I am eighteen. No longer a child, no longer that baby-faced girl that my family had always known. I think I'm ready to take on the world, I mean, I can drink alcohol now and drive a car around town. My friends had already celebrated their big birthday either by throwing a massive party or in one case, hiring a villa on the coast for five days. We went nuts, running down to the shore in the early hours and blasting music from our phones. That was a taste of freedom.
But today felt different, I feel different. Waking up isn't much of an issue for me. My younger brother is the one who loves to sleep in and then every attempt to poke him out of bed fails sadly. But today, I'm struggling to move. This isn't OK. I'm going to a concert this afternoon for my favourite band The Damaged along with a couple of besties. So, why do my muscles feel like a achy mess?
After struggling with myself, I finally find that energy to stand up. Slowly, so that I don't topple over and give myself a cut on the head. Something isn't feeling right at all. I don't remember anyone I know being unwell recently, only my neighbour but that was due to her appendix.
By the window, I stand and stare across the houses that sit quietly on the various streets. It's a deadly quiet outside even though the sun has already risen. For a second, I rub my hand against the top of my arm and stare at my fingers. They are blue, an inky blue.
Was my shirt blue? No, it was white. So where had this strange colour come from? Perhaps Mum had mixed up the washing and managed to stain my pyjama shirt? It wasn't until I tiptoed towards my bedroom mirror that I noticed something truly shocking. My arm was blue, dark blue. What was going on?
Straining my eyes, I finally notice a word tattooed onto my arm. YOU
YOU what?
Who is YOU?
Is that some initials to a random person's name?
I laughed out-loud, this was just some birthday prank, most likely my friends clubbing together for something to make me laugh.
The door at that moment flew open and my Mum strolled in, carrying a massive birthday cake on a plate, "Happy birthday sweetheart!"
I smiled, "Thanks Mum, can I really eat a cake for breakfast?"
She laughed with me, "Of course, I'll go and light the candles downstairs... make sure to wash your fingers first."
I stared back down towards my inky fingers, "Of course, getting ink on my cake wouldn't be tasty!"
Racing towards the bathroom, I slammed the door shut and grabbed one of the various wet wipe packets lying around. This ink had to go, such a messy sight as I started to scrub. Scrubbing hard, the skin on my arm had turned red with roughness but the writing simply wasn't coming off.
"That must have used a permanent marker..." I groaned, "Some laughing matter indeed!"
Strangely, the ink on my fingers was easy to wash off and dry, leaving no trace on the hand towel. Just as I was turning to leave, I gasped at the sight of my arm. The word YOU had somehow gotten darker, bolder and a second word had now formed underneath it, making my heart race with fear.
YOU DON'T
I blinked once.
YOU DON'T GO
I blinked twice.
YOU DON'T GO TODAY
Forget the blinking, I now knew that my friends or brother had nothing to do with the words on my body. On its own, it was communicating with me. Just not using the mouth. How was this possible?
"What will happen if I don't go today?" I asked nervously, knowing full well that the birthday cake downstairs was ready to go.
With a flash breeze, the words vanished from my arm and new ones started to form to answer my question.
YOU WON'T DIE TODAY
"Die?" I whispered as my body trembled, "If I go to this concert, I will die?"
My arm spoke again in reply.
YES
I was terrified, were my family and friends in some sort of danger? I tied my long, red hair back into a ponytail and stared at my reflection numbly. This was already turning into a strange day and only I had the truth.
Running back to my room, my mind sprung into action. I could jump out of my bedroom window and not alert my family that I had left. Packing my small rucksack with supplies, I kept an eye on the time as item after item fell into the pockets safely. Voices started to get louder from downstairs, obviously they were all talking about me and why I was taking so long. But I needed answers.
"Um, arm?" I asked, "Who do I need to look for?"
My arm started to turn blue again, as new words etched onto my skin.
GO TO SHACK, HE IS WAITING
Was there really a shack in my hometown? I didn't want to be part of all of the school gossip in my year group, but I did remember something along those lines being mentioned. I knew what I had to do. Opening my window, I balanced along the ledge and climbed across the pipes, down to the lane behind the back of the garden. Landing quietly as not to disturb the family, I took off.
There was little time left, I had to learn what I was actually going on with the concert. After running for sometime, my phone finally started to buzz with all of the text messages and voicemails. That was a sure sign that my family and friends knew I had taken off.
"Got to keep going!" I whispered out-loud to yet another empty street, looking down towards my phone screen which showed a map of the shack.
Car horns beeped as I crossed at a tight crossing, plenty of traffic for all of the day's happenings. But if they saw how crazy I looked, I don't think they would have opened up the door to help me.
I spotted the shack, forlorn and forbidding as I struggled to catch my breath. My gut was telling me that this was most likely the location I needed to be at.
"Hello?" I slowly asked, "Is anyone here?"
The only noises I could identify were the rustling of the oak trees, tall and scary above my head.
"Um, I was told to come here... by my arm." I spoke, as stupid as that statement sounded.
Finally, my gaze rested on a dark figure lurking nearby, he had long legs, a little beard forming on his chin as he beckoned me towards him. At first, I wasn't sure if I should go over and talk. But before I could do anything, the breeze slowly carried me over until I landed next to where he was standing.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZL1QTDo893
"Ssssh, not so loud!" he whispered, "You don't want the outlaws to hear you."
"Outlaws? Is this something out of Robin Hood?" I questioned, silently thanking my Dad for having a pretty edition of the book in his study.
"Don't be stupid, this isn't a game. It's a life or death situation." the figure spoke, "You have to trust me on this one."
I felt frown-lines forming as I spoke, "Well, today is my birthday, can't I at least have a fun day and deal with this crap tomorrow?"666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZHWKDoXeq
He shook his head with a sad smile, "You don't understand. If you return to your old life, you will be in grave danger. The writing on your arm..."666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6UdkEh1fVP
"I thought that was a prank by my friends!" I exclaimed much to his annoyance. 666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUU5MCoPkY
"Well, it's real. Your body has the power to produce tattooed words across your arms. That is why you are being highly sought after by the outlaws. If they get close to you, take you, they will steal your ability and you will die by their bare hands." he gestured out towards the skyline of my hometown below, "The only way that you can avoid this fate is by coming with me."666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZ9lPK1Wm5
I brushed away a small tear from my eye, "I can't live with my family anymore?"666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouzq230f3B
He shook his head, "No child, I'm sorry."666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtZEIvOJgH
I started to take this revelation in. If I went with him, I would never be able to go back to my old life being a student at University or falling in love. If I stayed, I could be stalked, find myself in a tricky situation where my parents and brother could get harmed.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmcAH34h88
"It's difficult for me, I want you to know that." I finally spoke, trying hard not to break down like a baby in front of him.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFiy8dZov8
"Of course, there are more people like me who will keep you and your family safe." the figure smiled, slightly reassured by the fact that I had chosen to talk to him rather than run off.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dFCJsM4QQ
"They will know right? Or do they already know?" I asked with a slight worry in my voice.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZoCwtp9ci
"They will find out soon enough, but time ticks on and we need to move. The outlaws were going to be at the concert later. That is why your arm warned you." he replied.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31IPDjV1mU
A shiver ran through my body, I was going to end up dead if I went to see my favourite band.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6e2L8l8267
"Just, promise to protect my friends and family and I'll go with you." I spoke, wanting to reason with him and get a good result from it.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCm9zF9hHui
He nodded, "That is our purpose, I know that would hurt you if you left them all behind and with no idea what's happening."666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabJcLfNGgj
With a small click of my fingers, I whispered so that others couldn't hear, "Then we need to leave now. I, Giselle want to stay alive and live a life."666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDjbZJmejR
"That is the right thing to say Giselle," the figure held out a hand for me to take. Taking a deep breath, I found my fingers connecting to his hold straight away.666Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCiFvfEkZI
What a way to turn eighteen. Nearly brushing with death. But I'm still alive, for now.
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