🌜Moon Child🌛

“Don’t do anything out of the ordinary,” Raven pleaded. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Isn’t it no big deal!?”

He shook his head.

“It’s not every day that Jessica Williams turns 21.”

Raven’s real name made her cringe.

“Dad, please. I don’t need anything special. You, me, and Cat are enjoying a peaceful family breakfast. That’d be the most memorable birthday I will ever have. Really.”

Dad sighed, unable to find his disappointment.

“Fine. Then I’ll see you on Saturday.”

Raven felt the gorilla of shame climb onto her back as soon as they parted. But I don’t want to turn twenty-one. As far as I’m concerned, they can take twenty-one, stuff it in a gunny sack with rocks, and throw it off the pier.

Raven worried for the next three days that her father was planning something. But the more she worried about it, the more she secretly desired it.

I wanted to walk up to his house, open the door, and be smashed in the face by peers shouting SURPRISE! But the more she found herself wishing it, the more uneasy she became. Wasn’t he afraid the curse would come true? How could he plan a party knowing she might end up like the others? No, she didn’t want Saturday to arrive. Saturday could stay away indefinitely.

This could be my final night.  Raven sipped her drink while watching the alley cats squabble.  She stood there watching the sun set and rise.

My very last sunrise.

“Well, it’s time to find out if I’m cursed or not.”

She left for her father’s house.  The five-minute walk went by without incident.  Everything appeared to be…normal. Perhaps I’m not cursed. She came to a halt at the end of her father’s row.  Everything was peaceful as she walked down the path. Ooh, perhaps he has something planned after all. She became giddy and accelerated her pace until she was at his door.

Silence.

They have something in the works!

She raised her arm to knock — “What do you think you’re doing, young lady?” yelled a man from the back row, startling Raven. “I,” she stuttered. “Today is my birthday.” “Well, congratulations; now answer my question.” “It’s my birthday,” she said again, her gaze fixed on the knocker on her father’s door.

Oh, God! I’ve been cursed!

“Look, I’m not sure what you’re on about, but we don’t open for another three hours.” Return the way you came. Okay, sweetie?” the caretaker asked, his voice soft and tired.

“What?” she inquired, turning to face the man’s voice.

“I’ve been cursed. My birthday is today. “I’m twenty-one years old.”

“Oh, twenty-one isn’t a curse, young lady… It simply means you’ve matured.” The caretaker laughed.

“You don’t get it.”

“Look, I’ve been here for nearly fifty years. I’ve seen a lot of you come and go.”

She looked at the caretaker, stunned. Could he be the tour guide? The one who assists the cursed? “What exactly do you mean by ‘many of you’?”

The caretaker laughed. “I turned twenty-one many, many, many years ago, young lady. Welcome to the land of the living. Now, will you please get out of my cemetery?”

~Moon Child

A short story written by me. It is the shortest story written by me.