THE RED LUNA

CHAPTER-1

The Devil's incarnate

The words have a nice ring to it. Especially if that "Devil's incarnate" is a girl. In novels, such girls were villains. Vile, wicked, and had nothing better to do than torment the female lead. They were destined to fall to ruin for their actions, and that was that. Reality, however, is different.

Amazingly, I have gained the hatred and mistrust of every single person I have ever come in contact with since I was two! And I never even opened my mouth! Even my mum abandoned me and dad then went off to get remarried to a divorced rich man in the same town. I've seen her from time to time. And each time she doesn't even spare a glance at me, her own daughter. I mean, it's not as if she doesn't recognize me. She gave birth to me, she would have been the first to see my patch of red hair and my bright red eyes. I am unforgettable, unfortunately so.  She adopted the man's daughter, Mare, and they became a model happy family. It makes me sick to my stomach. 

Dad was the only one who stayed by my side and loved me unconditionally, even when he was disowned by his own parents for accepting 'a devil' into his family. I don't know how I would have survived as a kid without dad. And I'm glad I didn't find out.

My days as a child were very lonely. With parents making up horror stories about me and telling them to their kids every night, I was always isolated before I even had the chance to blink. As a child, I felt horrible. I asked dad why I was born and even cried in his arms, wishing I could just disappear. Dad was heartbroken and tried his best to console me by saying I was no devil. That I was human and that I'm normal. That he didn't care what I look like and that he loves me. But like any child would, I believed he only said those words out of necessity as my father and took them with a pinch of salt. I particularly remember the day I found out how much I was hated by everyone around me.

On that fateful day, dad wasn't home. He went on an errand and told me not to go outside. I cheerily promised I won't and switched on the tv. I got bored of watching cartoons fast and looked out the window. I saw other kids my age playing dolls on the front lawn of a neighbor's house across the street and I was overcame with the need to join them. I rushed up to my room and searched for my favorite Barbie doll. Finding it I hurried back downstairs and looked out the window again. I saw a semi-familiar face. She was Mare, my mum's daughter. My sister. Feeling elated, every shred of reasoning flew out of my mind and so did the promise I made to dad. I opened the front door and ran towards the street. I looked left, then right, then left again before crossing the street. Just like my cartoons taught me.

I tapped Mare on the shoulder. I thought we shared something special because we had the same mother. It was one of the worst mistakes of my life. She screamed so loudly I thought she would split my eardrums. Immediately the other kids started crying and screaming. Begging me not to eat them. Not to drag them under a non-existent bed. Not to bake them in an oven I did not know how to operate. The noise attracted the attention of their mothers and it turned out they were having a friendly get-together. Well, it turned from friendly to threatening in the span of a second. Every mother ran to her screeching child and checked them like they expected to see gashing wounds. When asked what happened, they all pointed to me like some sort of explanation and their mothers sure took it like one. Their heads snapped to me all at once and I flinched. I wasn't used to getting attention, I have been locked in my house for a very long time. I was even homeschooled by a teacher who wouldn't stop trembling and only stayed because of the exorbitant amount of money my dad paid her.

"I-" I tried to explain but I stopped short because of the piercing glares I received from mothers and kids alike. It was suffocating and tears began to fall down my face. I was terrified. No one tried to listen to me. They all just drew their own conclusions. At the corner of my eye I spotted someone still crying to her mother and trying to talk. It was Mare. Like the child I was I felt relieved. Tell mum the truth Mare. That's right you'll take my side. We're sisters.  Foolish thoughts like those swirled around my head as I watched mum bob her head up and down in understanding. I thought she understood. That she'll support me, protect me even. Cause why not? I was her daughter too. I walked over to her, tears making my vision blurry, snot dripping down my nose and my tiny hands squeezing my doll in anxiety.