The Secret Society of Lefties | Teen Ink

The Secret Society of Lefties MAG

By Anonymous

You won’t ever read about it in the morning newspaper, you won’t ever hear about it on the news, and you won’t ever be a part of it.

Because, you see, it’s a secret.

We hide it so well that some of them don’t even realize that there is a world outside of these walls. For them, this is life; for some of us too, this has become all we know.

I don’t think any of us know exactly how it started. We just all had an obsession … no, obsession is the wrong word. We had a desire to become as wonderfully unique as they were, and to make them feel as special as they could possibly be.

It was innocent at first, I swear. We never intended it to go this far, but somehow it escalated. First, it was just small gifts to the special ones – a notebook or a pen, you know, to make them feel loved. Then we started befriending these special people, asking them questions about what it was like to be the way they are and do what they do. That earned us some strange looks. We didn’t care. It only pushed us to try harder to get to know them, their ways.

Then somehow, and I’m still not sure how, someone had the idea of keeping these special ones safe from the world’s harm, where they would be ours.

We keep them a secret.

***

“Oh my God, she is so heavy,” Claudia said.

“Suck it up. We’re almost there,” Monica replied.

“Shush! Do you want someone to hear?” Grace asked.

The three girls trudged down the long hallways of Grace’s house, which she had inherited from her parents. Years of decay caused the floors to creak. Mice scurried across the wood parquet, into the cracks that danced along the walls.

“Hang on. She’s slipping,” Monica said. They stopped and re-adjusted.

“Why do I always get the heavy end?” Claudia asked.

Monica rolled her eyes. “You don’t. Remember when we had to carry that kid Jason, and he weighed like 250 pounds? You didn’t hear me complaining when I got stuck with his massive thighs.”

“Can you two please shut up? We have work to do,” said Grace.

They had reached the basement door, which looked out of place in the dilapidated Victorian. It was a vibrant purple, with stained-glass windows and yellow trim. It opened with ease, and the stairs didn’t creak as the girls made their way down.

The sight at the bottom of the stairs was something out of a movie. All ideas of the house upstairs were forgotten in a rainbow of colors resembling a kindergarten classroom. The walls were bright blue with posters of smiling children. Circular carpets were arranged in the center, surrounded by desks of red, green, and blue where the lefties could sit and learn about their ancestors, their beginnings. They could read about the scientific studies, and of course, practice their writing. Along the walls were larger desks, where the society members could watch them. Observe them. Know them. Learn with them.

The next room was packed with army cots covered in flowered bedspreads and sheets. They placed the girl they were carrying on an empty one before hurrying back upstairs.

Once Claudia and Monica left, Grace went into the kitchen and dialed three digits. Two rings and then silence.

“Lefty number 213, secured. No problem. We’ll gather same time tomorrow morning,” Grace said.

Again, silence.

***

I suppose, by now, we owe you some explanation. And as the head of the society, it is my duty to fill you in.

Trust me, we’re not stalkers. We’re not kidnappers. And we are most certainly not pedophiles. We are protectors. These people need us. They need us to tell them how special they are. To let their skills grow in a secure environment. No one else understands them the way we do.

So we keep them where they are with their own kind and are the dominant ones.

They are our secrets.

They are locked in the basement of my house, just below our meeting room. We don’t force them to stay. They can leave any time they want, if they can figure out how to get out. As of yet, no one has.

As a society we befriend these special ones. Sometimes it takes time. Others are very open to us. We tell them that they are interesting and that we want to learn about them. And then we take them here and lock them in the observation room.

They don’t mind. In fact, they love it. They thank us for all they have learned.

***

Grace set 11 glasses of lemonade on the coffee table. The ice cubes clinked against the glasses. She picked up one and sipped it thoughtfully, the condensation rolling off the bottom and hitting the floor.

A piercing scream rang out from below.

“Just in time,” said Grace.

She walked to the outer wall where a calendar hung. With the pen dangling on a string, she made a small mark in box number 13. It was only one letter: S. The legend at the top explained that S stood for scream.

This is Grace’s job since she is the head of the society. The lefties are kept in her house, in her care. She listens to them all day and keeps a log of their activities.

***

A while later, the door to Grace’s house creaked open and in walked 10 girls. Nothing was out of the ordinary about them. They all looked to be high-school age, they wore normal clothing, and they talked of normal subjects.

The floor’s groans sounded like tree branches rubbing in a wind storm as the society traversed the dark halls that hid cobwebs in their shadows. The girls slipped one-by-one through a door just like the basement door.

Once everyone was settled on the couches and had taken out their notebooks with the spiral on the other side, Grace passed out the lemonade.

“Has everyone been practicing?” she asked. A few girls nodded.

“Wonderful, because we need to be just as perfect as they are.” Grace smiled and closed her eyes, running a pen through her left hand. “Splendid. Now, down to business, did everyone get the call last night?” Again, everyone nodded. “Monica, they may want to know the details. Why don’t you fill them in. And,” Grace paused, “it would be best to take notes.”

All 10 girls obliged. After all, they loved to write.

A while later, after the eight society members not present during the latest mission had been filled in on the events, Grace changed topics.

“As you may recall, Lefty 214 is a hard one to capture. Her name is Melissa Jones. Do you all remember?” Grace looked at the nodding heads. “Good. She is, as of now, the last lefty in our school, the end of our mission. We need her to be complete. You know how we tried to do it before. We shall do the same, tonight,” Grace said.

“Are you sure we’re ready to try it tonight? I mean, it took a month to plan Jessie’s kidnapping, and Melissa is a tough cookie,” Nicole said.

“Are you questioning me? Have we ever failed when I was in control?” Grace asked, standing her ground.

“I agree with Grace. I think tonight’s the night for a mission this big. We’re ready,” Claudia said. She stood next to Grace. “Come on, girls, think of all the work we’ve put into this. She needs us to do this for her. Melissa doesn’t know how much she’s lacking from being around the righties all the time.”

“She does need us,” Hillary said.

The girls nodded.

“We can do this,” said Monica.

“So all is a go then?” Grace asked. Clapping and cheers erupted from the girls. “Perfect.”

***

Six girls tiptoed down the sidewalk and across the manicured lawn. The metal ladder they were carrying clanked, the sound piercing the clammy night.

“Her window is on this side,” Monica whispered.

They were in front of Melissa’s house. Four girls would crawl up the ladder and through Melissa’s window, before standing in the darkness of her room.

One would watch the area. One would hold the ladder. Then the four who were in the room would drug her, tie her up, and take her down the ladder and across the lawn to the van. She wouldn’t make a sound. And she wouldn’t fight. None of them ever do. Grace would watch from the sidewalk, dressed in black. Once everyone was in the van, the driver would peel away through the deserted town.

When they arrived, the other three would be waiting, ready to make the long haul into the basement where Melissa would spend her days, forgotten by the rest of the world. Where she would be kept a secret. They would place her on what would forever be her cot. They would untie her and drink lemonade upstairs, congratulating themselves on a job well done.

***

Her eyes opened, but she shut them immediately. The fluorescent lighting was too bright. But she didn’t have fluorescent lights in her bedroom, she realized. She shot up from her pillow and looked around. Disgusting green paint decorated the walls, and the many cots around her were filled with sleeping strangers. She didn’t know where she was, but she knew one thing for sure: this wasn’t her bedroom.

And so Melissa did the only thing she could, she opened her mouth and screamed.

***

Grace didn’t even look up from her notebook when the scream ripped through the floor. She only smiled, and made a small mark on the corner of her paper. Another S.

They had done it, goal complete. All 214 lefties were now theirs to watch and learn from. It was only a matter of time until there would be more. Because they were always on the lookout, to make them feel good about themselves.

She smiled again and said quietly, “Our special secrets.”



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This article has 102 comments.


on Jul. 21 2016 at 2:21 pm
Kayashreya SILVER, Novato, California
7 articles 0 photos 7 comments
very well-written, and a unique story! I loved it!

on Nov. 6 2012 at 3:39 pm
TickTockBANG SILVER, Botkins, Ohio
8 articles 0 photos 44 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I believe that what doesn't kill you simply makes you... stranger." --Joker

... Well, then. I really enjoyed reading this, just because it was so different from anything I've read and it's well-written.

on Nov. 6 2012 at 2:25 pm
never_before_seen BRONZE, Woodbridge, Virginia
1 article 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
"there is nothing to fear but fear itself."

how awsome of a story! what do they learn from the lefties?

KylieK GOLD said...
on Nov. 6 2012 at 10:32 am
KylieK GOLD, Mt. Washington, Kentucky
11 articles 0 photos 270 comments

Favorite Quote:
"To love is to surpass one's self."

I LOVE this!!!   Why do they want the lefties? What do they do to them?

on Jun. 27 2012 at 4:48 pm
Elizamere BRONZE, Roseville, California
1 article 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I reject your reality and substitute my own."- Mythbusters

That was so brilliant! Awesome idea, very intriguing and fun to read.:)

D@K0T@ BRONZE said...
on May. 14 2012 at 3:07 pm
D@K0T@ BRONZE, Dallas Center, Iowa
1 article 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
life is like a box of chocolates. you never know what ya gonna get.

im a leftie and im proud!!! i love the story.

on Apr. 23 2012 at 9:12 pm
_ella_herondale BRONZE, San Diego, California
4 articles 2 photos 222 comments

Favorite Quote:
"...If the Thames that ran beside them...recalled a night where the moon shone as brightly as a shilling on the same boy and girl... and thought to themselves, 'at last, the wheel comes full circle,' they kept their silence."

This was funny, creepy, scary, thrilling, amazing, different, original, unique, etc., etc. I love how it was mysterious and blunt and how the POV switched and OMG I just love it!!! I'm totally sharing this with other friends!! Good job!!

KatsK DIAMOND said...
on Apr. 22 2012 at 11:54 am
KatsK DIAMOND, Saint Paul, Minnesota
57 articles 0 photos 301 comments

Favorite Quote:
Being inexhaustible, life and nature are a constant stimulus for a creative mind.
~Hans Hofmann
You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.
~Ray Bradbury

Very, very different. Interesting, creepy, but good . . . i think. Wow, now I'm nervous about my lefty-ness!

JMuglia BRONZE said...
on Apr. 17 2012 at 5:54 pm
JMuglia BRONZE, Scottsdale, Arizona
2 articles 0 photos 4 comments

I loved your story! It was unique and unlike anything I have ever read before. I want to know more about why the kidnap leftys!

I could tell that you put a lot of thought into it before you started writing. I felt like i was reading a published book!


on Mar. 31 2012 at 6:50 pm
Allicat001 SILVER, Waukesha, Wisconsin
6 articles 0 photos 170 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Love is not someone you can live with, love is someone you can't live without."

"Always stand up for what's right even if that means you're standing alone."

That was really good and I'm a little scared now since I'm a lefty!  It sometimes got a little confusing with the shifting points of view, but otherwise it was really good:D

TTTeeSS GOLD said...
on Mar. 9 2012 at 5:30 pm
TTTeeSS GOLD, La Porte, Colorado
17 articles 6 photos 69 comments

Favorite Quote:
There is no such thing as nothing, yet there is such thing as nothing, simply because there is nothing such as nothing.

I'm a lefty. Like VERY lefty. Should I be afraid? I want to hear more about why they collect lefties.

aem312 BRONZE said...
on Mar. 9 2012 at 1:33 pm
aem312 BRONZE, Richmond, Massachusetts
4 articles 0 photos 43 comments
I'm a lefty and now I'm completely convinced that tomorrow I will wake up in a basement. You're story was unique. It was very interesting. I liked it. :)

on Jan. 25 2012 at 8:00 pm
ElectroMagneticPulse BRONZE, London, Other
1 article 0 photos 17 comments
That was ... creepy, seeing as I myself am a lefty, but WOW, it was certainly creative and interesting! The only issue I had was that it was a little jarring when you switched points of views, but other than that it was really cool! Great job - I hope i get to read more of your work! :)

on Jan. 3 2012 at 6:13 pm
writers_revenge BRONZE, Newport News, Virginia
1 article 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
I think that I'm so psychotic and so mentally ill that if I could tap into that I could do something really interesting.
Megan Fox

different, weird, and interesting...good story

on Dec. 27 2011 at 10:35 pm
Def_Leppard_fan120 SILVER, Lake Lorane, Florida
5 articles 0 photos 72 comments

Favorite Quote:
If you want your dreams to come true, Make them come true. If you want to win, Make it a win.
The only one that is stopping you from accomplish your dreams is YOU.

Check out my article called THE BATTLE by Def_Leopard_fan120 and leave a comment on what you thought about it

on Nov. 20 2011 at 6:49 pm
Jappyalldayeveryday, Detroit, Michigan
0 articles 0 photos 163 comments

Favorite Quote:
They say that good things take time, but really great things happen in the blink of an eye

Interesting.

 


Ekf07 GOLD said...
on Nov. 20 2011 at 3:15 pm
Ekf07 GOLD, Huntersville, North Carolina
16 articles 0 photos 27 comments

Favorite Quote:
“The expert at anything was once a beginner.All writers are crazy. So never mind what the editors, your family and your critique group tells you. Submit your manuscripts and keep submitting until you get an offer. Then you can be crazy, with a payc

This is very intesting.... What are they saying about rightys! Im affended!!!!

I thought this was dramatic and kinda creepy....


Kzehr said...
on Oct. 29 2011 at 9:30 pm
Kzehr, Castorland, New York
0 articles 27 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself." Harvey S. Firestone

should i be afraid because im a lefty, nice story kinda creepy tho

on Oct. 8 2011 at 12:08 am
amanda1997 BRONZE, Yuma, Arizona
3 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Two things are infinate: the universe and human stupidity;and I'm not sure about the universe."
-Albert Einstein

Very, very interesting.... I like it!

Sence10101 said...
on Oct. 7 2011 at 12:50 pm
Interesting. In a good way. 5 stars