Chapter Text
Mandela has gone through lots of changes, very much from any other states. Something new has come into this world, or should I put it. Finally made their appearance known to everyone here. I remember when I was talked to when I was taken from my home. I can't clearly remember most of my younger memories from when I was like four or five years old. All I knew was my parents did something to me. They were being affected by M.A.D. something that was noticed when people saw them bring a child to church-like cults.
But life wasn't so easy after being taken away, my dad's side of the family feared me. Believing that I was an alternate or the devil due to me not having that same eye color. It's so dumb just because I have different colored eyes. Even more saying I didn't even look like my father or mother, because they only had brown eyes. My left eye was a light shade of pearl while my right eye was a dark shade of green color. Even without my family, kids at the group home would make fun of me about it too. Saying I'm weird or that I didn't belong here. For a six year old, I took it hard. But I learned to ignore them all, even the staff that took care of me would whisper about my eyes.
Not until I met someone, I was around 8 years old and I was wandering around the park. I met a girl who lost her toy boat that her brother gave her. I somehow could remember that day so clearly. She wore a yellow shirt with something written on it. Along with navy blue shorts that had flowers designs on it. Her hair was rather long at the time, her black smooth hair that fell on her face. I remember her begging for my help, how her boat fell into the drains and she couldn't get it out. She would look into my eyes, but wouldn't judge me. Just looking into my soul as she just seems to admire their beauty. I didn't take much time to get the boat from the drains. I was quite skinny, like my body when I was younger. Because I wouldn't eat so much and plus the kids at the group home would take my food away.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" The girl shout in cheer, she just jumped in the air with her boat. I just stood there with my clothes all soaked with mud and drain water. I would only nod to the girl, without another second wasted I would continue my walk through the park.
"Wait! I want to pay you back!" The girl reached out grabbing my hand, the quick sudden touch made me jump. I stared at her as I didn't wish to process whatever she had in mind.
"I can ask my big brother to clean your clothes. It was my fault you got dirty." She frowned but brought her face back up to a big smile. I could only feel an emotion of nervousness as she kept closing in to me. Words didn't come out of my mouth, only gasps and little noise. Without a second wasted, she pulled me along through the park. It was just about 3 p.m. in the afternoon so I didn't have to worry about returning back to the group home on time. Either way, they just care if I make it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, not caring if I leave during the night.
"Here he is!" The girl shouted and pointed at a tall figure. We came up to a rather older person, well at the time he was about 15 years old. The girl let out as she ran to her older brother, he seemed a little worried as he hugged her.
"Sarah! You can't be running off like that! Thank God you came back." The brother called out to the little sister who name is Sarah. Sarah could only lower her head in sadness before bringing it back up to face me. She turned and took her brother's hand and dragged him towards me. I felt a little nervous due to meeting someone older, like teen wise older.
"Brother! She helped me rescue my boat you gave me. But she got dirty. Can you help her?" Sarah held on to her brother's hand, jumping at him and pointing at me. I felt embarrassed and hid my face with my hair. Though I didn't eat and get good nutrition. My hair would always grow thick and healthy, so it was easy to hide my face with my huge curly hair. The brother walked over to be as he kneed down, leveling eye level for me.
"Now, are your parents around? I could just talk with them." He gave me a warm smile, looking around to see any desperate parent looking for their lost daughter. I gripped my shorts that I wore and shook my head.
"I…I live in a…foster home…" I mumbled out quickly, I wasn't talkative when I was younger and sure not today I wasn't either. The brother looked at me for a moment of silence before thinking to himself. He let out another smiled before placing his hand on my shoulder. I flinched away as my body has learned to protect itself if a hand was risen to hit me. He backed his hand away before gently moving some of my curly hair away from my face. I looked up to him as he met my eyes, I saw the gasp he let out once seeing my eyes.
"How beautiful, you must be an angel to have just breathtaking eyes." He chuckled before Sarah jump to hang on her brother's shoulder.
"She's so pretty brother! She's my friend!" My eye widen to the comment 'friend'. No one has ever considered my a friend or someone in general. The brother turned back around to me.
"Well, I'm Mark. Mark Heathcliff. This is my little sister Sarah Heathcliff. Now shall I bring you home so I can get you better clothes?" Mark looked at my soaked and dirty clothes I wore. I knew if I returned like this I would be scolded and more likely punished. I nod my head, taking the offer quickly, yet should have thought of them as strangers. But they made me feel wanted, that first time feeling you get when you experience something new. Mark and Sarah smiled at me, both having the same smile.
"Now we should get going, I'll call the Home and let them know you're with me." Mark reached out and held my hand, my hand was tough out due to all the times I climbed or physically did something that involved my hands. Sarah went to my other side and grabbed my hand. More liked held it as we walked out of the park. It felt good. It felt like I was supposed to belong here.
~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~
A loud banging came from my bedroom door. I groan out as I didn't want to open my eyes. I flipped over and covered myself with my heavy blanket. But it didn't stop, Sarah busted through the door with her brush through her tangled hair.
"Reveon! It's 7:30! You needed to get ready for school!" Sarah shouted out as she went over quickly and took my blanket off. I groan and shouted out into my pillow, the cold breeze from my three fans hit me. Why did I have three fans including the ceiling fan? Cause why not? I couldn't sleep without the cold, and plus I had one heavy blanket so it balance the temperature out. But what I hated was when it was too cold and I was so warm under my covers.
"Alright!" I groaned as I stood up on my bed, I scratched my hair and gave a loud yawn. Screeching my body out as I got off my bed. I slept in a loose baggy shirt without a bra cause man, my tits were hurting with them. Mostly around my ribcage, along with them being so tight elby the bras Sarah forced me to buy, even worse. Then I only wore my underwear, well thongs. I hated the feeling of wearing something in bed, I would rather sleep just in underwear than in pajamas like Sarah. I stood over to my mirror and took a look around at my piercing. I got my q-tips with my medicine and started cleaning them all. First my snake bite hoops, which were a pain when I first got them. Then my right eyebrow, along with my many hoops around my ears.
I gave myself a quick smile before spraying down my cut up hair. From my lovely long beautiful curly brown hair to now an uneven cut short tomboy hair cut. Along with it being dyed blue and purple to give it that dark purple. Plus the ends were bleached white so it all fit well. I threw some baggy colored bleach sweats on and a new clean shirt. Just anything from my closet would do, since everything was in the ranges of black to gray to white. I didn't really have colored clothes unless it was socks. I reached over to my dresser and pulled out some E.T. socks. Then grabbing black beat-up high top Vans as I ran out of my room with my backpack.
"I'm not going to wake you up next time!" Sarah shouted as she got into the passenger side of my car. I gave her a quick wink before jogging to the driver's seat. Throwing my backpack to the back seat of my four wheeler car.
"Come on. I get changes quick anyways " I let out a laugh before turning the key to the engine. Sarah shook her head, putting the little mirror on her side down to put some mascara on. I reverse out of the driveway and off to school. We didn't live in the same place, after what happened to Mark. It was tragic for us all, and brought everyone down hill. Mostly Sarah, who was just debating whether or not to return back home from a trip she took with some friends. Even though I was guilty too for his death, I was taken to a week-long training for my school due to my dad's side of the family disapproving my grade. They didn't even live in Mandela County, yet they still find a way to just torture me. I would blame myself for what happened. Because I would say if I just got better grades, I wouldn't have gone to that stupid training that was out of town.
He could have called us, but it didn't happen. For some reason he only called the cops. Not Sarah, not me, not a friend. It was when the police allowed us to see what happened. We saw how his phone was shot at. Like if Cesar was so upset and shot his only sources of escape. Police officer would say that the "alternate" mimicked our voices to trick Cesar through the phone. Evidence showing in his notebook where his last moments were written down. Like the 10 commandments that Mose receives from God. I shook my head, trying to not think too much. Of course, now I live with Sarah in a smaller home. It was a little closer to the surrounding food places and school. Sarah can see my trance of overthinking about something that I shouldn't.
"You should get to know more people, Reveon. Maybe that will help your mental health and communication skills." I laugh at the statement, it was true though. I didn't have much friends, only classmates I would use for homework or for group work. Other than that, I hung out a long time in an empty classroom or with Sarah to help her little club the Bythorne paranormal club. But also, I would go weeks without talking. Even forgetting how to speak, it cause lots of problems but Sarah would bring me out of that shit hole. Other students would say I was an alternate, because I would go weeks without talking and just staring at nothing. I felt like it was true but I knew it wasn't.
"Sure…" I could only mumble out, fidgeting with my tongue piercing. I could only promise that for Sarah, she did so much for me as bring me into her family. So I could only do whatever she asked me to, even if it's to encounter an alternate, Cesar's alternate. Who tried to trick Sarah to open the door for "me" but Sarah saw I was in my room before she headed towards the front door. It wasn't the first time we encountered him, he would appear in my room and try to convince me to join him. I never listen as I would just ignore him because all he could do was use this physiological abuse about God and shit. I didn't believe much in God or care about what he thought of me. I only shook my head and glances over Sarah, she side eyed me. A tin of blush appeared as she looked into my eyes.
"You're such a pervert." I let out a loud laugh as I drove up to the parking lot of the school. Sarah could only play hit me as I parked the car. I was glad to have her by my side, no matter the hardship of alternates taking over our lives. But I knew nothing could take that away from me.
I spoke to soon…the "Savior" heard my prayers.