Pretty Is

Chapter 4

He said it was a game. It was the first time he ever asked me to play. It made my face move in this weird way. I think they call it a smile. I didn't understand it and I was ok when it disappeared. It was football with Ramire.Tennis and volleyball with Rakia and everything with Renelle. Renelle was my twin. Not many could tell because she was lighter than me.

If you stood us next to each other we were almost polar opposites. My hair was black and to my back. Hers was shoulder length and auburn,like everybody else's. My eyes were grey-green and her's brown. My skin was caramel and hers was spotted coffee cream. I envied that. I wanted spots too. Anywhere I was allowed to go people would call her gorgeous and ask how she did it.

The spots. She was born that way. Some skin was one color the other the next color. Instead of holding it against her they embraced it. Even when we were born. I know they say you don't remember the first four years of life,but I do loud and clear. I remember being cold. The blanket draped over me almost as an afterthought. I felt heat leaving my body but I did not cry. Somehow I knew I'd be ignored. I was almost left there but a light from the window shone on my forgotten bed and I got to go home.

Now I stood in the middle of the forest with blood leaking down my arms like a faucet. The game me and dad were playing was almost over. So far I was winning. I looked up at the glowing moon and heard the howling of wolves. I waited til it got closer before taking off in another direction. Branches whacked me left and right,while rocks scrapped my feet. I didn't really feel the pain. The cold numbed me to any feeling.
I came across a river and saw a red flag. I ran faster til I saw the black one. I looked around for dad but he was nowhere to be found. I called out to him but didn't get any answers.

I waited for what seemed like hours. A twig snapped and I turned to look in that direction. Three sets of glowing eyes looked at me. I could practically hear the drool dripping from their mouths. They leaped out and circled around me. I backed up into the flag pole and fell to the ground. Next thing I knew their claws were in my skin. Blood pooled around my body as I went in and out of consciousness. Before I passed out I heard several gun shots and whines.

When I woke up I was in a warm bed with the fire going. I sat up and winced from the pain. Where am I? A chocolate skinned lady came over and gently pushed me back on the bed. "Hi pretty girl. You shouldn't move yet,you'll tear the bandages." I looked at her concerned face and twinkling eyes. "I'm sorry ma'am but I have to get back to the flag pole or I'll get in trouble." "I'm sorry sweetie you're in no condition to move. What's the number for your folks so we can call and let them know you're ok?" I shook my head and looked away.

I didn't quite understand the question but I knew I didn't know the answer. "Alright,well what's your address?" Again I shook my head. "Well can you tell me anything,anything at all?" "It's big and made with hard blocks. And it's a color like that." She turned and looked to where I pointed. "That's a vase sweetie. And you say it's that color,blue?" I shook my head yes as she reached for the phone. "Terrol?! I got the number,I'm calling now." A gruff voice answered but I tuned it out. I started drifting off to sleep again. The last words I heard were my dad telling the lady to keep me.