Alone

Many of you may know me as the 'four-eyed freak', but before you judge, take a moment to think about my story. You don't know what goes on behind doors.

Every afternoon, when I come home from school, coated in mud and soil, from the playground, my mother looks down on me, her bright amber eyes piercing into my soul. She says "What a flipping disgrace to the family! Rolling around like a baby pig!"

She doesn't know. I tell her. She frowns. A moment of silence. Then, she slowly raises her razor-sharp hand and it flies through the air, and on to my cheek.

I stand there, appalled. Was I really a disgrace? Had something gone wrong those many years ago? That made me a ... sin-child? I run up to my room and cry. No one comes for hours. A knock. A ring. The sounds my ears wish to hear. I close my eyes and cup my hands over my ears to drown the voices, flowing around in my head.

I hear my blood surging through my ears. THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, thump, thump...

CRASH!

"Mother!" I yelped, staring through the gaping hole in my door.

"Don't 'Mother' me! What were ya doin, eh? Talkin to ya self!"

"Sorry, Moth-uh-Mistress!"

"Arrh, ya better be! I need you ta go down to the shops and buy me a new door. Some un kicked through this one." Mother ordered, gesturing towards my door, of which SHE had kicked through, in anger. The thing is, it wasn't my fault, you see. she just blew it WAY out of proportion...

Yesterday evening, she told me to fetch her some flour-powdered bread, from the market. And, well, my legs were aching to the point I'd genuinely thought they'd fall off! So, I explained to her , that I had just came back from double- physical education blah, blah, blah... And the table threw into the air and... things went downhill from there.

Of course I hadn't meant to make her so angry. I thought it had blew over, but obviously not.

"Stop daydreamin and get me a door! Now!"

I flinched. Not the hand again. Please- not the hand! I shot out of the room as fast as my tiny, needle legs would carry me. Bolting round a corner, I stopped for a breather.

The sound of my heart pounding blocked out all the buzzing, in the streets of Stroun. I collapsed to the floor and panted. A snake rushing through my body, twisting around my lungs and clinging tight. It didn't seem to let go. An asthma attack... I crossed my legs and took deep breaths. I had to seek medical care. But no. I'm barely a teenager, the nurses would contact Mother- then I would be in definite trouble. Desperate to stay calm, I close my eyes and imagine...

I'm in a forest, running the through the lopes with Jess. We laugh and roar at a joke she made. We hear something fly over-head. We pause and exchange glances. She runs over first, then disappears in thin air. "Jess?" I croak,"Jess!"

No reply.

I run to a tall, metal structure, forgetting my lost friend. A kind man smiles at me. I smile back.

"Gerd un, she is." he says, patting is time-beaten air-craft, " Been with me fer yers. It was my grampy's, many generations ago, even before him. Fancy a ride?"

And with that, a key churn, a rumble- and we take off, soaring thoroughly the clouds. The air is starting to get thin. "Stop the plane! Stop the plane! Please!"

No reply. The man shots a look at me. His eyes gleam red.

THE AIR IS THIN.

I woke up. I couldn't breath. Flashing lights above me. It was suddenly quiet. It was so peaceful. I lifted my arm up. I stared long and hard at my hand. Where was I?

"Hello, I'm Stacey." came a cheerful, but slightly muffled, voice.

I shook my self awake, suddenly aware of a plump, rosy-cheeked lady, standing in front of me.

"Oh, sorry, dear. Did I startle you? Are you okay? I'm Stacey." She held her hand out, as if she wanted me to grab it.

"I'm ..."well I didn't really know who I was. I felt like Emily. But it was different.

"Oh! Never mind! It says here, you're..." She paused for a second, in thought "Jess."

What?! How can this be? I'm Emily! That's my name! That's what my parents called me. I leant over to read a sign on the end of my bed. Sitting up so suddenly made me feel sick, but I barely managed to read the words 'JESS' on a piece of board.

"Why am in this strange place?"

"It's called a hospital." replied Stacey"You have to stay at your bed overnight to monitor your breathing, then you can go home." she smiled.

I didn't. I can't go back home. Mother would know. She will never forgive me.

"You alright, sweetheart?"

"Yeah" I grinned"I'm fine."

Night came. Everyone was asleep- it was the perfect chance. For once in my life, the door wasn't padlocked. The windows open, as it was summer. A light breeze sheltered me. I felt like a feather, drifting around the hallways, out of sight. As I ran, the doors opened 3 metres in front of me, as if serving me like slaves. "Thankyou." I whispered, under my breath. A crash. A ring. Lights flashed everywhere. Had I been caught?