Unfamiliar

  ~ Two years ago ~

 

  Estella

 

  Tears stung my eyes as I staggered into my room and flipped on the switch.

  The light was blinding, and I stumbled to my desk, knocking aside books as I searched for the only thing that could save me now.

  My heart was pounding so hard, I thought I was about to have a heart attack. The fear was fading now, but it was being replaced with a sick feeling that made me want to throw up.

  My hands were shaking as they continued in their search, and finally my fingers landed on my prize. A black permanent marker.

  Without hesitating, I tore off the cap of the marker and rolled up the left sleeve of my sweater. Disgust shot through me as my eyes landed on the marked skin of my arm.

  I was tarnished. I was ruined. I was scarred.

  I would never be the same again. I would never be the same person again. He had made sure of that.

  Hands still shaking, I pressed the marker to the raw, red skin, and began to write over it. Once the word was etched over the disfiguration, I continued to write on my arm at a furious pace. Over and over again, I wrote the same word until it was the only thing swimming in my vision.

  Then, finally, I collapsed onto the floor, repeating the word in my mind until it was tattooed onto my skull.

  Forget. Forget. Forget.

  Maybe, if I told myself enough, I would truly forget.