you were everything

I 3 I

☂ eat your porridge ☂ 

✨ FLASHBACK ✨ 

'Do it now, Number Eight,' Dad claps his hands, pointing at the solid concrete wall. I tear it apart with a quick arm movement, watching as dust crumbles to the floor. 'Again.'

I grit my teeth, stepping over to the next wall.

And the next.

Each wall disintegrates like the last, leaving nothing but a pile of ashes. No matter how many walls I tear down, Dad always builds them back up again. The stupid exercise is proven to be very tedious and time consuming. 

'Good.' Is all he can say. 'I shall see you tomorrow.'

'Wait!' I call after him. 

'What is it, Number Eight?' Dad pauses in the doorframe, adjusting his monocle. 'Do you wish to practice another drill?'

'No,' I shake my head. 'When can I meet the others?'

'I already told you that. It is too dangerous for you to be out in the open. Your powers have proven to be too erratic.' Dad informs me.

'Please,' I say. 'I don't want to be alone here anymore.'

'You are not alone,' Dad says, making a wild gesture. 'I would like you to meet someone.'

I tilt my head to the side. 'Who?'

A tall slender woman enters the chamber. Her hair coils in perfect ringlets and the broad smile upon her face accentuates her dazzling white teeth.

'This is Grace,' Dad says. 'You will address her as Mom.'

'Hello, dear,' Mom says, in a strangely robotic voice. It's unnerving, as well as calming.

See, I got the 'prototype', not the Grace the other children knew and loved. The first Grace that Dad ever made, sent to care for me...the outcast.

She was barely human.

'I don't like her,' I back up to the wall. 'I want real friends.'

'That won't be possible,' Dad raises his voice. 'One more word out of you and no supper.'

'PLEASE!' Tears prickle at the edge of my eyes.

'Now, now,' Mom soothes. 'We can have fun together.'

Fear pumps through my chest as she moves closer, her head tilting at an unnatural angle. She raises an arm, and a loud creak almost bursts my eardrums. Dad stands in the corner, hurriedly taking notes on a notepad. He shakes his head quickly, sighing loudly. 

'She will not do for the others,' He mutters under his breath. 

'Come now, sweetheart,' Mom reaches out to touch me. 

'NO!' I shout, covering my face.

I only meant to 'shield' myself, but my actions caused Mom to fly back against the wall. The seemingly indestructible robot was destroyed on impact. A piece of loose metal flew at me, somehow slicing the inside of my right thigh.

The scar still bothers me to this day, because it serves as a reminder.

Dad said my powers were erratic.

I'd just proved him right.