Rated: PG - some violence/Abuse, No swearing. Maybe changed to a PG13 later

Freak Like Me
What if secrets were meant to be told. Imagine living in a house where having a few friends over costs you a life. Or where the terror that awaits is too horrifying for anyone to imagine. Let me tell you. You will never want to meet Brandi Coleman...

Chapter one: Terror.

Brandi Coleman looked around at the room, panicking. Her three friends looked at her confused. The key was turning in the door of her house. He face screwed up in terror as she ushered two of her friends Ariel and Kiara over to the closet. They hid in there knowing something was up. Next Brandi moved on to little Rita. As she was about to get Rita behind the sofa a tall man, slightly grey hair and a scowl upon his face stormed in.

Brandi looked terrified and glanced at Rita. She didn’t know what was going on. Mr Coleman gave Rita a glare and then looked at his daughter.

“Brandi. Did you have any more friends over tonight?”

Brandi shook her head.

“No sir.”

Mr Coleman looked at Rita. She looked from the floor up at him and pushed her glasses up off the tip of her nose.

“Rita. How many kids were here tonight?”

Rita glanced at Brandi and Brandi furiously shook her head. Mr Coleman snapped his head towards her. She looked at him. He pointed behind him.

“Wall, Now.”

Brandi slowly walked towards the wall and stood in front of it, facing it, praying Rita would say just her.

“Ju, just one, just me.”

“So you’re a liar too. Brandi. Do you want to tell your friend what we do to liars in this house?”

Brandi turned around.

“Please no. Rita just go home.”

Rita turned and started to walk. She heard Mr Coleman leave the room, leaving Brandi still stood there. He stalked upstairs and turned the taps on in the bath. Then he informed his wife of something.

“You guys just get out. Go home. Please. I don’t want you here.”

“BRANDI.” Brandi walked upstairs slowly to the bathroom where he mother, father and older brother Stephen were. He father looked dominating stood taller than everyone else. He mother looked cruel and mean and her brother looked sorry.

“Dad don’t make me do this again. It’s cruel. I hate it.”

“Now Stephen. We do not accept liars in this house. We have to teach Brandi a lesson. Kneel.”

Brandi and Stephen both knelt down next to the bath. It was full of freezing cold water. A single tear dropped from Brandi’s eye into the water causing a ripple. Her reflection was sad.

“Go.” Her father ordered.

Stephen pushed Brandi’s head under the water. She struggled to breath and tried to push away but his grip was too strong. This was what always happened. Brandi had never known any different. No one knew her secret.

She felt the air leave her body as she tried to cry out. It was like a living hell. As if she was paralysed. She hated it just as much as her brother hated doing it but he was as afraid of their father as she was. There was no way he could stop now because Mr Coleman had not given the okay.

Just as she thought she would just give up she was released. She pulled her head straight up and he brother looked at his hands in disgust before storming out of the room.

Mrs Coleman threw a towel at Brandi before Standing. Brandi looked pleadingly up at her father. He ignored her. He mother glared at her. She dried her face and rubbed her hair. It was clinging to her face. She saw a sudden movement at the door and looked up and she saw Rita looking from around the corner of the door. She was just staring, afraid to move. And Brandi knew she was there…



Chapter two: Bad memories.

Brandi stood up slowly, her head spinning and her heart pounding.

‘You will never know how scary this is’ she thought to herself. Tears poured down her face. Her Father and Mother left the room leaving Brandi alone. She carefully wrapped the towel around her head to dry her hair slightly.

Brandi crept along to her room and Rita flattened herself against the wall, scared Brandi would see her. Little did she know, Brandi already had seen her.

After Brandi had just about closed her door it started to open again. Brandi spun around and stared at the opening door when she had a flashback of her as a girl of about five years old. It was not a nice recollection and Brandi did not want to remember the pain but she had to.

[+] (Flashback)

The door swung open as Brandi Coleman ran into her bedroom. She ran and ducked down behind her bed as she heard the steps on the stairs come closer to her bedroom. In fear she breathed heavily and ran towards the other side of her room when the footsteps stopped. The door swung open and Mr Coleman, red in the face and panting looked at Brandi.

“Please don’t daddy.” Brandi pleaded. But puppy dog eyes and tears were not enough for Mr Coleman.

Sensing her father didn’t care she backed up until she was flat against the wall and could not go any further. Tears poured down Brandi’s face as she cried out, her face crumpling as she begged her father not to hurt her.

“Please daddy no.”

Brandi shut her eyes and turned her head to the side slightly, sucking her lip in and biting it. She stood, her heart beating, pounding, just waiting… for the impact of what was coming her way.

Mr Coleman finally spoke as Brandi pleaded one last time.

“Daddy, please don’t hit me again.”

“STOP THIS.” Mr Coleman fumed. He had taken enough whining.

Brandi’s eyes widened in fear as she continued to tremble, trying to get further away but she couldn’t. He took a step towards her and she shut her eyes.

He took another step towards her and she took a step towards the window. Mr Coleman turned slightly as he heard his wife coming up the stairs.

Brandi ran to the corner of her bedroom facing the wall, turned around and slid down the wall. She sat in the corner shaking, praying that her daddy would not hurt her. It was not the first time he had hit her. Ever since she was a toddler she would get beaten if she told tales or disobeyed him or got into trouble. But she knew worst of all her daddy detested a liar. That was why she was getting the treatment.

The door creaked slightly as Brandi’s mom entered the room. Mr Coleman grinned evilly as his wife stepped towards Brandi. In the doorway her brother Stephen stood mesmerized, he too was too young to really know what was going on, all he thought was that Brandi had been a naughty girl and had to be punished.

“It’s okay sweetie.” Her mom soothed taking another step towards her. She reached out her hands and Brandi was relieved. She thought her mommy was kind.

But then she looked at her father. The cold snivelling man grinning. She knew something was not right. He would not let her mommy be nice to her.

Brandi tried to pull away but it was too late. Her mommy had got her.

Mrs Coleman picked Brandi up by the legs, dangling her upside down, her skirt going up so that you could see her knickers.

“Noooooooo.” Brandi cried. “Please daddy. Please.”

Mr Coleman ignored the cries but Mrs Coleman didn’t.

“Now Brandi, you know your father has very high feelings on this sort of thing. We know that you broke the cup. Stephen told us. You lied Brandi. You would have only been punished for the mug. You have to be severely punished for the lying.”

“If there is one thing I detest.” Mr Coleman spat. “It’s lying. And if there is one thing that is worse. A lying child.”

Brandi shut her eyes as she waited for the impact. Mrs Coleman kept hold of her ankles firmly as Mr Coleman took off hid belt. It was his leather one. Brandi had saved up all her pennies to give it to him for his birthday that year. He always wore it.

It had a huge buckle on the end made out of gold and it hurt. She knew because he had used it on Stephen that time when Stephen lied. He never told her it hurt. But she could tell.

“How old is she?” Mr Coleman asked his wife.

“Five.” She replied meekly. She too feared her husband.

Mr Coleman wrapped the belt around his hand and Brandi gulped. Mr Coleman swung back his arm, high as it could go and swung…

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.”

[+]

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.” Brandi screamed. She was shaking and she looked up to see Rita stood before her. Brandi sighed in relief as she stared at Rita. She blinked trying to get the memory out of her head. She always had flashbacks of it and each time it went a bit further. Last time she had gotten to her mother entering, the time before was the beginning. And she hated it. She hated it just as much as she hated her Father.

The pain had been so excruciating that Brandi had cried herself to sleep that night. And she knew…that she would cry her self to sleep every night. She had done for the past twelve years…



Chapter Three: Hidden Secrets.

As Brandi stared at Rita she realised Rita was saying something to her. She tried to focus, tried to block out the images, it didn’t work. She could still hear the pain in her head. She clasped her hands upon her ears to try and block out the sounds.

“Brandi please listen to me.” Rita pulled Brandi’s hands away from her head and repeated what she said. Brandi stared dazed and shocked at Rita.

“If you want we can tell somebody, we can go right now and tell my mom. She won’t mind if it’s late. She’ll help. It’s wrong what they do. It’s abuse.”

Rita stopped and pushed her glasses up from her nose. The word abuse echoed in Brandi's head and she glared at her.

“NO, we can’t tell anybody. Leave me alone.”

Brandi stood up and barged past Rita nearly knocking her to the floor. She walked past her door and it opened. This time she was sure it was her parents wondering who she was talking to. The flashback came and carried on. She dropped down the floor as it took her back to what had happened. Finally it reached where it had left off.

[+]

“How old is she?” Mr Coleman asked his wife.

“Five.” She replied meekly. She too feared her husband. Brandi knew this meant five hits of the belt.

Mr Coleman wrapped the belt around his hand and Brandi gulped. Mr Coleman swung back his arm, high as it could go and swung…

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.”

Mr Coleman lowered his arm and did not hit Brandi, instead he ordered his wife, put her down and hold her arms not her legs.

Mrs Coleman put Brandi down slowly and then grabbed her by the arms before she ran. Brandi struggled harder this time and Mr Coleman raised the belt one more time. This time he hit and the pain felt to Brandi like a thousand knives. He hit again as she cried out, her legs wriggling trying to break free. It was no use. It was as bad as the head under water, she could not move, she felt like a prisoner in her own body, in her own home and in her own family.

After five hits, all in the exact same place on her thighs Mr Coleman stopped. He slipped the belt around his waist again and buckled it up.

“Let her down.” He told Mrs Coleman. Then he grinned evilly motioning something with his hands.

Suddenly without warning Mrs Coleman dropped Brandi onto the floor, her head hitting the floorboards and her body crumpling forwards. Her neck felt as if it had snapped and she could not turn her head for a good few weeks after.

Brandi stood up as quick as she could, holding her thighs to try and stop the pain. She backed away from her parents and Mr Coleman simply walked out.

He seemed to not care or realise that this was another human being – his only daughter. Mrs Coleman did realise.

“I think we were too hard on her. She’s just a little girl.” She pleaded hurrying to walk in time with him. Mr Coleman did not look at her, he simply carried on.

“She might be just a little girl Maria, but she needs discipline and she needs it from a young age. My father did it to me and his father before him.”

“But there’s a difference.” Mrs Coleman said meekly. “She’s a little girl, they take things harder than boys.”

“Well so be it.” Mr Coleman spat.

Brandi ran to her bed, she looked around at her room wondering if it was safe. She picked up her friend, missy her doll and cuddled her, her tears soaking into Missy’s red hair, her head seemed to mould into Missy’s and Brandi wished that she could be a doll. She wished it because she would no longer get beaten. She knew in reality, it would never happen.

[+]

Brandi looked at the door, it was closed, and then she looked at Rita. Next to Rita there were two girls. They were Ariel and Kiara. Brandi looked panicked again.

“It’s okay.” Ariel began. “We crept up.”

“Yeah your parents didn’t see us.” Kiara finished.

Brandi flung herself onto her bed and started weeping. Ariel and Kiara rushed over to see what was wrong and Ariel stroked her hair.

Ariel looked from Kiara to Rita.

“Brandi. Why is your hair all wet?”

“I, I can’t tell you.” Brandi stammered embarrassed.

“Why can’t you tell us this time?” Kiara demanded impatiently, she hated secrets, especially Brandi’s.

“It’s a secret.”

Kiara looked annoyed and grabbed the jacket she had dumped by the door.

“If you don’t tell me, I’m going.” She yelled.

Brandi sat up and grabbed the penknife which was next to her bed.

“You all have to swear your lives on a blood oath, you will never tell a soul my secret. Then I will tell you.”

Brandi cut the top of her finger, not even flinching and handed the knife to Kiara. Kiara pushed it away and shook her head.

“No this is stupid.” She looked at Ariel for support. Ariel simply looked at the floor. Kiara pulled a face.

“Well you better buy a diary girl, coz I’m not keeping your secrets anymore.” And with that she simply stormed out.

Ariel watched her go then picked up the knife, shrugged and slit her own finger, wincing at the pain. Then she put her finger on top of Brandi’s and waited for the secrets to spill.



Chapter Four: Loser

Ariel was devoted to Brandi, every one knew it, she hung off her every word, every one knew that too, and Rita was no exception to that.

So when Brandi went in her moods, Rita stayed away and learned when to shut her mouth, Ariel tried to make things better. Brandi hated that. No one could make out her life to be happy and have a fairytale ending. Her life was a horror movie if anything.

Brandi lay on her bed again and then began filing her nails with a nail file that was beside her. She looked carelessly at her nails. She had never liked them. She filed viciously at them until they were all short and stubbly with rough edges.

Ariel looked slightly shocked but then sat down next to Brandi on the bed delicately, making sure she did not shake the bed.

Brandi knew she was there yet did not say anything, she only lay with a smirk on her face.

“Brandi. It’s okay. We don’t need Kiara.” Ariel soothed. Brandi tensed up but saw it as her perfect opportunity.

She rolled over slightly and then looked at Ariel. An evil glint came to her eyes.

“And I don’t need you anymore.”

“Wh, what?” Ariel stuttered, her heart started to beat, she could not lose Brandi as a friend, then she’d be stuck with Kiara or worse, Rita.

“I said I don’t need you anymore. You’re a loser. And she’s a loser too. You both suit each other. Now get out – “

“Brandi, please, it’s not my fault she’s a loser, I’m not a loser, I’m your friend.”

“No you’re not, she’s a loser and you’re a loser, you can sit on the loser table in high school, I’m not going to sit with you. Now get out of my house.”

“But it’s nearly one o’clock in the morning, we can’t go home now, my mom will kill me.” Rita butted in. Ariel stood there miserably. She didn’t want to be on her own when they started high school the next week.

“Good, I wish someone would kill you.”

“Come on Ariel.” Rita pleaded, now scared in case Brandi carried out the threat. She caught hold of Ariel’s arm, who shook Rita off her. She stared at Brandi who just glared at her. Then she followed Rita out of Brandi’s room.

Rita led them out the back way and into some woods. Ariel knew the woods, there was a small path leading off the trail that took them to Rita’s street, they had to go past the big quarry, even though Rita hated going past there because she was afraid of falling in.

Ariel stomped along the trail in her blue cotton short pyjamas and blue woolly sweater. Rita was a little behind Ariel because Ariel was going much faster than her and had over taken her.

“How will I ever go on, I’ll never survive high school without Brandi there?” Ariel complained.

“We don’t need Brandi to survive. She’s weird.”

“No she’s not.” Ariel cried leaping to Brandi’s defence immediately. “She’s just not normal, but would you be, some of the stuff that’s happened to her. It’s awful.”

“Brandi’s awful. She never liked me.”

“You’re a loser.”

Rita stared at the floor then thought of something. She ran ahead of Ariel almost falling over and walked backwards a bit, not realising they were coming up to the quarry.

“When we go to high school, if Brandi won’t be your best friend, we could be best friends to each other if you want.”

Rita pushed her glasses up onto her nose and stopped next to Ariel who was looking out onto the quarry. It was a huge hole first then a huge mud pile.

Ariel slowly looked up then turned to Rita, pain in her face.

“NO.” Ariel screamed. She reached out and shoved Rita backwards toward the quarry. The look of terror in Rita’s face was unmistakable as she fell into the quarry, her arms waving in the air and her eyes widened.

There was a thud on the floor below and Ariel peered over slowly. Rita lay sprawled on the floor, not moving. She looked so peaceful, as if she were sleeping. But Ariel knew she was dead. And she had killed her.

Maybe now Brandi would be her friend. After all, her wish had come true, someone had killed Rita. And that someone could have been anyone, but only Ariel knew the truth.

[+]





........

Well hope ya like the first four Chapters. Heyy to me best fwends September and Isadora Q Aiken Nickisha and Anwen and Marzi and HockeyLover hmmm n e one else lol.

I love your siggy for the story and your tagline. It makes it look all the more like a horror book. You might want to check spelling a little, but so far you have me very interested.

Wow, that's a really good start. I like it so far. Update!

Thanx Guys, ill be updating soon, and about the spelling i use microsoft i guess it doesnt tell me bout sum words lol,m n e ones that are like really big lemme know
I made the words my self buh the banner was made by a freiend before i learned and i still love it
Indi

Sometimes Microsoft really gets on my nerves. It's constantly correcting me on things that don't need corrected.

I know! tel me about it, it underlines whole sentences and says to reverse it and im like, does it look like ive put my sentences the wrong way around i speak english im not stupid and it underlines things and then tells me im spelling it wrong its so irritating
n e ways ill be adding a new chapter first, do i just edit my first post and put it there or post it in a new post
Indi

Just edit you post

k ill have it up soon hopefully
Indi

Really good second chapter!!! I love the new banner too. Can't wait to read more.

thanx Chrissie
im glad you like it, lol i have the next chapter up already, i already had like the first 4 chapters done coz i had this on a site ages ago when i first wrote it buh the site inda broke and the lazy ppl havnt tried to fix it.
luv ya
Indi

Impressive. I'm awaiting the next chapter.

I just read the third chapter. Awesome!

Thanx guys, Im glad u like it the next chapter is coming soo, i wanna enter the banner contest first, seeing as i made u guys banners ill enter lol whats the harm
ttyl
luv Indi

Awesome update! I can't wait to read more of it!

Woah, I can actually feel Brandi's pain :( Well, not exactly but I can feel what she's going through... Good story keep it up :)

thanx, nickisha on the site i first put it on i had ppl thinking it happened to em and i had ppl who it happened too, im gonna update it soon.
Indi

I Updated Freak Like Me chap 4 is up

wow, dramatic, luved the chapter Dak, i'll waitin 4 the next, maybe it'll hav a character based on me :D

luvz ya
Anwen
~*~I may not be beautiful, but the name is~*~

That was a really good chapter. Great job. Update soon!

lol i can take a hint ill see if u can fit in if not ill abse my whole next story on us two like u did in cry little sister cry
thanx to Issy also, gald u liked it lol.
Koti

In my opinion, this goes better in Drama. Since it's not over, and there might be some part that lends itself better to Horror (but no spoilers! :P) you can tell me, and I'll move it back.

wow great story