I’m pretty sure when I was manufactured they forgot to add that little something that makes you different than others, you know that something special. Everyone has one, whether it’s a hobby, talent, personality or physical. It makes you special and worth wild. Me? I’m as plain as cardboard. Always have been. Nothing to differentiate me from this world…
Wanna know the best part? I work at Todd’s Odds N Ends Hobby Store. All the odds and ends for hobbyists and my job? A clerk…mopping, stocking, and wasting time in the back, pooping. It’s not like I don’t try, when I was in middle school we all were assigned to write an “I have a dream” speech when Bill Clinton visited our school on Martin Luther King Day. Now granted they only reason the president came to our school on MLK Day was that our school was named after Martin Luther King Jr., but the fact was we had to impress. So you ask, how did I do? I was vomiting in the toilet after eating old mashed potatoes and never saw the president. Even my baby sister got a picture with him because secret service thought my mom had placed a bomb in her diaper, and she threw a fit and Bill Clinton himself apologized to my mom.
I’ve grown old on trying new things; I just walk as a wounded idea whimpering to have someone excite me. I did have Noah once. Noah was perfect, and he didn’t even know it. He wanted me as much I as needed him. It was all too perfect to believe. It’s over now. He broke my heart after his brother died from a car accident. He said that he needed to grow past this and find ways of moving on without his big brother around. I was broken. I couldn’t understand why he wanted to let go of me instead of allowing me to help. Either way it’s over. I know his family could care less about me and why should they? So now I waste my days working and practicing my invisible characteristics.
Speaking of being invisible, I think it’s getting to me. Lately, I have been having these dreams and I can hear voices talking to me but no one is there. It’s more like a fear of figuring out that no one will ever really care.
Alright, so stopping my meds wasn’t the best idea I’ve had. Now the dreams are constant. I’m hearing voices and I can recognize them…it gets worse. It’s my family. I can hear my mother explaining how could this happen? Not to us? What did we do to deserve this? My mom used to crack jokes about me being a mistake, but maybe my psyche is telling me the truth. I am just a mistake from the factory and I need to be returned for reimbursement.
~Norma…can you hear me? It’s your mother. Please dear God! Wake this child!~
I’m scared now; I called my psychiatrist to see if I can get the meds tomorrow. The dreams are deeper and deeper into my head. I can’t stop it. I heard Noah last night. He said thank you. What crazy place did I create in my head? I’m not sure if it was just hearing Noah’s voice again or the whole going crazy part, but it’s getting harder to breathe. It feels forced and I can’t control it. I think I’m going to stop trying.
~Get the parents out of here, call Dr. Noble! ~
~What’s going on!? What are you going to do to her!?~
~Maim, I’m going to need you to leave the room. Dr. Noble, finally…the EEG scans show the brain functions are immoderately breaking down!~
~Alright, let’s check the vitals…how long do we have?~
~Not long, maybe two minutes… or less. Should we induce her or take her in for surgery?~
~Her vitals are still too damaged to function on her own; we’ll have to induce…~
I heard all of this. I’m dying, aren’t I? Why don’t I know what’s going on? No one is talking now…it’s silent. I don’t see the light that everyone talks about…where am I going? Wait wait...I hear it again…but I can’t tell who it is. Fuck! Talk louder!
Good evening, I’m Brad Shawn with tonight’s top story. Brenda is live at the scene. Brenda, can you tell us the status of our town’s young hero?
Hi Brad, we have a shocking ending to our town’s young hero. Norma Colby, at the tender age of 17 has died after doctors placed her in induced coma. The doctors announced her death at 3:23 this afternoon. The cause was a combination of internal bleeding and brain failure. Norma Colby will always be remembered after saving four people held hostage at the local hobby store last Thursday night when ex-marine, name still unknown, came into the store demanding bullets for a desert eagle hand gun. Norma flung herself in front of open fire; she was shot twice in the chest and once through her right temple as the ex-marine flew the scene. I have to say Brad, Norma’s family and friends have been here the whole time praying for hope. We have a survivor and close friend of Norma here tonight. Noah, how are you holding up?
She saved me; I saw her eyes look back at me when that asshole started to run towards the manager. The manager ducked and I was behind him. I just remember closing my eyes and seeing her lay there in the aftermath. Thank you Norma, I will always be here when you are ready to come back.
