Hemangioma

Red

"Why am I different?"

I looked my mom straight in the eyes. She looked down uneasy, opening her mouth and then shutting it again, as if she is unable to find the perfect words to say. She remained quiet yet I know what she was going to say.

In her head I saw words in red floating, and it read "I can't tell you the truth."

"Why can't you tell me the truth?"

She seemed shocked, yet she hid her reaction in a blink of an eye. She sighed.

"You are not different. You're just, uhm,, gifted."

She answered me with the exact same words I hear from her everyday. Why can't she tell me the truth? I'm already 18! I have always been different. I can read minds. I see people's thoughts in red, floating above their heads every time. At first I enjoy it so much. But now it's getting annoying because I can't seem to find real friends. They only talk to me to use my abilities to their advantage.

"what kind of gift?"

she froze.

"If it's a gift then why can't you tell me!?"

Everything slowly gets blurry as I found myself crying somewhere between the lines of a curse and a blessing.

What am I?

"Am I cursed?"

Voice cracking, I snapped. frantically grasping for air as I tried to calm my breath down.

Distant voices seemed to engulf me, swallowing my mom's scream for my name.

She tried to reach my hand

But then what happened next stunned the both of us. I began to float in the air! I panicked, I don't know how to go down! I swirled around the house uncontrollably, breaking a lot of my mom's figurines.

"Stay calm Aviana!"

My mom shouted.

I tried to calm my self, but I couldn't. Not long after, my back began to hurt so bad, as if it was being ripped off. My eyes felt a burning sensation. What's happening? Is this the end of me?

Then it all went black.

---

I woke up in my room, my back aching so bad. taking heavy breaths I managed to sit down. What had happened? I looked to my left to see my self in a mirror attached to my wall. I gasped .

My black eyes... they turned into hazel!

Despite the pain on my back I stood. What's happening to me? I need answers. Just when I'm about to open the door my mom went inside. With a serious look in her face I saw red above her head, "Gosh It really is happening"

"what's happeni---"

"We need to talk."

She motioned me to sit down and she sat beside me. She took a deep breath, and after what seemed like forever she spoke.

"You were born with a dragon birthmark on your back. A symbol of power and range that can never only be possessed by the chosen one. The higher ups got scared and wanted to get rid of you."

Higher ups? You mean kings and queens?

"What the hell!" I yelled.

She motioned me to shut up and listen to her. And so I did.

"At the night of our escape, they sent their finest knights to kill us. You father fought and risked his life, allowing me to escape with you in my arms."

I looked at my mom and sadness was evident in her eyes. I froze. My Father. My father died because of me. I opened my mouth to talk but she spoke again.

"I ran and ran, I was scared, I was tired, I was angry. I lost hope because I know somehow they will find us, your mark sreams power. As long as it's there, it will continue to attract enemies. I thought of using everything I had to hide your birthmark, I was hopeless until I thought of using magic."

She looked at me dead in the eye.

"At first I successfully hid your mark but then you got more powerful over time and I can't do anything more to hide it."

"Why are you only telling me now?" confusion evident in my voice.

"Everyone wanted to get you so they could use you! I got scared, Aviana. I don't want to lose you... And so I hid your identity away from everyone, including you. I'm so sorry.."

She hugged me tight.

"I was scared."

Fear is an essential part of life. I've been different my whole life, but I am alive still; not because I'm not scared , but because I move forward despite the fear. I don’t need to be more or less of anything to be good enough, because I am already perfect – just the way I am.

As much as I want to be angry. I just can't. She did it to protect me. And now is my time to protect us. Protect myself.

"Your mind is very powerful Aviana. Don't ever lose your control over it."

I nodded. But then my back hurt once more, and mom seemed to notice. She stared at me and I read above her head "Remove your shirt and see for yourself" she then stood up and went out of my room.

With curiosity crawling through me I stood up in front of the mirror, removed my shirt and slightly turned to my back. I watched in horror and astonishment as I saw a red mark in the shape of a dragon slowly forming perfectly on my back. It was laid down effortlessly, like a perfectly done tattoo highlighting my spinal column.

I was busy examining my mark with glimmers of awe and astonishment. I looked around my room feeking hopeful yet uncertain.

Tomorrow is a new day, a chance to begin and become better than I was before. Tomorrow is an opportunity to let go, and to move forward.

It is a clean slate, a fresh start. It is new, beckoning us with open arms.

I wore my shirt back on and went downstairs.

Tomorrow seems exciting. But of course, I have to deal with the present first.

And today, will definitely be a long day.