Day 92

• Amelia M, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2018

I was born cursed. Half a heart, no feelings, no love for myself or for others. I could feel no emotion. I couldn’t be happy or sad. My parents told me this was normal and not to worry. They smiled like it was no big deal and carried on with their lives. But all the other kids stared at me, pointed their figures and laughed. No one wanted to be my friend. Teachers looked down on me and usually slapped me in the face but I couldn’t feel a thing. My mother read me stories about demons and vampires; she told me they had no mercy for others. “Am I a vampire mummy?” I asked curiously “No sweetie, you’re not” she smiled and looked away like she usually did. I played with my figures and read the words again. When I was seven daddy showed me blood that was dipping from a dead animal. What did my parents want from me? Did they expect anything? I was a very cautious child. Never the one to speak or to be involved in anything suspicious or out of the ordinary, but the truth is, although I could not feel teachers, students and family abusing me, I could feel a hole, a hole in my heart.