Page 25 of Shadows in Bloom

Tourette syndrome

In this story, Salem’s character has Tourette Syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder. As this is an anthology piece of writing, it’s not explored in as much depth as it will be in Salem’s full novel.

Tourette symptoms vary greatly from person to person and can include a range of motor and vocal tics, and co-occurring conditions. In this instance, Salem’s character has echolalia, (NOT coprolalia) and echopraxia that, as he grows older, he can control to some degree. Unfortunately, the media often portrays Tourette Syndrome as a “disorder” that causes individuals to use obscene language, when only about 10% of people with Tourette Syndrome have coprolalia. Salem’s character does not have coprolalia.

SALEM

“Rise, my little firebird.”

From the moment I set eyes on Justice Bane,

I knew he would be mine.

And when I take what’s mine, I own it.

Mind, body, and soul.

I’ll burn his world down before I let anything come between us.

JUSTICE

What do you do when you’re afraid of the fire, but you love to burn?

Salem Frost is dangerous.

In his world, there are no rules.

There is no escape.

All I can do is run… and hide.

PROLOGUE

Salvatore Forrestor

10 years old

My mum’s long, flowy red dress swishes in the wind while she walks around the garden. She holds her phone up to her ear and keeps talking, but I’ve been saying “Mum, Mum, Mum,” for a long time.

“How did this happen!” she shouts into the phone. “They should have kept those animals away from him! He wasn’t supposed to die.” Her cheeks are red and lots of tears drip down from her dark brown eyes. “I don’t want your fucking money, Loren! I want Arthur back.” She puts one hand over her mouth and cries, then after a little while, she says into the phone, “What about the others, are you paying them all off too? And what do I tell his son?”

“Mum.” I pat her arm so she’ll listen to me. “I wanna go to Justice’s house.” When she doesn’t answer me, I say “Mum, Mum, Mum, Mum,” lots and lots of times, but she just screams at me and tells me to go inside.

CHAPTER 1

SALVATORE FORRESTOR

One week later

I run to my classroom and hang my school bag on the hook near the door, then I check to make sure Justice’s bag is next to mine. At my school, when we’re in grade five, we have to be buddies with the little kids who are in prep.

Miss Tanner chose Justice as my buddy for the whole year. That means I have to look after him at playtime, show him things around school, and every Friday, Justice is in my classroom for the whole day.

When I get inside, Miss Tanner is smiling and talking to some of the kids in my classroom. “Good morning, Sal,” she says with a big smile just before the bell rings.

I copy her smile, but my words don’t want to listen today, and they come out the same as hers. “Good morning, Sal.”

Miss Tanner doesn’t get angry at me copying her words because she knows I can’t help it.

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