The Changing

Trying to be Normal

"I won't go! I'll be fine here. Those demons can't find me here because they never have and it won't happen now!" I said my eyes squinted shut and my hands squeezed the chair.
My parents looked worriedly at her and clasped each other's hand. Enough tears for one morning, besides I had a soccer tournament today at five.

My parents then went around doing their regular chores, cleaning the dishes and cleaning the house. I could feel myself starting to go back to normal but only a tiny bit. I knew that I would always have an athletic build now but I would look like my old self. I pushed myself out of my chair, and shuffled to the stairs, and I flopped up the stairs and into my room. My soccer outfit hung on the chair at my desk, but I ignored it. I thought the recent and catastrophic events in my head, piecing them together little by little, until the story clicked into my head.

Then the pain began.

I felt it in my heart, like I was being pierced over and over with sharp pins. It felt like it was gushing blood. 

Betrayal! My mind seethed.

In my head it felt like dull knife was pushing against my skull, and my breathe was being torn out of my lungs.

"Honey! Are you okay?" my mom asked, slipping her hand into mine with a reassuring squeeze, and smiling at me.

I smiled back. "Yeah I just need some time to myself." I stood up, dropping her hand and swept upstairs as quietly as I could. As soon as I got into my room I tossed myself into my room and cried into my pillow. Today was not my day. I curled up into the blankets and shut my eyes. Soon I fell asleep. 

I woke up remembering the game and rushed downstairs cleats in hand. My mom opened her mouth and closed it again after I stared at her, daring her to speak a word to me. I would finally feel normal around my team mates as we chased after the white and black ball. I ran and jumped into the car, smiling at the thought of scoring a goal. I was a defense and hadn't scored a goal all season. My coach had been drilling me to score and I thought today would be the day.

We finally arrived at the field, lush neatly trimmed grass under my bare feet as I sprinted towards my team. My coach smiled and winked.

"You better score that goal Clara! Go tigers!" He shouted, pumping his fists into the air.

I smiled and tied my cleats tightly. The referee blew the whistle and the game started. It was all a blur. I was put on defense at first to see how hard they were. Soon it was tied three three and I was put in offense as a final stand. My friend and team mate, Bethany passed up the ball and I wove in between the players. Finally the goal came into sight, this was it. I kicked hard and the ball went flying to the high corner, but so did the goalie. As the ball flew, the goalie started dropping and it slid right off her fingers into the net.

"Goal!" Her team cried. They had got one more goal.

"Game over." The ref yelled. Wild shrieks of joy filled the air as the girls realized they had won the game. Pride and happiness welled inside me and I snuck a smug grin at the goalie who glared at her in return. I felt blood rushing through my veins as I ran to the coaches corner. The girls all took a knee as he pep talked them. I felt strange, my skin felt hot and itchy.  I was changing in front of her whole soccer team! 

"I don't feel good. I'll see you all next season." I waved and hurried over to my parents.

One glance at my face and they knew it was happening. They rushed me over to the car where no one could see. But the coach stopped us.

"Wait! You forgot your medal!" He put the metal in my hands and looked at my face. "Wow! I guess you're really sick."

My face was changing color, orange and black. Before he could add anything I said.

"I'm gonna puck!" Faking to hurl. That scared him off good. Coach hated puck and blood, anything from the body that came out. They ran me into the car and we drove home.

"That was to close." I said. I was back to normal by then.

"Yes, either we need to get you to stop feel emotion, or we send you to the academy." My dad said.

"Or lock me away in a tower." 

"We will discuss it over night and make a final decision in the morning."

I said good night and went into my bedroom. So much for me being normal.