The Specials

Goodnight and Goodbye

The heat was unbearable. As I sat on the small wooden deck in front of my house, sweat trickled down my neck. There was no breeze, no air conditioning inside and nowhere to swim. Even if I had wanted to swim, it wasn't permitted unless it was your workplace. I played with a strand of my hair as the shouting from behind me got louder. I could her him smash his bottle and I could hear her scream as he hit her. But I still just sat and stared off into the distant, there was nothing more I could do then stay away. I knew any minute h would come, but until then peace and quiet was the only thing I could hold onto. I watched as other kids walked past, talking, being friendly. I envied their friendships even if none of us were allowed to run, play, at least they had each other. I watched them pass, laughing and every once and while peering over at me. I'm sure they were disgusted. I stood, ready to head inside when a car pulled into the house next to us. The house had been vacant since I was born and I'd never thought anyone would even look twice at it.

I sucked in a breath and grasped onto the little snail shell in my pocket. The one thing my mother gave me when I was a baby. The only toy I ever held. I watched as a man and woman emerged from the front set of the car. They had smiles on their faces, looking like the world was a happy place. The woman was beautiful. She had beautful curly black hair that reached her waist. Her eyes lit up like she was the happiset woman alive. Her figure was tall and curvy, making her clothes hang off her like a godess. I looked down at my own flat chested, straight pencil body and frowned. I wanted boobs more then ever now.

The couple opend both back doors and out came boy with Jet black hair just like his mother. He looked around my age, with the same smile his mother wore, and rather ratty, loose clothing. He looked across the yard at me staring and stared right back. After a few seconds of staring, he lifted a hands and waved. I waved right back. I could have a friend. My grip tightend on the shell, my whole body shaking with excitment. I had never had a frend before.
    I stood waiting, staring, as they carried bag after bag, box after box, into the house. The boy every once and a while would glance over at my googling eyes and smile at me. Eventually the family carried their last box in and no one came out of the house for what felt like hours. Then, the boy emerged, a big grin on his face. As he came running towards me, waving and looking joyful, a hand grasped my shoulder and spun me around so I could no longer see the boy.
   I came face to face with my father. His breath spilt over me, the stench unbearable. He started to yell and I knew the boy was frozen watching. My dad's words sounded muffled as I watched his lips move, every once in a while spit flying in my face. I was a bitch, I was stupid, naive and most of all a mistake, he spat. I kept my head down as he shook me, wanting a response. Then, without hesitation, his hand collided with my face and everything went blurry.
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  I woke up my ears ringing and head pounding. I sat straight up and glanced around the room. Everything was still in place, my sheets were a bit tossed but nothing unusual. That had been a better dream then the others, and no sweat dropped over me like a river. I reached over on my bedside table, grabbing my alarm clock. It read five Am.
   I rubbed my eyes, and crawled out of bed. As my feet hit the floor I almost fell backwards. My head didn't stop pounding and it felt as if the whole world was spinning. I steadied myself with my windowsill. Shit. I snatched a sweater off my floor and pulled it over my head. Might as well go check to see if Jackson was awake.
   I made my way out of my room silently and rather uneasy. The biggest risk every morning was waking up the demon that slept in the room across from mine. My father, who slept like a log due to his alcohol intake, thank god for heavy sleepers. He didn't usually wake up when I went to go check on Jack but when he did my consequence varied from a slap in the face, to a bottle thrown at me. It mattered on his mood I guess.
   I made my way across the kitchen and as quiet as I could opened the door to the basement. It was pitch black and smelt like rotten fish, and I pitied Jack for having to stay in my basement most of his life. It was the best I could do for him, even if it didn't seem like it. I creaked down each steps cringing at the noise. Don't wake up. Please don't wake up. The room spun and I quickly trapped onto a railing before falling down the stairs. I carefully, my hand clamped onto the railing, continued down the stairs. Before I could reach the cold cement floor, a light flickered on.