A Perfect Fallacy

Prologue

The metal that clung to her skin was a momentary symbol of the indissoluble damage outside the walls; smoke-colored skies and metal-clad Earth were the signs that you were alive — albeit not fully, but breathing. Ear-piercing sirens and the atmosphere of terror; a fake world with a fake sense of normalcy was what was called perfect. Those without any purpose of living were considered perfect. The apathetic were known as perfect. 

And those who were truly normal? Abnormal. 

"Tell us where they are, bitch!" the man splashed ice-cold water on her. 

"I don't know!" she cried, shaking her head vehemently in an attempt to get rid of the coldness, yet, all in vain. 

"Lying won't get you anywhere," the man growled, "You'll be gone in an instant if you don't fess up already!" 

"I really… really don't know," she sobbed, hiccupping and sniffling. She lifted her gaze to look at him, "I don't fucking know!" 

"Don't you dare cuss at me!" the man delivered a heavy slap to her face, leaving a grave mark on her face, "Know your fucking place, you disgusting Abnormal!" 

Abnormal. Abnormal. How odd was it to be called that when you were fully present in your senses? 

"It's you who is abnormal," she spoke through gritted teeth, "If only you didn't try to kill us-" 

Another blow to the face. 

"Don't compare me to your kind," the man lethally threatened, "If I was as unfortunate as you, I would have killed myself by now." 

Her eyes teared up again; was it such a punishable offense to be born into this world? Were her sixteen years of existence a mere fault, a glitch in the system? She could not succumb to her fate yet. No, she had to live on. She had to take care of her mother. She had to repent and face her mother for all those years of torment. She had to escape. 

And how blissful would it have been if she could go back to her previous, innocent life!