Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Cressella! Happy Birthday to you!

“Yay!! Blow out your candles baby.” Mom said. 

I closed my eyes tight and blew out my candles, praying my wish would come true.

Everyone clapped and gave me hugs, “Here, cut the cake.” My father handed me a knife and mom pulled the cake from the counter to set closer in front of me. Happy Birthday Cresella was written in an elegant bold print, the border was a lovely pink and purple with an angel laying down on a blanket of clouds sprinkling dust upon my name to the right side.

I cut myself a large piece and handed the knife back, I loved to eat especially sweet stuff. 

“Hey, how’s it feel to be thirteen?” Jerome asked.

I took a large bit if my cake, nodding my head franticly, “It feels great!” I smiled and was positive I must have had cake in between my teeth. “Can’t wait till my next birthday, you think daddy will buy me a phone?”

Jerome shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know, what you think you gunna get this year? Mama probably got ya another dress and shoes." 

“I hope not! I hate dresses, they to girly for me.”

“I think ya look pretty in them.”

I frowned.

Mama yelled from the front door, “Cresella come get your presents!”

“Coming!”

I grabbed Jerome’s arm and ran towards the door, I could already see my presents sitting on the dinning room table. Not many, but enough to be exited about. 

“Here, open this one first. I know you’ll love it!”

I took the box from Aunt Gilda and slowly ripped the wrapping paper off, I knew it must have been something good. In the box was a thin 4x4 box, I opened it to a set of 4 different colored jewels, each one with a matching necklace and earrings.

I jumped up and wrapped my arms around Aunt Gilda so fast I nearly knocked her over. “I love them!” She smiled kindly, “I knew you would.” I took the set that was silver and quickly put them on, the small dangling earrings felt light on my ears and the necklace settled neatly into my chest.

I couldn’t help but beam at myself in the mirror.

“Here. Aint as good as Aunties, but I know you’ll make use of it.”

I grabbed the package from Jerome and looked at it. “It was Mama’s idea. I just helped her pick it out.” I looked at my little brother, for the first time in ever I actually thought he might be nervous. Mama waited patiently for me to open it.

I pulled out a book, the cover was mostly black with a small print that said ‘May Dreamers Forever dream…’ I opened it and found it was blank. “It’s a diary.”

“Aawwww, thank you guys!” I got up and gave them a hug. I wasn’t sure I really liked the diary, but it was sweet non-the-less.

I opened the rest of my presents and  was happy to find a gift card for new books, a few new outfits (thank the lord not dresses), a new set of paints and even a few (don’t knock it till you try it) new coloring books.

My Uncle Tim was sitting in his old rocking chair, “Okay, so tell us. What’s it feel like to be a year older?” I laughed at his question and shrugged my shoulders, “No different than yesterday.”

“Nonsense, everyday is different. Never be one like this in a million centuries!”

I giggled, “Well what was it like when you turned thirteen?”

He stopped to think about, “Heck, I can’t remember!”

I sighed and left the room, I hadn’t noticed it was getting really hot and went outside to get some fresh air. The sun was setting and the sky was beginning to turn a darker blue. Bedtime would be in a few hours.

The wind rushed through my hair and cooled the sweat that was beginning to form at my brow. I really needed to go get some water. My throat was feeling dry and my stomach began to knot up. Bile was spilling from my mouth before I could get back inside, my insides felt like they were melting; air become impossible to breath. My mouth felt like i had sand blocking my airway, i tried to cough hoping to free my airway.

“Hey, Mama said-“ Jerome came out and stopped at the door when he saw me. I sat back up and tried to keep my balance. “Whoa, are you okay?” He covered his nose when he got close to me, my head ached and I was starting to feel woozy. I threw up again, unfortunately all over my birthday clothes. I could feel Jerome try to drag me back in the house calling my dad to help.

I suddenly felt exhausted.  My whole body was on fire and every touch was sending shocking pain throughout my whole being. Papa was able to get me to my bed and laid me down, Mama already had a rag and set it over my face. 

“What’s wrong with her?”

“I don’t know… Call the-“

I screamed, I could feel my skin ripping apart down my shoulders to my middle back. My lungs felt flattened, a sudden release as something began pushing forward out of my shoulders. I felt like something was crawling around inside me, so violating and probing. Tears were streaming down my face. I wanted to die the pain was unbearable! I looked at my mom trying to reach out to her.

I passed out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's Note~ This is a first draft, so I know it needs some work. Please comment and let me know what you think! I'm open to any constructive criticism :-) Also, most of my chapters will be short and I will do my best to update every chance I get.