Monster Heart Academy

“Get out, Misha!” My aunt’s voice cracked like thunder through the tiny living room. The baby in her arms whimpered, then started wailing. She bounced him against her shoulder, glaring at me as if I’d set the house on fire instead of just… existing. I stood there frozen, my ratty backpack dangling at my side. My chest burned. I had heard those words before, whispered, spat, hissed, but never with this finality. “Auntie” “Don’t call me that!” she snapped. “You cursed child. Haven’t you done enough? You took my sister. You took her husband. And now you want to drag me and my boy down too?” Her words stabbed, one by one, sharper than any knife. I swallowed hard, fighting the lump in my throat. “I didn’t kill them,” I whispered. It sounded pathetic even to me. She laughed bitterly. “Don’t you dare lie. The night your parents died, the signs were clear. Fire, blood, screams, and you standing there without a scratch. Everyone knows what you are, Misha. A witch. A curse.” The baby quieted, sensing her fury. She stroked his tiny head like he was the fragile one, when it was me splintering inside. I wanted to scream back. To deny it. To demand proof. But what would be the point? My whole life, I’d been carrying this invisible tattoo across my forehead: Monster. So I bit my tongue until I tasted blood. “Go,” she hissed. “The school sent their bus for you. Take your demons with you.” Her words should’ve broken me. Instead, I almost laughed—bitter and hollow. If only she knew how badly I wanted to leave. I slung my backpack higher and walked to the door. My sneakers scuffed against the peeling linoleum one last time. When I stepped outside, the neighbourhood was waiting. Of course they were. Mrs. Elkins from across the street whispered something to her husband, loud enough for me to hear: “At last. That girl is gone.” Kids pointed, snickering. One actually clapped. My cheeks flamed, but I kept my chin up, pretending their celebration didn’t sting like salt rubbed into an old wound. Someone muttered, “Good riddance.” I wanted to spit back, I never wanted to be here anyway. Instead, I stuffed my hands into my jacket pockets and stared straight ahead. And then, like a final cruel punchline, the bus arrived. It wasn’t yellow. It's not the kind of bus that picked up normal kids for normal schools. This one was sleek, black, and almost shimmered under the sunlight like oil on water. Its windows were tinted too dark to see through. The driver didn’t step out. The door creaked open on its own, like it had been expecting me. I hesitated, heart pounding. Behind me, the neighbours smirked. My aunt stood in the doorway, her baby pressed close, relief shining in her eyes for the first time in years. She looked lighter without me, like I’d been a weight strapped to her back. That hurt more than anything else. I climbed the steps, the bus sighing as though it recognized its passenger. The door shut with a hiss. As the engine growled to life, I turned in my seat and glanced through the window. The neighbourhood was already celebrating. I saw smiles, heard laughter carrying on the wind. Kids danced. Adults nodded to each other. Even my aunt smiled faintly as she kissed her son’s head. Finally, the cursed girl is gone. My chest ached so bad I had to press my palm against it. No friends. No family. No one to miss me. Maybe they were right. Maybe I was cursed. Still, I faced forward. Whatever waited at Monster Heart Academy couldn’t possibly be worse than this. Right? At least that’s what I told myself. As the bus rumbled down the street, I let my forehead rest against the cold glass. I thought about the kids at school, the way I always sat alone at lunch,the way my name on the attendance sheet made teachers glance at me twice, like they expected me to combust mid-roll call. Seventeen years in Denkville, and I couldn’t name a single real friend. No secret sleepovers, no whispered crushes, no boyfriend waiting at the gate after school. Just whispers that sliced, stares that burned, and doors that stayed shut. Denkville wasn’t just the place I lived. It was the cage I grew up in. And at long last I leave this city behind. I hugged my backpack closer to my chest, pressing my chin against the frayed strap. Maybe this new school would be different. Maybe. Or maybe it would be worse. Still, I faced forward. Whatever waited at Monster Heart Academy couldn’t possibly be worse than this. Right? At least that’s what I told myself.