Young Writers Society

The sky above the house was the colour of television, tuned to a dead channel when the first whale jumped out of the mist.

“Savern, dear, please come on inside, its dangerous outside”

it was always dangerous to be out in mist, considering it was essentially the sea, inhabited by fish, whales, sharks and other aquatic animals.(they also can be found in clouds, any body of water really)

“I'll be in soon” I yelled back to the run down house behind me as I watched a school of fish dart around me.

My mother had dinner on the table by the time I had wandered back to the house, fried fish and eggs, not my favourite but delicious none the less. Mothers cooking always was, people said she was blessed by the gods when she was a child, others say she was born with the power to make anything she touched beautiful. That didn’t explain me though. I was uglier as a cows ass. Horns, cat eyes and everything. I tugged down my rolled up sleeves to hide my arms, the scales are getting worse and I don’t have the guts to tell mother her only daughter was a monster.

“worse vacation ever” my brothers voice echoed into my inner monologue “ everyday has been miserable. Save is the only one enjoying itself. Freak.”

Yes his words hurt but nothing could hurt more than how my father looked at me. Eyes filled with so much disgust it leaked all over his face, I was his ultimate mistake. Im only alive because my mother wont let him kill me. Bless her soul. But it'd be easier if he did.

Mother smacked Edger in the side of the head and scowled at him.

“sorry Save”

“its okay I don’t mind” I laughed.

“will you be eating with us tonight Savern dear?” Mothers eyes looked hopeful

“not tonight mother, but you are always welcome in my room”

mother looked sad but grateful I didn’t often let people in my room, since I had scales and stuff. I flipped my hoodie up over the horns, grabbed my dinner and headed upstairs.

Fourth door on your left, round the corner on the right then second door in the tree. That was my room, I had said it so many times as a kid when people stilled visited me. Scales and horns. our house was huge, so many unused rooms. It was built for a bigger family than ours, but no one minded. No one got a room near anyone else’s and I got the best one. over looking the cliff out the back, built into the trees for extra support I could see the Forrest during the day and the sea when the mist set in.

I heard my brother arguing with my parents through the walls, boy he could sure yell.

“you said we would go on vacation, you lied to us again, this is the fourth time you said we would get away and then bailed at the last fucking minuet” there was a thump followed by a cry of pain.

“do not swear at your mother” father wasn’t yelling but his voice carried so clearly I could’ve sworn he was in the room with me. I hate it when they fight, because its ether about me or about mother forgetting to do something. My poor mother. Always so tired.

I looked in the mirror conveniently hanging on the back of my door, slowly I stripped down to my underwear and gently brushed my hands over my stomach. The scales glistened in the streams of moonlight, it was almost beautiful. Almost. The scales on my arms where darker and my horns were black and stood out against the fire on my head that tumbled down my back. Everyone always told me my hair was the most amazing red they had ever seen, 'it almost burns like a fire' was the most commonly used line. Then my horns started to grow and those same people screamed 'witch' and threw stones.

There was a bright light outside that flooded my room though the gaps in the blinds. My father had always hated the driveway 'doesn’t match the house' he’d say ' the house wasn’t built backwards the driveway was' was his favourite line. I laughed out loud then realised my mother was standing in the door way smiling at me with tears swelling in her eyes, I then remembered I was standing in the middle of my room, in my underwear. I fell to the floor in embarrassment. She saw. There was no way she didn’t.

“may I come in.” mother said as she walked in and wrapped a blanket around me. “we don’t have to talk about It but id like to”

I nodded, not because I wanted to talk but because I could do nothing else

“how long has it been getting worse?”

“three weeks now.”

my mother shook her head and smiled at me.

You know bill isn’t actually your father right?” mother whispered

“yeah” mother breathed out expecting more of an answer from me. “ I know, people at school say you were abducted and forced to carry the child of a monster.....you were forced to carry... me.”

my mother hugged me tight. “no, not a monster...”

there was a bang as the front door was slammed and heavy foot steps shook the four story house.

[authors note, any grammar mistakes are on purpose, its how the speak]