The pain was short-lived but, as if lightning shot through her neck and shoulders down to her legs, then the pain was gone, she didn’t feel anything.
As she felt the panic of paralysis she heard two groans on either side of her. She looked left and got a face full of platinum blonde hair. Connected to a familiar if partially obscured head. Turning right she avoided the hair she expected and was staring straight into the shocked face of herself.
Both heads screamed in unison. Causing her hands to shoot up and cover both the mouths. The hands were trembling but they looked left and saw the left head looking at both of them on the verge of tears but holding back the urge to scream with them.
As they quieted down the bedroom door opened and her dad burst in.
“What is it?! What’s wrong?” he yelled expecting to run into trouble.
The left head quickly spoke up still trembling.
“Sorry dad we got scared, we thought- we saw a spider."
“A bird hit the window” Right tried to interject with a believable excuse for them.
“I grew more heads,” Middle said the truth.
The hands quickly covered Middles mouth as the other two tried to cover.
He sighed “well I only count three little princesses in this room.”
“Is the spider still here?” he said while looking around for a trace of it.
“uhh, nope it… climbed the wall.” Left said still trembling.
“… Ran into the closet” right said at the same time.
He looked skeptical at them “look I know it is daunting going to school… together, but nothing is going to happen. Your mom has put a stop to the bullying and was able to implement new policies to prevent further discrimination on you. The teacher is gone, and the principle is going to keep a closer eye on you three to make sure no one bullies or harasses you again. The wound is still raw but you are safe, please do me a favor and try going back to school? Just 2 days is all I ask; if nothing has changed we can consider home school again.” He looked at them pleadingly.
The three heads looked at each other not understanding what he just said. Silently debating if they should take the out he just gave… even if it meant going to school like this.
They nodded and said “okay dad we will try it.”
He smiled at them “thank you girls, now finish getting ready and I will drive you to school.
The middle head spoke up “but I can drive myself.”
“Oh no you can’t, you have a permit, not a license, you are getting there but the coordination is just not there yet. Maybe in a few more months you will pass the test but not after last time. Anyways, be ready in 5 minutes we need to get moving” he said as he walked out of the room and shut the door.