Young Writers Society

My birthday is coming up. Right now it is March and my birthday is in April. I can't wait. I love getting birthday presents because it's something I can use, not a book or coloring book. I also like inviting my friends over. Mother says I should write invintations soon. Well, actually, she would write them but I would tell her what to say.

I love spring. Even though I can't see, I love the smell of the breeze that hits and the blossoms blooming. The flowers smell wonderful. Sheila says since I'm blind I can smell better than other people. This makes me feel special because then I can smell things other people can't. I like that.

At dinner we sat in our usual spots. I think. Jason and Sheila tell me which chair to go to, and I think we have the same spots, by the way their voices come from. It sounds like they come from the same direction every day, Sheila next to me, Jason and Father across from me and Mother at the end of the table.

We had chicken which I think I dropped on the ground many times. Our dog, Lily, comes under the table to eat it. I feel her scratchy fur on my barefeet. It tickles. I also heard her mouth smacking, so I think she's eating the pieces I dropped.

My favorite part of the chicken is the skin. I like it especially crispy with flavor like rosemary. Mother cooks it like that just for me, atleast that's what she says.

From across the table I hear Jason picking at his food, and his fork scratches the plate. I hate that sound. It's like a cat scratching a chalk board.

"Stop squeaking your fork on your plate." I say, keeping my head down. I don't think he can see my face. I hope he can't.

"Stop telling me what to do." Jason spits back.

Mother scolds Jason, and after that the rest of the dinner is quiet, no one else speaking.

After dinner my family watched TV. I like listening to the people. Lots of them sound very stupid. And their voices are quite funny too.

I snuggled up against Father, resting my head on his lap. His hand in placed on my back softly rubbing it. I like it when he does that, it calms me down.

I fell asleep because when I woke up I was in bed. I didn't know whose at first, but when my fingers grasped the pillow, I knew I was in my own room. My pillow had several strings on it. I asked for a pillow with a texture on it for my birthday, so I was able to recognize it.

Sheila and Jason both bought it for me when I turned eight about three years ago. They used the paper money, which has numbers on it, they say. Mother is teaching me how to identify the different kinds of coins.

The biggest one is the quarter, I know that. The second biggest one is called the nickel, at it has a smooth rim. The two smallest ones are called pennies and dimes but I don't know how to tell them apart yet. Mother and I aren't that far in learning.

I sat up in bed and called out,"Is it morning?"

I waited for a reply. None came. Since I didn't feel heat on me from the sun, and since I didn't see the bright light of it, either, I assumed it was still night. I went back to bed.

Sheila woke me up, shaking me softly. I knew it was her because I smelled her shampoo she uses. Her hand was on my forearm. It was cold and sent prickled up my spine. I sat up quickly, right as Sheila said,"Mom wants me to talk to you about school."

Sheila was only a couple years older than me. She was in the seventh grade right now. If I went to normal shook next year, I would be in sixth grade and she would be in eighth.

"Okay." I said. There was hair in front of my face, making it tickle and itch at the same time, so I brushed it out. After that it felt better.

"You can be worried, Ember. It's all right." Shelia said quietly. I wondered if she was smiling. Sometimes I can tell if people are smiling based on their voice.

I nod then wait for her to continue.

"It's fun and there are many nice people there to help you. Plus, if you're late to school they won't blame you since you're blind." Sheila said like it didn't matter. What if it did?

"Okay. Tell Mother I'll go." I said.

Sheila sounded surprised. "Okay! I'll tell her." Then she laughed. "And Ember, you don't have to call her 'Mother'. Mom is fine. Mommy is too." Then I heard Sheila get off my bed, making it bounce. A few seconds later her feet were padding down the hall.