Salem's Eye

Chap.1

Salem woke up sore all over. She couldn't come up with any sort of reason for the soreness, but it was there. Her neck was especially sore, a throbbing, aching pain stabbing at her from underneath her skin. She rubbed her eyes with the sleeves of her shirt, and suddenly realized she had slept in her normal clothes. Weary and aching, she got up from her bed, and walked to the bathroom. The wooden floors creaked as always.

The reflection in the mirror wasn't exactly pleasant. Of course, she wouldn't know or care. Why would she? She was blind after all. Salem's hair was a rat's nest, and she could feel makeup was smeared all over her face. She sighed, and grabbed a towel.

After showering, she began getting dressed. Unfortunately, all of her nice clothes were dirty, so she ended up choosing a hoodie and some cargo shorts. She looked boyish, but at least she was comfortable. A small clip fell out of her hair as she brushed it, so she repositioned it, tucking her black bangs away behind her ear. Her hair was mostly black, with a few natural streaks of brown. It was coarse and thick, and was often a struggle for Salem in the morning. She usually either ended up late or wearing a hat to school.

As a sophomore in high school, she typically went unnoticed if and when she appeared late. She wasn't necessarily unpopular, certainly not 'edgy', but she wasn't the most well-known student in her grade. Sure, she had a few friends, but some of her fellow students chose not to be her friend, not because they didn't like her, but because she was a sort of high-maintenance friend. Being blind had many cons. People tended to stay away from her, and since she didn't really know braille, she wasn't as interesting as, say, someone with hearing disabilities who knew sign language. People like learning and interacting, and she just couldn't provide those services.

She shrugged off a small feeling of sadness, and slipped her shoes on. The heels were peeling off. She stomped on the ground, trying to get it to stick back together, and grabbed her key and bookbag, ready to leave for school. The morning was cool, and she felt calm as a gentle breeze brushed her hair past her shoulders.