Life's Misfortunes

Chapter 1 - Different

Hunched over her art supplies to keep them dry, Sophie sprinted along the empty street, determined to find an open café. But all were closed. She was used to it. She had always been shut out. The jeering, the fake screams. The rumours. Everything that could ever had been said, had been said, and now she just brushed it off like dust. Shivering in her thin jumper she huddled in a doorway praying for the storm to pass. She could always just go to her house - never home - but she wasn't prepared to face the hell that waited for her there. Her mum was as bad as all the others, but for some reason, though she said the same words, they always stung and made Sophie feel so small. So every day she delayed returning home for as long as she could hoping her mum would be passed out.

Just after her 7th birthday her mum turned to drink in favour of her only daughter. A few months earlier Sophie's dad had been killed in a car accident and her mum had never been quite the same. She cursed the world for producing such a ''horrid creature,'' and vowed never to look upon her again. This vow was never fulfilled as it was always forgotten in the blind rage that followed a heavy drinking sessions when she took out all her anger on her young daughter. From that year, Sophie learned to look after herself and was burdened with the arduous task of looking after her mother as well. She no longer called her 'mum,' only ever 'mother.'

How did Sophie become such an outcast? Why she was shunned and bullied? It was her eyes. When they were all youger they had been a thing of wonder and beauty. But now everything was different. She was called 'witch' and 'devil lover' and people crossed the road to avoid her, fearing that the many rumours were true. All because she had different coloured eyes. her left eye was a startling blue, "like a sapphire that shines on through the darkness" her mum had once whispered one evening long, long ago. But her right eye - it was the strange eye - was, well you could call it browny - ish - but if you looked closely there where hundreds of flecks of orange, and when she was angry, Sophie's eye seemed to glow a sickly orange. So she was avoided. But after almost 9 years of being left on her own she was used to it.

This dreary evening Sophie had been attending an extra art class to boost her marks on the end of year report. Not that it would matter. Her mum never read the report and never went to parent's evenings. Once when the school had been worried and called her, she had sobered up just enough to go in the following week and make a satisfying - but not happy - appearance. The school hadn't bothered them since. But the class was fun and she didn't need a partner to paint.

Sinking to the damp ground, Sophie huddled her knees and used them as a shield for her art supplies. She had saved up every penny she had ever received to buy this and she wasn't going to let a thunder storm wash it all away. Watching the rushing pedestrians all around her, time seemed to slow down and Sophie found herself all of a sudden very tired. Resting her head on her knees she slowly closed her eyes and promised herself 5 minutes - only 5 minutes! - before she made a move to go to her house.

With a snap! Sophie jerked awake and looked around bewildered. A small man was crouching over her, having just clapped very loudly. ''Sorry missus but this 'ere is my spot.'' he indicated apologetically to the step that Sophie was still perched upon. Slowly stretching her stiff muscles Sophie apologised for keeping the man standing there and turned to leave only to be stopped by the small man. "You be safe now missus, yes? Not all men out at this 'ere time will be as nice as me." Nodding her understanding, Sophie once again turned and headed in the general direction of her house. Passing by the old church, she waited to hear the bells chime the hour and gasped as she counted, "eight ... nine ... ten ... eleven!" Crap! her mum was going to skin her alive. If she was awake. Unlikely. If she was sober. Even more unlikely. These thoughts calmed down Sophie's racing heart but she kept up a steady pace as she hurried back.

 

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Thanks for reading my story guys. I promise I won't do this often but this is just to let you know that I have a very busy summer so uploads are probably going to be infrequent and a bit spaced out. This is an extension of a piece I did for my third year exams and have only just found. Hoping you all enjoy it as it was one of my favourite pieces. Please comment and let me know what you think.

Thanks, K xx