I sat alone in the dark.

The clouds sailed across the moon, splattering odd shadows into my room. I got up from the floor and went to close the curtain, but stopped when I saw the top of a head bob within the branches of the tree outside my window. Enzo, now more comfortable in climbing up the tree, sat across from me.

"Hi Zuza," he said timidly. I ignored him. He had come by my house everyday for almost two weeks, trying to get me to come outside. The first few days, he kept apologizing and would carry on conversations with me even though I never said anything. After the first week, he kind of gave up trying to get me to talk and now just sat up in the tree and read. I don't think my family knew he was doing it. But I wouldn't really know anything. I had hardly left my room and refused to speak to my family. Every time I thought about them, anger rushed through my body. Anger, and then sadness. Hopeless, consuming sadness.

I laid down on the bed, my back facing him. Enzo had brought a new book with him. He was a fast reader; I sort of envied him for that.

"I brought a new book," he said. That's weird. I thought he was smarter than to try and talk to me.

"Do you mind if I read some of it to you? I think you might like it."

I didn't bother responding, but he went ahead and read it aloud anyway. What a pain. Just leave me alone.

I listened to him as he read me the story of a girl who had found herself in a new, strange world after falling down a rabbit hole. In the world, there were strange plants, and animals that spoke like humans and wore fancy clothes.

"That's stupid," I mumbled. My throat was dry and scratchy. It was the first time I had spoken in days.

"What?" he asked.

My hands clenched in annoyance. "I said that's stupid," I snapped, sitting up to glare at him. "Don't you have better things to do than read this dumb book to me?"

Enzo's chin quivered, but he didn't cry. Instead, he looked angry. I'd never seen him angry before.

"Look, I'm just trying to be a good friend. You don't have to be a jerk about it." He said.

"Why do you even bother coming here? Who said I wanted to be your friend?" I burrowed down underneath my blankets, turning away from him.

After a few minutes of silence, I figured he gave up and went home. Good, maybe he got the hint and will stop coming

"I know it's not me you're mad at," He said. My heart pounded in my chest. "I didn't mean to hurt you Zuza, and I know your family and Hirsh didn't mean to either. They did what they thought was best because they love you."

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Tears started to roll down onto my pillow. Stupid tears. Stupid Enzo. Stupid family. The pounding in my chest started to hurt and I dug further into my bed, trying to escape the pain.

"You don't have to be my friend, Zuza, but I'll still be yours."

******************************

A few days had passed since Enzo read the book to me, and a small part of me missed his company. I was still in no state to talk to my family. I couldn't bring myself to forgive them. What do you say to people who have lied to you all most of your life? People who you were supposed to trust more than anyone else? I remember that I was five when I first thought that I had special powers. For almost ten years, I had been lied to and told I was special.

I wasn't special. I was just a freak. Could I really blame my family for wanting to keep me hidden from the rest of the world? I still couldn't answer that question, but it pained me every time I thought about it.

It would have just been better if I was never born. Then maybe Madi would have more friends. My parents wouldn't be so embarrassed of me. I don't do the Community any good. I'm just the village idiot.

A knock at my door pulled me from my despairing thoughts. The door creaked open and Madi popped her head into my room. I cursed myself for forgetting to lock the door earlier.

"I brought you some lunch," She said sweetly. She had been acting so nice to me the last couple of weeks, it was annoying. It just seemed so fake. She set the bowl of soup and apple on my dresser, then stood awkwardly in front of me.

"I saw Clovis today..." She said. Good for you. Why should I care?

"He said he misses seeing you around," Madi continued. "He said whenever you want, he'd love to take us for a drive in one of the Community cars. That'd be pretty cool, right?"

I shrugged and stared at the floor. She stayed for a moment more, before giving up and leaving my room. I wondered what excuse she made up to Clovis when he asked where I was. She obviously couldn't tell him the truth. She probably just lied and said that I wasn't feeling well. I guess she wasn't wrong. I didn't have much of an appetite; some parts of my body were starting to get boney and I often felt lightheaded. I had a few spoonful's of the soup, but ended up setting it up on top of the dresser to get cold.

I laid back on my bed, ready to settle into a nap when I heard frantic knocking on my window.

I grumbled to myself. Of all the times for Enzo to come by, he had to do it when I wanted to sleep?

I grabbed my pillow and threw it at the window.

"Zuza, Please listen!" He sounded distraught. My interest was piqued enough to sit up and look at him.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"It's about Hirsh, he's-"

"I don't care," I said. "Leave me alone."

Enzo banged on the window in frustration. "Zuza, he's got the sickness." My stomach flipped when I heard his words. The sickness?

Enzo's eyes puddled with tears. "He's going to die soon. Please, Zuza. Please come see him."

Blood rushed to my head as I tried to make sense of his words. "What?" I said feebly.

"He's not going to last long. This could be your last chance to see him."

I frantically opened the window and prepared to step out onto the branch, but I stopped abruptly.

"Wait. What if you're just saying this to get me outside?"

Enzo grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to the tree. "I'm not messing around." His eyes gleamed fiercely through his tears. "Please."

I nodded and followed him down the tree. Once on the ground, we raced to Hirsh, dread filling me with every step I took.