My parents ditched us when I was young and my siblings were barely born. Tony spat out, releasing a flood of memories. I have to work to keep my baby brother and sister alive.
Tony returning bottles and cans, a child on either side, holding his hands.
Tony standing over a stove, cooking eggs.
Tony in a dirty apartment, crying.
Tony coaxing his little sister to sleep, dried tears still visible on his cheeks.
Tony running with his little brother.
They wanted mommy back.
Where was daddy?
“I don’t know.”
Tony drew into himself and locked the rest of them out. I could feel the hot embarrassment and tired sadness seeping from his walls.
Give him time, I advised. Even though I don’t really like the bastard, this is all harder for him. He doesn’t know any of us well, and suddenly we know his life story.
It was hard for them all, impossible even. There was so much fear to share between the five of us that sometimes it got hard to breathe. My heart was pounding a mile a minute, and I knew that it couldn’t be healthy so be so filled with adrenaline for so long.
But beyond that fear was anger. Not just anger at the bastard scientists who were playing God with our bodies, but anger at each other, and at ourselves. The anger was involuntary, just a drawback of being able to read each other’s minds.
And that drawback would never go away.
That’s not the whole truth, Tony, I thought, knowing that he could hear me and the others couldn't. I know that you’re hiding something, and I know what it is. That’s not the whole truth, but I won’t say anything. It wasn’t my secret to tell.
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The Perks of Being a Freak (Editing)
Teen FictionI am not special. I am not extraordinary or unique. Everyone in the world faces hardships. Everyone suffers, at one point or another. I am not unusual. Neglect is common. Abuse, unfortunately, is common. Poverty is common. Five different people, fiv...
