Young Writers Society

LpI put my pillow over my head and held Lucinda tighter. The cat squirmed in my arms, then stopped, deciding to stay. She knew I needed her. The woman, sobbing, vomited yet a again. I cried, too, because I was terrified. I silently said every prayer I knew, and somehow fell asleep after what felt like forever.

I woke to the sound of my mother calling me. "Chaarrrlottte!" I groaned. I didn't want to face another day in the life of a psychic. Why couldn't I just be normal like everyone else? Or, at the very least, have a less scary gift. Being a seer or an aura senser would be nice.

I really don't think there's ever been a time when I didn't see ghosts. When I was little, Mom says I had "anxiety" and " night terrors". I always told her they were more than just nightmares, but she didn't listen to me. Big surprise there. Around the time I was turning ten, I realised I needed to stop talking about "dead people". I trained myself to ignore them, and after a long time it payed off. But the damage had already been done. I was the class outcast. To make matters worse, my classmates make sure of it that new kids were told rumers about me within five seconds of their arrival. So, I had next to no friends. I did have Lucinda, and Cassie and John, two kind hearted souls from my math class. Bless them.

Three friends isn't very many, though. When I finally was in Lecanto High, the torture began. Daniel Evens, one of the biggest jerks in my class tripped me in the halls. Tears stung at my eyes as outrageous laughter erupted from the other students. 

Numerous ghosts haunted me throughout the day. My English homework had been drawn on. Countless insults hit home. Cassie and John tried to comfort me. "Things seem bad now, but I promise you, life IS going to get better." Charlotte said. Just then, Daniel decided to humiliate me again. He took my tray from the table and dumped it over my head. Unshed tears erupted out of my very soul. I ran.

When I got to the bathroom, I ran into a stall and rocked back and forth, hugging my  knees and sobbing. I cried until it hurt. Why hadn't Cassie come after me? I stood up and walked to the mirror. I have extremely dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a pale complexion, normally. Now, my face and eyes were red and the hair near my eyes was wet. I looked hideous.

I ignored the girl standing next  me until I realised she was my classmate, not a spirit. It was Reese. The prettiest girl in school. I wished I had her figure. Her golden hair and piercing blue eyes. I looked at her, angrily. " What do you WANT?" I sobbed. "To ask you a question." She said. I'd been asked questions before. "How'd ya get so ugly?" "How's life as a freak?"

That's why Reese's surprised me. "Why do you let us pick on you?" I blinked. "I mean, we could be friends if you actually had some fight in you. But you don't. Why?" They say "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" but it's sure as Hell NOT true. And for some reason, Reese's honest question hurt more than any insult I'd ever received. Feeling weak, I once again fled in tears.