DORK - Rewrite

A hefty figure emerged from the light. Anne struggled to figure out what or who he was but was drawn up to a blank. Being left down there so long caused her to have a lapse in her efficiency in education. The man said words and Anne could only catch two, “...found....her...”

He scooped up Anne and carried her up the misshapen wooden stairs.

Woozy from all the confusion, Anna mumbled to the man and instructed him to carry her back. She could only form incoherent sentences.

“They ...come...”

“Look...me...for...”

“Angry.... me”

The hefty man shushed her and mumbled nonsense in her ears. He brought her outside to a whole new world. She hadn’t been outside in so long, she’d almost forgotten what grass looked like, let alone normal human beings.

She winced from the sudden flow of light reaching her retina...or fovea... She couldn’t remember. Closing her eyes, she formed images from the sounds she heard flying around her. She could hear the pretty Asian woman who did the news. She could hear the furious snapping of cameras and the buzz of busy adults. She heard the frantic whir of police cars and ambulances.

But she was missing one sound. One sound that she was afraid to miss. She missed the sound of her brother and mother smashing furniture. She missed the sound of them shouting foul words.

She surprised herself. She almost felt nostalgic at the absence of the clink of beer bottles on a Saturday night. She didn’t even know what day it was.

She didn’t even register that she was free.

*~*

Anne straightened her jacket for the fourth time. Walking in front of her mirror she picked up her brush and proceeded to brush her hair for four long strokes. She resisted that morning and basked in her small feat. She brushed her teeth once and only cleaned her room two times the night before.

Her parents didn’t really put up with her quirks. They merely tolerated them. Sending her to the best psychiatrists in the country, they tried to find out why their adopted daughter couldn’t wash her hands less than four times or sleep without four pillows on her bed and still slept with the light on.

Tapping the door handle four times, she exited her bedroom and walked down the stairs, skipping every fourth step and refusing to use the hand rail.

She was completely petrified of the germs and bacteria lying on the single piece of green wood. She went to a normal school; one of the best ones in the county. Moving to Tatum County meant a whole new life to Anne. Her adoptive parents adopted her without even looking at her case file; without even questioning why an ten year old girl couldn’t go anywhere without her old teddy bear.

Seven years and counting, she spent the rest of her days with the Isles family. Consisting of her adoptive mother and father and her adoptive brother, they made up her entire world. Thought they weren’t that appreciative of how she reacted and acted towards certain things, they grew on her and became her real family.

She hadn’t seen her biological siblings in years and was content like that.

Her adoptive brother, Scott, knocked into her and sloshed coffee on her entire front. Panicking, she frantically shook and ran feverishly to the bathroom. She disposed of the possible germs and took four distinct showers. She never did like the smell of coffee, it reminded her too much of the basement. The basement smelt like old coffee and dusty furniture.

Running her fingers through her hair four more times, she took a breath and proceeded back down stairs.

Her parents barely glanced at her when she returned. They’d gone through the shock phase when she had her first “quirk”. But now, they barely noticed her fall-backs and reactions to any form of dirt.

Kissing her father, she wished him good morning. Smiling, he closed his newspaper and folded it into half.

“So, Annie, how do you feel about... going somewhere for... help?”

“What do you mean Daddy?”  He smiled at her use of the endearment that stuck since she arrived.

“How would you feel if we sent you to get help for your-” He paused looking for the right word to call it, “- problem?”

“Whatever you want Daddy,” She hugged him and grabbed her bag for school. Rushing outside, she yelled goodbye to the rest of her family.

“Bye Scott! Bye Martha!”

As rushed outside, to brave not only the world, but also the school.

 Anne attended the prestigious Tatum Academy. It was the most expensive school in the state and most likely the best. However, it was like a personal prison for Anne. She was shoved, pushed and ignored by most. She tried to make herself small, but some just liked to prey on the weak.

Anne was bending. She had to make sure she didn't break.

Author’s Note:

O.M.G! This is one of my personal favourite of stories, I’m in my psychological disorder phase. Please excuse any inaccurate information, I am basing everything from Google research.

 Peace, Love & Unfathomable Crushes <3