Short Stories and poems

Water colors (short story)

Hi. My name is rain. I'm going to tell you a story, the story. The story of how I became what I am now. I'm not normal. I'm the least normal person you would expect to be hearing from right now, and I don't mean I have any special powers or abilities. It's... Something that no one would expect...

Well you see, I'm in a painting. I always have been my whole life and I can't remember I time that I wasn't. I was born here when the brush touched the canvas and I was given a base, and with that base, I was given a heart. I live in a painting, a beautiful painting, of a village. I'm the little girl in the corner. I was always picked on and shunned by the other members of my village. I was the different one. My name was different and unusual, unlike everyone else's names that were boring and normal. I also looked much different. See? That's me. The little 12 year old girl outside that house. The one with the porcelain skin, the multi-color dress, and the bright yellow hair with pink streaks. Or at least... I used to be that girl.

My day started out like any other. I got up and helped my mom with chores, Dad took me fishing... A normal day... Until I went out with my friends.

I go out with them everyday, Eli and Kate. We did the same thing every day. We picked flowers and we rode our bikes around the town. We did exactly the same thing we did everyday, that was, until we stumbled upon it.

Today was different. We got lost, we wandered into the bad side of town. We tried to stay as unnoticed as possible, but one found us.

"What are you doing here, pretty little girls?" A man said, grinning as he walked up to me, Eli, and Kate. "We simply got lost" Eli said, stopping in front of the man. "Well, I can show you how to get out..." He said, looking us up and down. It was obvious to us that he would want payment for helping us, and not in money.

"I mean no disrespect sir, but, Please leave us be." Kate said, but the man just walk closer to us. We were now pressed against the wall of a building, trying to stay away from him. "Oh come on, pretty little girls like you shouldn't be out alone," he said, coming even closer, leaning down with his face right in front of Kate's, "you don't know what kind of people you might encounter.." I saw a smirk on his lips after he said that, and his hand touch Kate's leg.

Kate winced, but didn't do anything. None of us did. We watched in horror as our friend got harassed. He slid his hand up her dress, leaning closer to her face. She did nothing. We did nothing.

Eli say there on the ground covering her ears and closing her eyes as this happened. The man started to grope Mary and kiss her.

I knew that in my village it was against the rules for a girl to speak out or act out against a man, but I had enough. I was not going to let my friend be treated like this.

"Hey," I yelled, pushing the man, "what the hell do you think you're doing?!"
He just stumbled and looked surprised.
He grabbed Kate's arm and pushed her aside and to the ground, walking closer to me. "Oh, little girl thinks she's tough, huh? What are you gonna do about it?" He said, smirking as he leaned down and grabbed my arm to prevent me from running away. His face was about 5 inches from mine, so I took my chance and decided to fight.

I spat as hard as I can, right in his face. He yelled in disgust and anger as he let go to wipe his face. I used the little free time that I had to help Kate and Eli up. I pushed them forward to make them walk. "Guys! Go! Get away from here!"
I yelled, just as I was pulled around by my arm. I was dragged a little bit before I was thrown at the brick exterior of the building. "Oh well you're a little punk aren't aren't you? Think you can fight me? You think that you're strong?! You're a girl! the only thing you're useful for is cooking or fucking, and I'm full." He snarled, picking me up by the collar of my dress. I swung my fist into his face, making him drop me. I was much stronger than people thought.

I ran. I ran and ran and I heard him chase me. I finally made it to my side of the painting, but... I didn't feel very safe... A large group of people were in the town centre, as I walked towards them and was noticed, the quiet murmurs were silenced. I saw Eli and Kate in the front of the crowd, sad and disgusted looks on their faces. I smiled as much as I could with my bloody face and yelled "KATE. ELI. ARE YOU GUYS OKA-" but I was stopped short, by the leader of our town, grabbing me by my arm. "What do you think you're doing you little criminal?" He said, pulling me to the middle of the crowd. 'What?! Criminal?!?' I thought to myself, as a large stake came into view.

'No...he can't possibly mean...' I said, casting a horrified look to my two friends, who avert their eyes as I'm tied to the stake.

"Rain, you are being accused of breaking the number one law of our community, that no woman shall dis-obey the orders, or act out against a man, what do you plead?" The leader said, loud so everyone could hear.

"I-I-I-" I started, but was cut off.
"YOU WILL ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW!" He yelled at me. Tears came to my eyes. "I- G-Guilty, but he-" I said as he put up a finger to silence me. "Then it's settled. You are sentenced to water colors, the procedure will being now." He said as people came towards me slowly, black paintbrushes in hand. "No... NO." I yelled, finding Eli and Kate in the back, watching my punishment unfold, "I SAVED YOU GUYS. WHY?! WHY WOULD YOU TELL?!" I screamed.

"Rules are rules, darling..." I hear a familiar voice say... Mom? I turn my head, only to have black paint splashed across my face. I catch a small glimpse of my mothers face. "MOM, YOU TOO?!" I yell, not expecting a reply.

I screamed and shouted as black paint was splattered all over my body and dress. After about 45 minutes of this, we heard a door creak open.

Everyone hid the black paint, returning to their spaces on the painting, but leaving me there.

"What? Another one?! How does his keep happening?!" The Artist said, grabbing a brush and a cup of water, dipping the brush and slowly dragging it over me.

The pain was unbearable, but I can't move in the presence of the artist.

His he dipped his brush in the water and brushed me multiple times before I was gone. Wiped away. Out of the painting altogether. Once and for all...

And that's my story. The story of how I became this. The narrator to a sad story, about a girl, who's courage and strength, literally, became the death of her.