Fractures (The Marvels)

Chapter One - The Wheels On The Bus

I've never been special. And please, before you start thinking about that 'everyone is special' crap, I ask you to reconsider the logic behind that statement. How on earth can someone be special if everyone is special, it's like saying no one is normal. Normal means average. If everyone is special, then everyone is average. So know one is special, never have and never will.

People then use the argument like 'How come people remember this person- or this person?'. That's a boring argument. They weren't special, and if hypothetically they were, then it was only for a brief glimpse in time.

Only enough to leave a small stain on the pages of history. A small insignificant mark.

But back to my point. I've never been special, and I never will. As much as I hope, dream and wish, I will never be anything but average.

I will never be special.

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I trudged down stairs, the stairs squeaking as my weight shifted beneath them. I huff, 'I really need to fix that bloody floor board'.

I reach the bottom of the staircase, flipping the downstairs light on. I squeeze my eyes shut as the lights flash on brightly. I don't know why my father insisted on choosing bright fluorescent lights. It was our house after all, not a hospital. But mum let him, saying 'Just as long as it does the job'. What was the job? To blind us?

I slowly make my way to the kitchen, my eyelids half open as I peek through the light. Eventually I blinked hazily, getting used to it. I sigh quietly, opening the fridge slowly.

Empty.

I groan loudly, tensing with frustration. 'Why did I keep forgetting to do that?"

I tilt my head back, taking a deep breath. My stomach growling as I slam the door roughly. The door rattles against the frame before slowly closing. I let out a breath of air as I glance around, my eyes catching a pile of notes on the kitchen counter.

'These are for emergencies only. I mean it Y/n. Don't open the jar unless it's an emergency' My mother's stern voice rings in my head.

I side eyed it, narrowing my gaze. Technically.... This was an emergency. I'm hungry, I'm out of food, and there's a fifty on the counter. Yes, this was an emergency. Besides... it's not like she's here. She's not going to notice.

I glance at my watch. Realizing I didn't have much time left, I grab the scrunched up fifty and shove it into my pocket.

There's a harsh breeze brushing against my frame as I trudge down the pathway, specs of water dropping onto me as the sky growls. My stomach accompanies it, there sounds mixing together.

The woolen jumper does little to protect me from the rain. Reaching the bus shelter, I slide under the roof and shift my backpack off my shoulders. I crouch down, resting my backpack upright on the cold concrete floor and attempt to brush the water droplets off.

After a few minutes, I sigh realising that the damage had already been done. Crap. My laptop was in there. I swing my bag back onto my shoulder and rub my face tiredly.

"There is no way? Really?!"

A high pitched voice causes me to look up. I straighten slightly as I see a group of year sevens enter the opposite end. Dressed similarly, they all had huge smiles plastered on their faces, their phones withdrawn.

After a few minutes, the bus shelter is overflowing with students, desperate to get out of the rain. I'm squeezed into a sharp corner, feeling slightly suffocated by the year ten boys' close proximity and overwhelming abundance of AXE body spray.

I relax slightly as I hear the bus approaching, the machine squeaking loudly as the tires come to an abrupt halt. The crowd of unenthusiastic youth push and shove, each attempting to barge into the doorway and claim a seat.

We really need a second bus.

Though surprisingly, there seemed to be less people than normal. I vaguely recall the mention of an excursion, but I thought it was last week. Was it week 5 or 6? Wait, if it's week six don't I have a after school meeting? Crap, how am I supposed to get ho-

My thoughts are abruptly cut off as a young boy barges into me. He mumbles a short apology, but then continues to cut in and out of the crowd, reaching the doorway. I take a step forward and join the end of the queue, waiting a few minutes before I'm finally able to enter the doorway.

Glancing around, I find a spare seat and make my way over. The engine sends me jolting forward slightly as the engine screeches to life. I clumsy stumble into the seat, apologizing as I bump into the person next to me. He just nods quietly, looking away as music blasts through his headphones. I slide my bag down onto the floor, securing it under the chair.

I grab my phone from my pocket, opening Pinterest and scrolling idly. My stomach starts to ache, but I push it aside, assuming it's just from hunger.

However as the drive continues, the feeling grows. My head starts to spin and I feel bile rising up my throat. I swallow, grimacing as I dig through my bag to find my water bottle.

As my hand finally clasps my water bottle, my eyes widen. My stomach turns as the bus comes to an abrupt stop. The tires screech, a sharp metal crunching 'thud' echoes in my ears. The ground beneath me seems to disappear, as my body gets dragged up and to the left harshly. Glass flies through the bus, students tumbling to the side as all sense of gravity is lost. I squeeze my eyes shut, hands jumping to my head. My breathing hitches as I'm thrown to the side.

I try to shield myself, bracing for impact. I hear the screams, the cries and the yelps.

I wait for the impact, but instead all I feel is the sensation of the knot in my stomach easing. The air becomes lighter, warmer even.

I hesitated to open my eyes, peering forward. I try to mentally prepare myself for the scene before me. The glass, the blood, the stairs- The stairs?