Far From Normal, More Than Special

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“Annabell, Annabell, Wake up...”

I heard my mother’s voice before I was forced into the next day. My eyes slowly opened and she was hovering over me with that usual worried look in her chocolate brown eyes. We had the same eyes, and hoped that I would never have that look on my face. Worrying was a sign of weakness.

 “Are you alright dear, was it him again…? I thought your nightmares had stopped…” she said while putting her hand on my forehead.

She waved a tissue in my face when I sat up. I took it and felt my face with my fingers. It was wet. As I wiped my face, I tried to speak but I coughed instead. My throat was inexplicably dry.

“You were screaming,” She said as she reached to get me another tissue. That explains the dryness. “What happened?”

In my dreams I was always chased through my house, by the same man. This time, It was in a forest and I ended up covered in blood. At least it was something that hadn’t actually happened. Most of my nightmares were past events, being replayed over and over again in my head. I never recalled having blood all over my chest and arms before. And I surely had never been to a forest.

“I can’t remember. “ I sighed as I grabbed the tissue and blew my nose.

“Don’t you think that maybe it’s time you go back into therapy?”

I shook my head slowly.

For two years I had been having nightmares about my mom’s ex boyfriend, Paul. This was a typical morning for me. They used to be every day until I went to a psychologist to help with the horrendous dreams.  I never really opened up about what had happened for the lady, I only described my dreams to her and wrote in my diary. Writing in my diary was my only way of moving on. Despite the fact that Paul was in jail and we moved to another state two years ago, I still dreamt about him. It was getting better but sometimes I wondered if I would ever get over it.

“Don’t worry Mom, Reinhald’s will help me with my problems.”

“What? Reinhald’s? You mean…”

Before she could finish I jumped out of bed and ran for the door. I quickly made it to the bathroom and locked the door behind me. If there was one thing my mom hated the most. It was Specials and the fact that I was one. She hadn’t wanted me to get in, but of course she never said that to my face.

I stopped and looked at myself in the mirror. My face was ghostlike as usual, but slightly flushed. Why am I always so friken pale? My eyes were puffy and red. The color of my eyes however, as they were every morning I had a nightmare, were black. For a few months now, my eyes had changed color along with my mood. I’m not quite sure what triggered it.  I quickly opened the drawer under the sink and found my contact lenses. I took them out and slowly put them in my eyes. Good. Now they were back to my true light brown.  

I went to the kitchen and Mom was turned toward the counter so I couldn’t see her face, but I knew her expression wasn’t happy. I could tell by the smell that she was also sipping a cup of coffee. 

“It’s eight thirty. Aren’t you supposed to be leaving for the first day of school today?”

“No mom. I’m going to Reinhald’s now. So I don’t have to go to regular school anymore.”

“Since when?”

I went to the cabinet and got out a granola bar. “Yesterday.” I started to nibble on the bar.

“So you lied to me? You told me you were going to Rawry’s.”

“That wasn’t a lie. I did go to Rawry’s. But only after…”