Monster

You are nine years old, a scrawny, introverted boy with one friend, the daughter of the Greene's - the family who's lived in Greene Haven for the largest amount of time. That's why the town was named after them. Ever since you were born, all you've ever heard are stories about 'the Chosen One' and their special abilities. All the stories that have ever been read to you are about the Chosen One, and you have many things memorized about them, including the fact that a new one is chosen every year. Although you admire the 'Chosen One,' everyone else in your town seems to despise them. One day, your mother invites you into her room, saying that she needs to tell you something important. When you open the door of her dimly-lit room, you notice your mother's expression. She has the expression of one who has just been diagnosed with deadly cancer. When you ask her what's wrong, she glances at you, her forest-green eyes watery. After wiping her tears away with her light pink-colored nightgown, she begins to ask you if you know the legend of the 'Chosen One.' You nod your head, curious to know what's making your mother so emotional. Her pretty eyes are swollen and have dark circles under them, and her skin is paler than usual.

"Well, Aaron..." Your mother starts, and her voice sounded hoarse as she spoke. She avoids your eyes as your father walks in, his expression austere and unfriendly.

"You're the chosen one, Aaron. Get out of this house before you harm Brennon." Your father announces, his eyes full of disgust as he watches you.

You stare at your father in shock, unintentionally shaking your head.

This can't be true! I don't want the town to think of me as a monster, can't I just give my abilities to someone else? Someone who actually wants them for the greater good?

Your father grabs your arm forcefully, wrapping his big hands around your small wrist. "Don't even think about coming back here, Aaron Watson." He throws you to the concrete outside your home, and you begin to cry as you feel an agonizing pain in your body. You don't know why your father thinks you will hurt Brennon, your little brother, because you love him more than you love yourself.

∞∞∞∞

You are now 14 years old, and tired of living with your cantankerous uncle and stern aunt. His four daughters, who have more sass than Gerard Way, have been teasing you for five years, ever since you stepped into their home. You've been seeing Lyla Greene every day during school and after though, so that makes up for all the teasing and ridicule that you've gotten from your cousins. Even better, Lyla doesn't seem to care whether you're the 'Chosen One' or not, because she likes hanging out with you. You even began to spend time in the library reading about your role in the world just to get away from everything. You discovered that the 'Chosen One' was created when a witch came to the town and foresaw that they would go through great danger, with nobody to save them. She felt pity for the oblivious humans and blessed them with the 'Chosen One,' who is basically the human shield and protector of humans. Knowing all of this makes you feel better, so you decide that you are going to walk into your father's home and show him what you've discovered about the 'Chosen Ones.'

∞∞∞∞

Time flies by faster than you think, and before long, you're 20 years old, not trying to get your family to love and trust you anymore. They've avoided you like the plague ever since you told them about what you'd found out. They didn't accept the marriage between Lyla and you, but they never had to because they weren't a big part of your life anymore and you didn't seek their approval. A few years ago you stopped trying to convince your parents that you were good and slowly started not to think or care about them at all. As long as Lyla is with you on this earth, you feel as though you'll be the happiest man in the world. Lyla tries to encourage you to call your younger brother, Brennon, but you repeatedly remind her that if Brennon wanted to know about you and how you were doing, he would've called years ago. Lyla seems to forget everything about you being the chosen one, and you've been doing your duties to help people, yet they still despise you. You've grown accustomed to the fact that wherever you go, people seem to resent you, even if they hardly know you. Whenever situations like that happen, you remind yourself that you'll be sitting at your wife's side at the dinner table, having great conversations, and laughing. However, that has turned out to be your only motivation and even you know that Lyla wouldn't approve of that.

∞∞∞∞

The grandfather clock on the wall next to the door ticks loudly, reminding you and your depressed 32-year-old self of your dead wife and your young daughter, whose face reminds you so much of Lyla's that it hurts you. Two years before, Lyla was diagnosed with lung cancer. After hearing that horrible news, she hadn't eaten for days, and you could see her skeleton through her skin. You quit your job, knowing that if people would treat you like garbage when you saved them, it wasn't worth it anymore. Plus, you didn't want your daughter to leave you, because that would make you even more miserable than you already were. So you hid your powers, not caring about anyone else besides Lyla and Kiana. Your parents haven't tried to communicate with you for years, not even for an uncomfortable hello or check-in, but your brother has been bombing your phone with frequent calls that you never pick up. Once in a while, you feel guilty for shutting your brother out, until you remind yourself that at a time when you needed his support most, he never left you a voicemail or call. Brennon didn't understand that you would've taken a bullet for him if it came to that, but that was when they were little. If he didn't support you at your hardest, you wanted nothing to do with him. You told yourself that you'd rather be heartless than have your heart broken by the people who you trusted the most.

∞∞∞∞

You are 37 years old, and working as an accountant in the biggest bank industry in the country. However, you are still being haunted by the same nightmares each and every night. Your nightmare normally consists of your daughter discovering the secret you have worked hard to keep for several years and dismissing you from her life. You don't want to keep any secrets from her, but she would probably consider you a monster if she knew. Just like everyone else had years ago. You just wanted to live a normal life, with a daughter, son, and wife by your side. But you're grateful for what you have, even if your family hates you, your wife died, and you're miserable at work. You still have a beautiful daughter who loves you and supports you. That's all you need, you reassure yourself. One day, as Kiana is coming back from school, you mentally prepare yourself for any reaction she might have if you tell her your secret. To your surprise, once she finds out, a grin forms on her face and she hugs you, calling you the most awesome dad ever. You smile at Kiana, tears forming in your eyes as you realize that you should've told her straight from the beginning. You also tell Kiana how your ability affected your family, and she tells you that if they don't want to accept you, then you should just let go of them.

"Thank you, Kiana."

"No problem Dad," Kiana says, smiling at you, her sky blue braces showing.