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Broken

Never would I be like I'd been before the incident, never could I be mended Not that anyone had ever tried to mend me, not that I would have allowed anyone to try

It was easier to accept that I'd be broken for the rest of s weren't meant to be broken, and therefore couldn't be s Whatever had been shattered in the incident, and I was pretty sure it was ain

It wasn’t like breaking a vase and silue There was no such thing as glue for a broken soul, a broken being like myself It was a realization that I made a few months after the incident and somehow the realization made my life so much harder, but at the same time easier Harder because I knew there wasn’t any hope, easier because finally I knew there wasn’t any hope Having hope, and having to see your hopes being shattered over and over again, was soany hope at all Even coers could see that I wasn’t normal That's why I’d barely left the house for the last three years, despite Dad's efforts to return ave up eventually and even hired a retired teacher to hoh school I'd had plenty of friends before the incident, but afterward the thought of facing any of the

Peterborough was a small town and rumors about the incident spread like wildfire and speculations were all over the news

The only people who had e about the incident were Dad, my brother Brian, and the hospital staff that treated me in the weeks afterward, but even they didn't know everything; If I had any choice in the matter, it would remain that way until the day I died I'd take the truth into rave

I'd already have succeeded, if Dad hadn't savedI couldn't re seen my dad cry in earnest He’d toldalready lost Mom to cancer when I was only twelve

Even Brian, my invincible brother, had had tears in his eyes when he visited me in the hospital after my second try After that, I decided I would try to bear my life for their sake I wouldn’t hurt theh, forced to watch e shortly before the incident He was spared most of the drama

When I suggested to Dad that I wanted to start a new life, I didn't have the slightest clue how to do it exactly The only thing that had been clear fro was that I had to leave my hoood at the beginning: I could move in with Brian and his best friend

We were almost there, only a fewof sickness spread in ht it down

“Are you alright, Amber?” Dad's worried tone caused aze at the look of concern and despair on his face

“I'm fine, Dad,” I assured him I stroked the soft fur on Pumpkin's back in an attempt to calm myself As usual, my cat rewarded ainstat the cat wistfully and it almost broke my heart Dad shouldn't have reason to be jealous of a cat Yet I couldn't bringwas stopping me

Our car pulled into the street where Brian lived This was it: my chance to start a new life Dad parked the car and turned off the engine I didn't aze to the side My heart leaped in

to my throat

There, in front of a four-story brownstone apart uncertainly at the car He wasn’t the hesitant type, but with me it was different I was the reason for his uncertainty He was probably worried about me Alorried

Dad pushed open the door and got out of the car before walking toward Brian They hugged There was no hesitation, no aardness