To The Hand of Clawed Fingers

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“Cathy I don't think you understand, my parents wont even let me get my own car!! Or a job, or even let me get to know friends enough that I could do something wrong with them. Do you NOT understand how badly this summer is going to suck?!?” I took a breath but as she opened her mouth I started again without giving her time to even get a word out.

“No of course you don't. You work at hot topic and have a boyfriend that is one of the, you know I say this as a best friend, HOTTEST guys most girls have ever laid their eyes upon.” I sighed and winked at her, letting her know that my rant about her was nothing bad.

“Then why don't you find a job on your own? You know that I would drive you there, hey! You could even work at hot topic if you wanted to! I heard that Stace got fired. Wouldn't that be great? We could work together and everything.” I rolled my eyes but smiled. She had been saying this ever since she had started the job, and I knew that if she actually tried, her cute, huge brown eyes and tiny little frame would have any guy saying yes. But as everyone else knew, I could never go against my parents. It had just been programed into me, that life would be hell if I didn't have my parents support to hold me.
“Hey Cath I have to get home, my parents said they were planning some sort of dinner tonight, I'm guessing its for my birthday or something. I'll catch you later okay?”

“yeah sure, but hey call me later, and happy sweet sixteen darlin'!” She laughed and gave me a hug and I got out of her car and headed in towards my house. It didn't take very long, my legs seemed to have the stride of a giraffe, something I wasn't quiet proud of. My brown hair ruffled around my waist as it always did, getting in my way when I least wanted it to. But mother would never let me cut it off, saying that if I did my silver eyes would look squinty for how small they were and that I would look like a blind person. I had my hands in my trip pants pocket and was looking down at my avenged sevenfold t-shirt when I looked up to see that my house door was already open for me. Raising an eyebrow I looked inside to see no one standing there. I knew that the family had rigged the door to open by itself when my parents pushed a button, but it was only installed when my parents hands were full and they didn't feel like messing with the knob. Odd that it had opened for me.

I suddenly had an anxious feeling, the one that starts in your stomach and moves to your chest, making it feel tight and like you were missing something right in front of you. Shrugging it off I stepped inside to see my parents sitting at the dining room table. When I walked in they both looked up, a waiting expression on their faces.
“What do you want? Me to start dancing? Stop staring at me!” I said annoyed at the weird feeling I was getting from my families unusual behavior.
“Dear have you started packing yet?” I gave her a blank stare. When she didn't say anything I sat down, finally noting the seriousness. (finally)
“What do you mean start packing, are we staying somewhere to celebrate my birthday or something?” I wasn't sure what was going on but all I knew was that it couldn't be good. I didn't really want to find out.
“No dear. Do you remember when you were thirteen, that cute boy you met when we were in Ireland?”

I could remember the trip vaguely, I had just turned thirteen and unlike most of the people my age I was actually bonding with my family instead of fighting with them and getting myself into trouble. It was all a blur to me now really, what we did, but I did remember meeting a nice family in a tavern outside of the town we were staying at. But I couldn't remember the boy at all.

“Not really mom, what the hell does that have to do with anything anyways?”
They both gave me a sideways look before looking at each other, seeming to have a private conversation between their eyes. I hated when they did that, but it was almost normal by now since they had been doing it for so long. So I rolled my eyes and stomped my foot giving them a hard stare.

“If you have something to say you might as well say it now before I just walk away from this silent conversation.” I said this and started to walk away but not before they said the one thing that stopped me dead in my tacks.
“Get packed, in about two days the Genesin Family will be here, and two more days after that you are leaving us to be married off.” The room had grown stone cold after her words had sunk in. Had I heard what I thought I heard? No that couldn't be it. No, no, no. I was turning sixteen, thats not even close to the age that people get married!! Don't normal people pick who they want to marry? And don't arranged marriages happen when they are around eighteen??? I stared at them not understanding at all when my father suddenly stood up quickly walking towards me.

“Jen! Shes about to have a panic attack, quick, grab the stretcher!” I could hear his words like a small cup had been put over my ears. Everything was sounding muffled and it was getting harder and harder to breath. Was I somehow flying in a higher altitude? I cant breath, am I going to die? All of these thoughts were zooming through my head when I suddenly had an amazing realization.

If I died, I wouldn't have to find out if they were joking or not.

That was the last thing I remembered.