The Identity Crisis

Do you hate your life? Do you ever wish it could be different, like you were meant to live something else?

If you were given the opportunity to completely change your identity -- your name, your family, your entire persona (not even the government would be able to trace you back to who you were), would you want to do it? Would you have the guts to leave your entire life behind and become someone new? What if you had to compete with nine other people who were vying for the same life change? See, it isn't as simple as you thought, huh?

Well, I did. And believe me; it isn't as easy as it sounds. Creating an entirely different persona is challenging, to say the least. Living in a fancy mansion in the middle of nowhere with total strangers is definitely weird. Getting the chance to start a new life is totally awesome! It's getting a clean slate, being born all over again.

*****One week earlier*****

When a strange man came up to me outside of school one afternoon during lunch, I thought, what the hell? Is this some crazy stalker rapist or something? I mean, he didn't really look menacing, but then, they're not supposed to, right? With the courtyard empty, I wasn't ready to take any chances.

I started to pack up my lunch in a hurry -- I was forced to bring bagged lunches since there was no money to pay for school food -- shoving half a PB+J into the paper bag and snatching up my water bottle while keeping one eye on the man in the shadows next to the school building. I was speed-walking to the side door when he stepped out of the dark, reaching a hand out towards me.

I froze, backing away.

"Wait, I just want to talk," he pleaded.

Yeah, sure. I pulled my hoodie tighter around me, searching for a way around him. He stood blocking the door now, his body blocking anyone's view of outside. Crap. Nice job, I told myself. Walk towards the crazy wacko. I glanced back over my shoulder, wondering if I could outrun him to the front of the building. It wasn't far, and he was a big guy; he didn't look like he could run very fast.

Before I could make up my mind, he moved away a step, as if sensing that I was uncomfortable.

"I just want to ask you a question." he stated.

Okay...I was kind of curious, as long as he didn't ask me to leave with him or anything. I wasn't that stupid. However, what he said next froze the blood running through my veins. I swear I couldn't have moved if I'd wanted to.

"How do you know that?" I whispered coldly.

His dark eyes stared into my own and I couldn't look away. "I know a lot more than you would think. I know that you were abandoned as a baby. Left lying in the gutters, actually."

I gulped, tears coming to my eyes unconsciously, as this strange man resurfaced unwanted memories from my past. Why was he doing this? How did he know who I was? "Stop it," I whispered, terrified.

He ignored me. "I know that no one has ever cared for you. That you have gone through eleven foster families just since starting grade school. You've never had a real family, have you? Has anyone ever loved you? Have you ever fit in --"

"Stop it!" I screamed at him, furious. I think my anger outweighed my fear now. Who did this bastard think he was?! "Who the hell are you? What do you want?!" I shouted at him, heat rising to my face.

My mood didn't seem to faze him a bit. He simply smiled, like he knew some inside joke, which only heightened my anger.

"I want to help you."

What? He didn't make any sense. God, maybe he really was some mental person. Had he been stalking me?

"I know how you feel. I know exactly how you feel and I want to help you." He stepped forward, his face eager now. "Escape from this life. Don't you want something better? I know deep down you believe that your life could mean so much more. It doesn't have to be this repetitive cycle. You could have so much better. You deserve so much better."