Why is the world so cruel? It seems to consume all of my happiness and life. I just don't see the point anymore. School sucks, my parents kicked me out and my job was now non-existent. I have no idea what to do now.

Reality has just come up to me and seems to have decided I wasn't worth it.

Since I was small, my life has been a living hell. My parents were drug addicts and alcoholics. Everyone knew they were cheating on each other because a few times a week one of them had a 'business' meeting and the other came home with a new person. After a while I just stopped paying attention. At least they didn't physically hurt or abuse me...no...that would have been better than this.

School wasn't any better. Every morning, I walked up the steps to the blue steel doors of the school and headed straight to class.

I never made it that far.

I'm pulled into a vacant stairwell with three boys; all are much bigger than me. Let's just say by the time I made it to class, I was covered in bruises, attempting to stop a bloody nose. The teacher didn't notice though, they never do.

On graduation day I walked down the rows of students who never paid any attention to me while we attended classes together for the last five or more years. No one got to know me or even gave a crap about who I was and what I will become. My parents didn't even bother to show up.

In two weeks I had turned 18 and that was the last day I was ever in my house. My parents wanted me out as fast as my legs would take me. I didn't even get the customary "Happy Birthday!" let alone a cake. No, just a nasty wakeup call as twenty or so boxes were thrown at me with the drunken words, "Get out you useless s!@#", and that was it.

My grandparents let me stay with them until I got a job and my own apartment but after I moved out of there, no one in my family contacted me again. I was, indeed, alone. Isolated by those I cared about and sent off into the world to fend for myself.

I once had a dream, to become a psychologist, but I was never given a chance. Instead, I was forced into taking a boring office job where I constantly get scolded by my boss and picked on by my co-workers. It was just like living in that pit of sorrow that I called a home.

One day at work my life had changed forever. I had a yelling match with my boss over one late file. Ok, sure it was the third time that week. I tried to explain about the impossible work load I had but he didn't listen. I was sent out of the office with all of my things and ordered to never come back. The worst part about it, was that now I don't know how I am going to find another job.

I start the trek to my apartment, as the rain poured heavily from the heavens. As I walked through the alley-way I paused briefly in front of a dead rat lying on the asphalt. As I stared at this poor, lonely creature I was reminded that someone once told me that it was believed that the rain was just the angels crying. I chuckled a bit at the thought of them crying at how pitiful I must look in a now soaked dress shirt, dress pants and the god forsaken tie that made me feel like I was trapped in a cycle in which I couldn't break free.

I stood there reflecting on this before I finally broke. Chucking the small box of my belongings to the other end of the alley way, I screamed out in agony as I realized all the pain I had to live through will always be there to haunt me.

I ran out of the alley way, flicking my haute couture noose over my shoulder. I wasn't going back to my apartment.

I can't continue living in this blazing fire of torture and agony anymore.

Now here I stand at the crosswalk to the university. I don't want to be miserable anymore. I want all the torment to stop.

As I see it, I could have an easy out:

I could wait until the cars start moving and stand in the dead center of the cross walk or

I could walk across and try to start over, though there was no guarantee it would be any better than the life I have now and that wasn't an option.

My path was clear to me now, more so than it had ever been before. I walk out into the street and the traffic light turns green. I stand here with my eyes shut tight as I hear a massive delivery truck honking his horn.

Now I can finally be free!

Something tugs at my tie and I fly to the asphalt. I opened my eyes to see the face of an angel looking down at me.

She smiles encouragingly at me.

"Don't give up. You've barely just begun."