Different

Chapter One

I wake up in a scream of horror, terror. Heart pounding, with drops of water dripping from my eyes, down onto my neck. I ask myself, why is this happening to me? what did I do wrong?

This was another typical night of mine. I haven't had a good sleep in months. Nightmares have taken over what once was dreams about crushes, and adventures. Those dreams are all gone. Ghosts, and monsters have stole their place. The fear of them wakes me up paranoid. Nobody really knows exactly why I've been having these harrowing dreams. Not even my doctor, or own mother... Bad memories maybe? No, that can't be it. Bad memories can't do this much damage.

I sit up with my back against my pillow that is now damp with tears. I wipe the little bit of sweat off my pale forehead from being agitated. I gaze across the room but all I could see was darkness. I clutch my soft blue blanket in fear. I should just go back to sleep; but will all of this happen again?

I decide to go to Mother's room which was all the way downstairs. I really hate walking through the house at night. I always see shadows and figures in corners of dark places. Mother says it's just my imagination; how could it be my imagination if I've actually talked to one of the figures before? He was depressed-- scars on his faded wrists, and black eyes that were still permanently puffy from all the pain that he went through. I didn't know if I should've believed my own eyes or not; because nobody else sees what I see.

The ghosts don't harm me in any way-- as long as I have my bracelet on. The bracelet is made out of old, scratchy rope. The kind that burns whenever you have it rubbed against you (and trust me, it hurts like heck). In the middle of the bracelet, are three different colored beads. One black, and the other two a very pale blue. Almost the color of my eyes. I keep it on everywhere I go, because it makes me feel protected, like I am superman-- invincible.

As I get up from my bed, the indent from where I was laying starts to rise up to its original shape again. The old wooden boards that hold up my mattress start to creek. When I get up onto my feet, I stretch my arms and back up in the air, and close my eyes. I take a deep breathe and tell myself that it'll be alright out there in the shadowy hallways; even though my heart was pounding like mad.

I open my white wooden door. Then I just stand there in the middle of the doorway motionless with my wide brown eyes staring at the path of darkness. My legs seemed to freeze in place as if they were glued to the floor. They wouldn't move. I hate being in the dark alone. Yes, it is a little foolish to still be scared at the age of 14. But I see things that most people don't see. Yet, the people at my school make fun of me for still being scared. And they don't even know why I'm still fearful of the dark. The pointing fingers, the laughing... It's all hard to handle. Especially when you get called "freak" everyday for being different.

My feet start to move as I get used to the dark. I'm almost to the stairs when suddenly I feel something soft brush up against the bottom of my leg. I jump in fear and my heart starts beating fast. My eyes got wide as I filled up with anxiety. My whole body screamed the word panic. Panic... No, do not panic. I thought to myself. That would be the worst case scenario. It felt as if I just got punched in the stomach, which made me let out a short gasp. Then, I knew who scared me so much; because his weak "meow" gave away his identity.

"Ugh Sherbert!" I said kneeling down to pet his soft orange coat of fur. "You scared me half to death you jerk."

Sherbert purred loudly as I stroked his back repeatedly. His bright blue eyes looked as if they glowed in the dark.

"Now shoo. Go back to your little cat bed, and don't scare me like that anymore you stupid cat!" I yelled in a whisper. He hissed at my cruel words and scurried off silently and into my sister Kaitlynn's room.

Sherbert is my sister's cat. Mother got him for her as Kaitlynn's 12th birthday present. All she wanted was that darn cat. He loves Kaitlynn, but despises me. I really don't blame him though. I'm not that much of a nice person unlike Kaitlynn.

I rolled my eyes as I continued down the old wooden stairs. Every step I took made the scratched up boards creek; so I tried to take each step with caution as I walked down them.

Finally I reached Mother's room. I opened her door slowly and peeked in. I asked quietly, "Mother?"

Mother woke up and rolled over in her bed to the side of the room I was standing on. She rubbed her eyes, and then asked tiredly, "What's the matter Valerie?"

I came in and sat on her bed next to her, and covered my face with my dry hands. "Mother... I can't take this anymore." I cried.

Mother pulled my blond hair out of my long braid and brushed her hands through my hair. "Oh Valerie, it's okay. They're just dreams. None of them are real."

I pressed my face into her shoulder. "But you don't get it. I see things in the dark. Like moving shadows. And they scare me Mother!" I whined.

Mother gave me a tight hug then said, "That's just your imagination Val." she paused and wiped the tears from my eyes "Don't worry. I'm here, nothing will happen."

I sighed. She never believes me that I can actually see the shadows. I need someone to talk to about them. Someone who understands, and can see what I see. "But Mother I actually do-"

Mother cut me off, "No buts. They aren't real. Just your imagination playing tricks." She laughed, "Imaginations can be mean at times like that. Scaring people half to death." Mother shook her head.

"Ugh whatever. Can I just lay with you for the rest of the night? It's scaring me being upstairs alone. I keep getting nightmares."

"Sure" she said as she set up a pillow next to her "You can lay here."

I lay down next to her in the spot she set up for me. It was colder down here than it was upstairs. It felt nice. "Goodnight." I told Mother as I closed me eyes.

"Goodnight Valerie. Sweet dreams." she replied.

That night I felt safe. I didn't have anymore nightmares after I lay with her. I just need to be with someone to make me feel protected. I slept very well. I wish every night could be like that. Tomorrow I won't be so tired at school.