transformed

Creatures of Destruction

calum

I woke with Amber draped across my lap fast asleep. I stroked her hair and sighed. She began to stir so I helped her into sitting position. She shuffled back against the tree next to me and rested her head on my shoulder. Then I noticed that she was still in just her underwear from the transformation and looked away awkwardly. Amber took her head off my shoulder and moved a bit further away.

"I knew it was to good to be true," she sighed.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"It's not a secret that I'm just a reject. My first boyfriend thought I was violent for doing fencing and judo, Jacob thought I was too geeky, Jed and Michael both thought I was ugly..." she explained but I interjected.

"Mikey? the one who you put in a painful armlock who wouldn't shut up? why did you want to go out with him?"

"Once upon a time he was a nice kid but whilst I was going out with him his sister was hitting on my brother, Isaac, who had autism. he was vulnerable and he didn't want to go out with shannon but he couldn't tell her because he was affraid so I told her for him. she wouldn't listen to me. to prove me wrong she slept with my brother which really did something to his head. she told Michael what had happened and that I'd tried to break them appart and that they were perfect for each other. Michael broke up with me for that and has been hating on me ever since. As for my brother, he didn't eat for a week after and locked himself in his room. He became seriously ill and very paranoid and scared of everyone including my mum, my dad and me. he didn't eat for another 5 days and was put into intensive care where he died a week later after refusing anyone to go near him including the doctors. I've always hated Michael and Shannon ever since. Shannon has a new boyfriend now and a baby. Shannon turns 17 in a week and 3 days."

I sat with my jaw hanging. it must have been really hard for her to tell me that because silent tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry Amber. I moved away from you because you were half naked and I didn't want to violate you by touching you or looking at you because it's...y'know...private," I said, blushing.

"I've been abused before. It doesn't matter. My Dad...um...okay. you know where I'm going with this. That's why I learned to fight. I fought him off and he stopped. after eight years of it I was sick of it. 2 abortions when I was 13 and 8 and a miscarriage when I was 11. He's in prison now. I didn't have a good start in life with an abusive dad and an autistic brother. I found my escape through fighting and reading. I don't know why I'm telling you this but I thought you were quite trustworthy despite what happened with your dad and all..."

I pulled amber close and held he as tightly as I could, thinking I could protect the traumatised 15 year old curled in my arms.

That's when I heard the twig snap and I was brought away from my reprieve.