Sheathed

I stared at the closed door listening to them giggling and whispering from the other side. They said Asian girls were easy to scare. I hated being the odd new girl. I hated the childish pranks popular kids always played on the new kids. I hated having to listen to nasty remarks about chopsticks, karate and monkeys. It was my fourth first day as a new kid in the last 2 years. I hated it. But Daddy said I had to try to fit in. We were finally in America and things had to be different…And so regardless of how much contempt I felt for the popular kids, I tried to be one of them just as Daddy had asked. I’d kept trying even after the men took Daddy away in that car with lights. I kept trying even after they’d sent me to live with those new families. But strange things just kept happening and I had to be moved over and over…

I took a deep breath and turned around. This house was supposed to be scary, filled with restless spirits. Just like all those houses I’d been dared to go into in my other new schools. I tried to look out the window. On our way in, I had seen a lonely almost wilted rose bush. It had one small brave flower. It made me think of how Daddy and I used to plant flowers in our garden. We had a game we played in the garden with those shiny things Daddy loved so much. They made a sound that reminded me of sprinkled fairy dust. They were beautiful and they almost glittered in the sun. Daddy taught me how to use them. The old lady next door did not like our games so she called the bad men to take Daddy away.

Something moved in the corner. It startled me so I screamed out loud. I started running down a horribly dark hallway. It was coming to get me. Just like in all of those other haunted houses I’d been asked to go to by those other popular kids. It was happening again. Why did they haunt me? I fell over a bump on a rug. It was lucky I’d kept Daddy’s shiny things and I now held one in my hand. It would protect me again. I turned to face what was running after me…raised my hand and slashed down. It let out a terrible cry. I struck it again and again until the yellow sweater it was hiding in turned scarlet. There were more of them. I ran as fast as I could, just as I did when Daddy and I used to play. I struck out again and again…When I pulled my arm back, what I held was no longer shiny. It was a deep ruby red…

There were so many of them. One hid in a lemon green floral dress. Another wore a cheerleader uniform. But I would win. They would not get me. The house would be cleansed of the restless spirits.

Then the house was silent. I walked back to where I’d come in. I held my hands behind my back. The popular kids stood waiting. I wondered why there were so few of them. They were right…Asian girls were so easy to scare…but Daddy trained me well. They were all impostors, restless spirits haunting me. I walked slowly…they did not see the drops of blood trailing behind me…they did not see that the blood dripped from my blade…I would win again…like I always did. Daddy would be so proud.