Burning at Dawn -- 2nd place contest winner
Anonymous 8th grader
Alleigh was in a box. Her own world. She never experienced what ¨normal¨ kids her age got to. Her allergy to the sun burned her alive, day by day. Being stuck in the same household all her life. No friends. No social life. Just her, her family, and her phone. She would scroll on tiktok day by day watching kids her age make dances in their school bathrooms. Every day, Alleigh would bawl tears. She wanted to fit in, have a life, have fun for once.
Afterall, she was only 13. She still had much more to go in life. There was no way she could just doom scroll for the rest of her years. She had only gone outside once, the day she came home from the hospital as an infant. The day her mom carried her out of the hospital that day, her skin turned red. Hives spread across Alleigh's shoulders. Her mother ran back inside to the doctors and needed treatment. They informed her that Alleigh was allergic to the sun.
As Alleigh was scrolling through videos, she had a bright idea. What if she could go out at night and only sleep during the day? She would become nocturnal! Then maybe she would actually live the life she dreamed of. She just wanted to be normal. Alliegh envied her sisters, Jaqueline and Zeezee. During dinner every night, they would talk about their days and their crushes. Alleigh never experienced any of that luxury dream.
¨Oh my gosh, mom! Benjamin complimented my outfit today. I told you it was cute.¨ Zeezee exclaimed to her mother during dinner. Alleigh would just sigh deeply after every sentence, trying to be the center of attention. Then Jaqueline moved her chair closer to the table as she was getting ready to talk.
¨During recess, Amy fell on the floor but I caught her before she fell! Everyone was huddling us.¨ Their mom was just gasping and smiling after every word. Alleigh coughed loudly to get everyone's attention.
¨Ahem. Mom.. I decided I wanted to become nocturnal.¨ Alleigh's mom's smile dropped. She almost choked on her steak.
¨Uhm, Alleigh.. May I ask.. Why?¨ She responded.
¨I want to be normal. I want to live a normal life. I feel like an outcast and am possibly depressed. All I do all day is lay in bed. I have no friends, nobody. I just figured.. If I become nocturnal, I can go out at nighttime and sleep during the day?¨
¨Honey. You are normal. You're absolutely perfect. You have friends. Your whole family is here for you, but I just worry about you. I understand the idea, however-¨
¨You are not listening mom! I have nothing.¨ Alleigh started shedding tears at the dinner table. Jaqueline and Zeezee just stared at each other as all this chaos went down.
¨I understand your upset, but you don't raise your voice.¨ Alleigh's mom got up and gave her a hug.
¨You´re more than normal, you my angel. My perfect little angel. You're more normal than anyone here!¨ Alleigh came to the realization that she doesn't have to go out at night just to be normal. She is herself. She can do anything that anyone else can do.