the secret child

They can't look in, I can't have friends, they must never know of my life. I will always be alone, always be watching out the window, always hiding from the Ren that search. The curtains are closed, the baby blue gates always blocking the view of beautiful gray buildings. I haven't been outside since I was a child, since I was 6. I still remember the sky, a blue masterpiece with sections erased by white clouds.

Now I only see the sky in my books. The cage of my existence haunts me, closing in, breaking my soul, my heart. Crushing who I am, who I was. I know I have to be patient. But- WHY is it this way? WHY can I not break free, WHY did they do this WHY- Do I hear footprints? NO. They aren't Carl's. NO. It's not time to eat anyway. NO. It isn't the testers. NO. They took my blood yesterday. NO. It's the Ren. NO.

I run to the door, the blue door, blue like the wallpaper. It's hidden. I go through, I'm in the dark, I breathe. I hate the dark, but I hate the Ren more. Mom says they are evil monsters who kill good children. That's why I'm hidden, hidden away. I have to stay hidden. Carl says that they feed on the blood of children and that they hate the color blue. They wear red all the time. They have scary powers, like shapeshifting, and they hate all children who are like me, who are hurt and need to get tested every month. I'm silent, and I hear them look through my stuff as I cry. They say things in a completely foreign language, they are loud, they are evil. I hear them open the door but they can't take me, take me away from Mom or Carl, or the doctors. They can't! I can't go! I'm all alone.

Mom said, Carl said so I know it's true.

If you are taken by the Ren, you will never be found again.