Prompt Twenty-Eight- Not Really Human
It’s your 18th birthday and, upon it, you parents deliver some pretty shocking news: You’re not really human. They admit that they’ve been covering up the fact that you are actually a (fill in the blank). After hearing the news you still decide to go to school, but this school day is different than all your school days past, especially when it’s revealed to others what you truly are. Write this scene. It says to do it in 500 words or less, but I say, write however much you want!
My response...
The words of my parents still ring in the back of my mind. You're a demon, Lizzy, and you're immortal. I think I'm in a state of shock as I get ready for school. They told me that I could stay home so I could absorb what is happening to me, but I crave normalcy.
I stare at the reflection of myself in my mirror and look for clues or something different. I never knew demons existed let alone believed I could be one. I've read stories where human girls find out they're vampires or fairies, but there's always signs.
I've always been normal, average. I can run a decent speed but I never place at meets above 4th. I don't have weird visions that show the future or can read minds. I've never experienced homicidal thoughts or been aggressive.
If it weren't for the dead serious look on my parents' faces I'd think they were lying or it was a prank. After dressing in my clothes, I grab my backpack and walk down the stairs. My parent's are in the same spot I left them, sitting on the couch in the living room, their hands crossed over each other lovingly.
"I guess I'll go to school now." I break the deafening silence. "I'll see you guys later."
"Wait!" my mother says. "Things may happen today. You need to be ready."
"Your cloak will begin to drop and your powers will soon come in. Be prepared for anything. We trust you," my father says.
"What do you mean my cloak?" I ask back horrified.
My mother and father exchange glances and then face me. They both stand with weird synchronicity and stare at me. Before I can question their weird behavior, they each shut their eyes and what I see haunts my inner thoughts, the image seared in my brain.
They transform into beings that scare me to the core. Luckily, my mother has the same eyes as before so I know she's not completely different. Her skin looks thicker, almost leathery. It's the same color as before but more of a pink tinge. Her hair is black and stringy and hangs down past her hips.
I look to my father and his appearance is oddly similar but with manly changes. They're both completely naked, but their skin almost covers up what would be private parts.
"Are you okay?" my mother asks me, her voice worried and trembling.
"What are you?" I mutter.
"We're demons, just like you," she says.
"Oh god." I run past my parents and straight out the front door without uttering another word. I don't bother hopping in my car. Instead, I run to school needing a break from my thoughts. Running always has a way of doing that--numbing my brain.
I make it into first period right in the knick of time. I sink into my seat and pray that nobody look at me. I hate attention as it is but more so today since anything could happen. I make it through class without any mishaps and find my best friend in the hallway between the bells.
"Happy birthday, Liz!" she yells as she swings her arms around me. "I'm so excited for you. Big one-eight. Did you parents wish you a happy birthday?"
"Yeah, they did..." I answer, unable to lift my mood.
"What's wrong? What'd they do to you?"
"I don't think you'd believe me, Tara." I tell her as we walk to our shared next class.
"Of course, I would," she says, taking my shoulders and stopping me. "Tell me."
"I'm a demon." I drop the bomb on her. I wait for her face to drop in appall or for her to frown and brush it off. Weirdly, she does neither. Her face doesn't change at all. In fact, it looks like she's waiting for me to tell her more. "Did you hear me? I'm a demon."
"They told you!" she jumps up and yells. "I'm so excited you know now. Now we can talk about it whenever we want."
"Wait," I say and push her back so I can look at her. "You knew I was a demon?"
"We're all demons in this town, Liz."
I think all of the shock and overwhelming emotion of it drops on my shoulders in that second because it feels like a truck just hit me square in the face, obliterating me. I crumble to the ground with my hands covering my face as I try to absorb all of this information.
The next second a tingly feeling erupts in the pit of my stomach. It's like I'm about to get sick on a rollercoaster. I lean over incase I puke, but instead when I glance down at my hand, I see the weird skin. I look down at myself and I'm naked, like my parents were, the rubbery skin covering me.
"It's okay. It's your true form. I have one, too." Tara says, bending down to rub my back.
"Hey look!" a boy yells in the hallway. "Liz is in her true form! Congrats Lizzy!" he announces, clapping his hands. A few more kids join in clapping and then a dozen and then two dozen. It's bizarre. Tara reaches her hand down and lifts me so I'm standing.
The tingly feeling goes away and I'm back in my human form. Mrs. Wittenburg comes over and takes me and Tara by the hand and tugs us towards the office. I look over at Tara but she looks just as confused as me. Mrs. Wittenburg finds an unoccupied office and we all go in and she locks the door.
"I know it's your birthday, but we're not to show our true forms in school unless in a supervised class." She glares down at me.
"I didn't know."
"I know, but I'm supposed to explain." I wait for her to continue. "You're parents told you you're a demon but since you're in school, I'm guessing you denied it." I nod. "Well now you know you are and there are rules. You are not to show your true form in public unless necessary. The children under eighteen don't know and we'd like to keep it that way for safety. You'll be in new classes with Tara starting tomorrow. There's a war and all of us are involved."
"A war with who?" Tara asks.
"Angels."
Write your response in the comments section below or what you think of this prompt.
Didn't like this prompt? Want to do another? Check out my other prompts...
Prompt 27- Drill Time
Prompt 26- Old Flame
Prompt 25- Greedy Roommate
Prompt 24- Hockey Injury
Prompt 23- Ten Year Old Letter
Prompt 22- Two Minute Thinker
Prompt 21- Truth Telling
Prompt 20- Best New Years Ever
Prompt 19- Alone for Seven Days
Prompt 18- Christmas Miracle
Prompt 17- Square One
Prompt 16- Stolen Lights
Prompt 15- Strange Reporting
Prompt 14- Thanksgiving 2013
Prompt 13- 3 Minute Free Write
Prompt 12- The Mind
Prompt 11- ABC's
Prompt 10- A Mysterious Request
Prompt 9- Why Did You Do It?
Prompt 8- Dream Turned Reality
Prompt 7- Fortune Teller
Prompt 6- Hitching a Ride Home
Prompt 5- He Turned The Key And Saw
Prompt 4- Doug
Prompt 3- They Had Nothing To Say
Prompt 2- Skydiving Secrets
Prompt 1- What's A Prompt?
Nice! Ok here's mine. I love these!
ReplyDeleteAnd they wonder why I'm so moody. 18 years of my life have been a lie. The newest bomb they lay on me is I'm not human. Sure, being told you were adopted at age 15 was a bit of a shock but they assured me they still loved me but wanted to be honest with me. Really? I shrug on my backpack and leave to catch the bus to school. They want me to stay home but I'm a little miffed at them right now and I don't want their company. I need to figure this stuff out. Okay, so not human but an alien chameleon they rescued from a burning wreckage in Roswell, New Mexico. They said I used to chance colors when i was a baby but figured out early that a mood ring seemed to absorb that power and filter the color changes into the ring. Right now, it's a swirling haze of blue and black with a flash of red every few seconds. I need to calm down.
Once on the school bus I feel a bit nervous. What if the other kids find out? I'm not sure I know how to control my powers, since I didn't know I had any in the first place. I twirl the ring on my finger to keep calm and remember that as long as I wear it, I'm safe.
The noise in the hallways seems unusually loud today. I deposit my books in my locker and head for my first class. I've always been good at science. Hopefully today's exercise will take my mind off of my problems for a while. I take my seat and stare dumbfounded at the gizmo at the front of the class. Mr. Science... (That's his real name) is excited to tell us that we will be working with a small scale MRI machine. We each get a turn using it, working the controls and recording the data from our classmates. I perk up until I realize everyone is removing their jewelry in preparation of using the equipment. What dumb luck! I sit in the back and watch as the others gather around the machine and take their turns using it. I record the read outs from a a distance and almost make it through the class when Mr. Science notices my non-participation. He calls me forward.
"My ring is rather tight on my finger so I don't think it will come off.
"Nonsense!" he says with a brilliant smile. "All we need is a little soap." Before I can stop him, he pulls my hand toward him and lathers it good with a dish detergent and water. Obviously others in the class had the same objection as mine. Of course, the ring is not too tight and slips off with ease. I feel embarrassed and it shows.
"I've never seen anyone turn that shade of red before," he says.
"What?"
"Your face is literally beet red," he says again.
"She looks like a freak!" a girl on the cheer squad yells. The others laugh. My emotions burn hot and so does my face.
"Now she looks like a flame!"
I examine my hands and see the beet red turn a different shade as if flames live beneath my skin. Others are gathering around me as I change colors. Someone shoves an ice cube into my hand and the skin turns blue against the cold. I drop the ice cube and try to escape but their fun has already started. Someone wraps a purple scarf around my neck and my throat and face start to blend before I pull it away from my skin. I fumble to get my ring back on but it drops to the ground. I crouch to find it while they find more colorful objects to push into my hand or against my skin. In a panic, I scream and knock them away from me.
"Where'd she go?" someone asks. Startled I look down at myself and realize I've blended myself into the background. Carefully I scoop my ring into my pocket and roll under the table. I slip across the floor unnoticed until I make it through the open door as they continue to look for me. The fear is gone. No one can see me. A sly smile spreads my lips.
That was so good! I loved the story and the originality of it. Being invisible would definitely have its perks :)
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