Shadow of the Unicorn

Before anyone ever looked at her sideways, laughed behind her back or refused to share a school bus seat with her, Aurora knew she was different. One day, while sequestered in the dusty school library, something happened Aurora could not explain. "Tell us about the unicorns Aurora," said a sharp-shouldered boy. His friends giggled behind their unread library books. "Explain to us," he continued, "how to hex someone."
    Aurora's pale hands trembled, clutching an open copy of Magnificent Myths of the Ancient World. Her eyes darted across the text but the boy across the table stared her down. "What a looser," said one of the snickering boys, "she's got no friends."
The sharp-shouldered boy, however paid no notice. Something had caught his attention and glittered towards him from below the dark folds of Aurora's backpack. It was a misty glinting twist of metal. The boy felt his hand reach instinctively for it but Aurora's hand was faster. Her nimble fingers sprung around his wrist and there they stood, locked at eye level. Horrified the boy pulled back, but he was paralyzed. A yell emerged from his diaphragm but left his lips as no more than a gasp. Suddenly a white haze descended upon the library and the wooden tables and dusty shelves gave way to a shining nothingness. Aurora remained, however frozen like a statue. "It isn't meant for you," Aurora said, but her lips never moved.
When the boy awoke, his eyes focused on a chalk-white tile ceiling, decorated with spit-wads and loose pencils. His friends were still laughing, but this time, at him. On shaking legs, the boy rose. "Where is she?" He asked the red haired boy.
"I don't know. She left," but the red haired boy broke into a fit of laughter. "Tyler, you should have seen yourself. One second you were sitting there, and then it was like you went unconscious or something. I mean, you totally fell out of your chair, like that." He made an imitation faint, his eyes rolling back into his head. Tyler tried not to laugh.
"I fell," he said, "are you sure?"
The red haired boy nodded solemnly. "Yeah buddy. I think you may have hit your head too cause you don't look so good. You've got this thing on your neck, it's like a bump or something." Suddenly the red haired boy recoiled in his chair. "Ewe! I can't believe it... it's," but he stopped in a non-blinking stare. Tyler was frozen. "Its your head!" The red haired boy burst into laughter again, and hardly felt the pain in his arm after Tyler punched him.

Shadow2

(Continued)
Aurora stormed down the hallway, stringy hair flying across her thin face. No one noticed her, save a few band members, who yelled obscenities as she bumped past their cumbersome tubas. Her mind was racing as she pushed open the door to the girl's restroom. The cold air of the room stung her warm face. Bending to see under the stalls, Aurora found the room to be empty. Aurora perched her backpack on a sink which displayed an "out of order" sign. Nothing like this had ever happened to her. She had always imagined being able to paralyze someone, but she had never actually done it. Sweat beaded across her forehead and she whipped it with the back of her hand. As she did, Aurora noticed something glitter in the grimy mirror's reflection.  It was from her backpack that the sparkling light leapt and danced. Leaning into the open pocket, Aurora gazed at the light. "Make a wish," said a voice in her mind. But Aurora knew this was nonsense. It had to be her pencil case, or maybe her keys. There was nothing miraculous in her backpack. This however did not stop her from wishing. Aurora wished that she had a place to exist. A place where people sometimes noticed her, maybe even liked her. She wished to have a friend. Just one. It didn't seem like too much to ask for, but she wanted it more than anything. Suddenly the door to the girl's restroom flew open. Tyler and his gang stood, blocking the exit. "Let's see what you've got in there," he said. The red haired boy released a giggle that made his belly roll. Aurora's stomach tightened. Her head told her to run but there was nowhere to go. Tyler's gang of friends was famous for harassing anyone who got in their way. It was even rumored that they had once duct taped someone's little brother upside down, to a tree. Aurora knew her fate would be much worse if she failed to escape.
"Why don't you yell," asked the red haired boy, as a toothy smile flickered on his face. One of his front teeth was missing, which made his question even more unsettling. "Girls are supposed to scream. Come on Tyler, let's get her."
But Tyler grabbed the red head's shoulder. "I said no one gets her," he whispered. The red head held his ground to Aurora's relief, but wore a look of disappointment.
"You can't have it." Aurora said, her voice echoing, surprisingly steady, across the green tile.
Tyler glanced at his friends and nodded. "It. What is this it you've got in there?" He took a step toward her, but stopped when she did not recoil.
"Tyler's in love," said the red haired boy, "with a freak!" The gang's laughing filled the room and Tyler turned to yell at them, giving Aurora just enough time to reach into her backpack and see what was now pulsing with silver light. The boys noticed. Tyler lunged for her but as Aurora's hands closed around the twist of metal, the world lurched suddenly and with her touch the metal illuminated everything. The boys shrieked and ran from the room. All but Tyler, who had fallen back and was transfixed on the empty space where Aurora had been. Nothing remained.

Greg the Bunny