I was tired of writing essays, so I took a moment to check my emails. My heart made a dull thud as the first thing I saw was the words "We have concluded interviews for the position and regret to inform you..." The rest was cut off, but a quick glance at the sender let me know the rest of the story. Apparently I wasn't good enough for that job either. I opened it and read the whole thing, half-hoping the tail end said, "but we found something else for you." It didn't, of course. I rolled my eyes and deleted the email.

Upon deleting that email, three more in much the same vein blipped into view. Frustrated, I stood up and stretched. Time for another batch of applications I suppose. Worst case I can get a job at a restaurant, right? Oh wait I'm probably overqualified. Seems like my degree was supposed to get me jobs, but so far all I've gotten are loans.

I pulled up yet another job site and scrolled through. Here's an unpaid position; how generous. What about this entry level one? Never mind, they want three years of experience plus a masters. Then I found one that I actually qualified for, but it had two hundred other applicants. Still worth a shot, but unlikely to say the least.

After a while, I checked my email again. This time, the first words that caught my eye were "Congratulations! As a top applicant..." I tried to still my heart as I clicked. I waited as the text appeared on a white screen. "...you made it to the final stages of our screening process. Unfortunately we are unable to offer you a job at this time..."

I stopped reading and stormed off to get chocolate ice cream.

Death was not fun. But then I got another chance, a chance to live again, to work again, to be part of a whole again. Needless to say, I gave it my all. I bled oceans of blood, went through unimaginable pain, was thrust into a strange new world, but it was worth it, for at the end of it all, I was one with them.

For a time, I was happy. But then the accusations started. That I was different, an alien, not one of them. I didn't belong. I should go back to where I came from. Things got heated. They sent their white blooded thugs to attack me. I weakened. I couldn't work the way I used to. It literally felt like they were tearing me apart.

I did my best. I tried to ignore them, to focus on myself, on my work. Every time they raised the heat, every time they marked me as foreign, I rallied, a weary soldier marching to his drumbeat. But I was only one, and they were many. Their bullets ate away at me.

I couldn't understand it. I knew they needed me. Why couldn't they see that by hurting me they were only hurting themselves? I could see the damage they were doing to themselves but I was helpless to stop them. Once again, I was dying, and I was taking them with me.

I was on my last beats when a blinding light appeared in the darkness. I felt hope pump through me. But I was deceived. A searing pain ripped through me, and I was pulled into the light. Examined and deemed useless, I was tossed onto a silver tray. With a last shudder, I lay still, blood oozing out of me, a failed transplant, a rejected heart.

Hello! I'm Brittney. I am married & a Mom of 3 boys. I homeschool and sell crafts and stuff on etsy. I love coffee, books, & video games. I am currently working on a sci-fi novel called "Aurora". If you like female main characters/hero's, outerspace, the apocalypse, and extraterrestrials you will like my book. I also write poetry.

I'm happy to be here & to have found Prose! :)