Like anyone, I seek my own identity. Unlike anyone, my identity is so muddled I barely even know my own self.

One's identity comes partly from the parents. It's a building block, somewhere to start. I don't even know what I am, let alone who I am.

I am of two worlds I suppose. I know that much. But the worlds are so different that I don't know which I am supposed to belong to. I am of both, yet of neither. One world refuses my existence because of my connections to the other. The other does not acknowledge me as a part.

I could pass as normal. I'm doing it right now. But I do not like it. It means denying my other side. It is a part of me, as I am reminded of every other day.

The closet I have ever gotten to acceptance is that given to me by my brothers. Now, when I say brothers I do not mean those that you think. They are no related to me in any way possible. Except perhaps my father. But then he has never really been a father figure. He is more like a brother. He is a brother. No, when I say 'brother' I mean kin. We are the same, yet different.

In a way I am their sister. Usually my brothers would attack someone, something, anything. I am immune to these attacks because I am part of them. They sense it. They protect me from any danger they might feel. They would die for me and they know I would die for them.

But still I am not like them. If not for one little factor I might not even have their acceptance.

I feel their pain. Every time the horrible curse that has been place upon them takes place I feel it in my very bones. It hurts so much. Sometimes it does not occur for many nights, once it was for two moon turnings. Other times it's every other day, and so many at one time. I used to try to keep track of my brothers, but gave up soon after I realized that they are too spread out over the world. There are too many moons to keep track of.

No one really realises just how painful it can be. Their screams are not because they feel like it. It's not to give it a bit of theatricality. It truly does hurt. The bones shift, grow and bend in and out of shape. Muscles change. And all this is against their will, so naturally they try to stop it, only making it worse for themselves, and me.

I revel in these random spasms. I am glad for them. Not for the pain part, but for the randomness. If it were to occur when it was supposed to in that particular region then I believe someone would have notice something. Someone would have seen my abnormality.

I don't think my birth could have been foreseen. I don't think it has ever happened. I do not blame my father for this. There was no way he could have known this would have happened. Despite this I feel closer to his that I do to my mother. All she gives me is scorn. She blames my father for the abomination that he gave her in me. I don't care. All I would have received form her was hostility. I love my father, as a father and brother.

And he loves me, as a daughter and a sister. We understand each other. In the end, that is all I seek.