Voice of the Dancing Sky

Claire never thought she was something special. The boys never looked at her and said ‘wow’. The girls never glared at her in green spirits. Parents never gawked at her excellence. Her parents never even noticed her half the time, but she was not normal.

She had a talent, not that she would ever show anyone in her circumstances. Who could she trust with her heart and soul when the place she held dear was barren? It was filled with only memories of ash, when people looked at her and not her sister.

Oh yes Madeline. She was the true reason Claire could never shine. She soaked up the limelight and left poor Claire in the shadow cast as a nurse maid to the devil. All their parents ever talked about was Madeline’s singing and latest talent. They only recognized Claire through her mistakes or how well she did as her sister’s slave.

Claire thought she could trust friends with her talent, but all they did was mock her and shoot her out of the sky. Then when she was torn up inside and out, they gathered their pride and belongings as they headed out. Knives. They tore her with knives in words and steel.

She never told a soul though. How could she tell them her missed step when she could not hint at her climb up? With that she hid. Hid in herself. Hoping that seventh grade she could detach herself from the course railing headed for a dead end. She did the one thing she could think of in that time. She said goodbye.

Claire never talked to the girls with knives for voices during the summer of the switch. Instead she got her hair trimmed and added bangs. She made her style what she always wanted it to be and she changed her outlook on life.

Then the day finally arrived, the beginning of school. The only friend she had was named Rena. She had known her for 8 years of her life and they were the best of friends. Rena was also the only one who knew of her talent. She didn’t know though, of her change. Claire was going to surprise her. The biggest change ever in her life. This is the story of that change.

’C,mon Claire! Come play with us some more. You deserve it, so it isn’t like it is wrong. Are you going to just cry like a baby? Do I need to teach you again?’
’I think you might have to Kelsey. Little Claire doesn’t know her manners.’

’Listen bitch! We are the only ones who can shine. You are just our little pet who can tag along. Don’t even try to overrule us cunt!’

’Stop please stop! No! I am sorry! Jane, Kelsey, Margret! Stop it! Ow! AHHHHH!!!’

Claire was sweating. She opened her eyes as quickly as she could. Raising her hand to her heart she felt for a beat and took a deep breath. Why are all my dreams memories these days? she thought to herself.

Claire looked at her clock and ran to the shower for first dibs. Not like the suffering hungry witch, was up yet. No, her sister would never get up at five o’ clock for a shower. It wasn’t as if Claire took a long time either, she just liked being the only one up to fill the silence at times.

The hot water beat down on her skin as her mind went numb. She didn’t think at all and it was nice for her. When her mind did choose to function again she veered away from vulgar memories to future plans. She had a cute dress picked out for the first day.

The dress looked like it was just a skirt with a shirt tucked in at her waist line. The skirt part was brownish grey and checkered patterned with a lighter of the color. The top was pretty much a grey t-shirt. Together the combo was sweet and screamed adorable in her mind.

She was going to wear black leggings with them and some cow boy boots. The light brown of the boots popped and made her outfit come together. The contrast with the leggings made them pop even more. Finally to top off the accessories she added a grey and white checkered scarf and a brown fedora.

As she put on her hat the clock blinked the illuminating light of blue she knew so well. It was six am. It was time for the roosters to start crowing and the sun to rise. Claire walked to her window sill facing the rising sun and sat in her seat. The sky set aflame. The pinks and oranges danced together through foggy settings and thick pine trees.

The odor of morning seeped into the room filling her nose. Finally, the golden globe of what seemed never ending light shined down upon her. Her pale completion was now fiery orange. Her dull brown freckles were now red as roses. Her hazel eyes turned golden and shiny with light drowning them. Her brown hair had highlights of the sky painted on.

But just as quickly as it had begun the scene ended and the music stopped playing and the colors stopped dancing and she stopped being awestruck. Claire stood up from her chair watching as the sky did wonders. It changed moods from a happy dance that brought centuries together with passion to a calm sea of wonders yet to be explored.

Six fifteen. In fifteen minutes a worlds wonder had occurred and brought out of motion. “One day I will catch you in the act and paint you before you disappear.” Claire said to herself. She was not the best at painting, but to capture a moment in time like that interested her. She was going to at least give it a try.

With nothing else to see she walked downstairs and started her parent’s coffee and her sister and her tea. As she waited for water to boil and the coffee to be made she stared out her kitchen window. All she saw was blue. Dull, old blue.

“I don’t care if the sky is as dull as an overused knife there is no dampening my day this day. It is too important and I be too impatient to wait for good fortune to come for me. I will chase my own wishings and find you along the way, great man who changes the sky.” She smiled to herself. Playing with words always made a quiet house more peaceful. At least until the screaming wakes from its deep rest upstairs and the terror descends.