Young Writers Society

Top 10 Weird Things in My Life Right Now

By: Suzie Z, Age 16

10. Powers

It’s been a long while, but it’s still weird to think that the Amber Spells exist. And that I can use them. It gives off a funny feeling, like butterflies fluttering down your arms when you cast a fire spell. And it’s so cool how they burn the monsters but anything else is untouched. Yeah, I said it – it’s cool. Don’t tell the cat.

9. No More Instant Noodles

Can you believe they stopped selling instant noodles at the corner shop? Now if I want to get some I have to walk to the city centre and buy them from the supermarket.

8. The Cat

By the way, did I mention a cat told me about the Amber Spells? I don’t think it has a name. If it doesn’t make me say it, I’m just gonna call it ‘cat’. It’s an annoying little bugger, anyways. Wakes me up at 5 am to go patrolling.

7. Mariana

That girl is weird and she has a weird name. Mariana, like the Mariana Trench? Anyways, I don’t get why she wants to fight monsters with me. Isn’t she an honour student or something? Doesn’t she have honour student things to do? Besides, she’s just a normal person. Sorta. She can see monsters, but I couldn’t sense any magic in her.

6. The Ooze in the Street

I’m used to all kinds of monsters by now, and I’m used to kicking all their asses. The weird green stuff showing up in the drains, though – I don’t know what the fuck that is. It feels dangerous. My magic curls away when I go near it.

5. Mariana, again

Mariana just rang the doorbell! She’s asking me to lunch at her parents’ tomorrow. She also asked me why I don’t have a phone, and I said phones are for losers, and she just laughed. What is up with this girl? I’m only going because I’m out of instant noodles.

4. Dad Being Home

Dad hasn’t been back for years. Last week he came back to the house and asked where Mum was. I told him I didn’t know. Grandpa says just ignore him, but I have a bad feeling.

3. Mariana – again?

Look, I had the TV on, and I just saw that girl on TV. She’s using an Amber Spell! It’s bright orange, flying from her hand and skewering that Obsidian Maiden right through its head! I don’t think anyone noticed. Normal people can’t see the Obsidian creatures. Or Amber Spells. The newscasters are just talking like always. Oh wait, they’re talking about the green ooze. I guess it’s not totally normal.

2. The Mark on my Hand

Yesterday, a mark turned up on my right palm. It’s bright green, and it’s in the shape of a diamond. The cat doesn’t know what it is. It’s the reason I started making this stupid list, anyway. Needed to get my thoughts down.

1. The Assassin I Met on Pearl Street Today

Dad never told me, but I found out anyway. It’s always like this. There’s someone after our family again. They were tall and masked. Their mask had this angular gem-like shape, kind of like that crazy crystal aesthetic all the rest of the monsters have. And our Amber Spells, too, I guess. They didn’t seem strong at first, so I scared them away with a blast of fire. But when they left, I saw there was a message carved into the back of my leg. I hadn’t even felt it.

It just said: TIME.

I think all these things are connected. Even the goddamn instant noodles, because honestly, if you’re going to fuck up a girl’s life, that’s the way to go. Seriously though. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I hate waiting around for something to happen.

The sky is getting darker, and it feels like any minute, something is going to crash in through the window from the darkness.

I wish someone else was home.