thefolksbetween | 2019 Writing Challenge

⭐ The Challenge:
Four times a week, we follow the same prompt to write something at least 150 words in length. It can be over but never under. It can involve any character or no character at all. At least one of the four days must be tailored toward a writing skill that we know we need to work on. The prompts can be from a website or from our brain - one word, many words, a setting/location, or anything that will inspire.

Drabble Header:
Week #, Day #
PROMPT
Name/Canon
Word Count

⭐ Prompts Week One
Day One: Freak
Day Two: Numb
Day Three: You appear in an infinite white room with nothing but yourself and a piece of paper saying "You have been banned from existence."
Day Four: You run a tattoo parlor. Every couple of weeks, the same customer comes in, always requesting the same tattoo - an additional tally mark on an ever-growing cluster of tally marks.

⭐ Prompts Week Two
Day One: "I accept no responsibility, and I would do it all again."
Day Two: Try Again
Day Three: Dance/Dancing
Day Four: Venom
(I got that) adrenaline momentum
and I'm not knowin' when I'm ever gonna slow up
and I'm ready to snap any moment.
I'm thinkin' it's time to go get 'em.
They ain't gonna know what hit 'em.

⭐ Friends:
bullethewords
arabbitholeofwander

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He's heard the word before. Spoken from the bad guys in horror, or from the people they were saving, in fear as they ran. Freak. It was what people called him when the creatures came out to do their job. None of his siblings have ever said it, but sometimes the look on his fathers face made him feel as if he had written it down before.

Perhaps Reginald Hargreeves had never said it out loud, but every time he looked upon Six as he did his training, he sure looked as if the word was right there on the curl of his lips. Ben felt shame for his powers, for the clear nausea it caused their father and others to look upon him while displaying them. He hated them himself. Felt dirty and disgusted by it sometimes. And then he felt guilt, because so far they hadn't done anything to him but keep him safe. His tentacles always took the brunt of the battle and they protected him every time.

He felt guilt for not loving his power more, but he didn't want to be the Freak of the Umbrella Academy.

Maybe that's why he got along with Klaus so well.

He had brought it up to Klaus once when he was younger, scared to admit it but needing to talk about it. Klaus laughed at him and pat his belly, telling him not to worry about what others thought. Ben knew that they both had occult horror powers, but he always assumed Klaus was just well adjusted to his. That was when he learns about the nightmares. The fears of his power. They shared that much in common.

Klaus also taught him to live up to his freakish nature. If he had to be a freak, wear it with pride. Ben wasn't sure he could do it like Klaus did, but he also knew he couldn't imitate Klaus either. Especially after the heels and broken jaw incident. He wouldn't follow in his brothers foot steps, but he would live up to what he was.

A freak of nature and a real awesome guy.

2019 Writing Challenge

Week 1, Day 1 | FREAK | Ben Hargreeves/The Umbrella Academy | WC:355