"MA'AM, CAN YOU HEAR me?..."

I can see the blue and red lights, I can't move. I can still hear the ringing sound in my ear, after he  fired the shot. I feel numb, I can't feel my face, and my vision is blurry. Where's Cory?...

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THE BEGINNING. - 23/04/1999

I am the middle child of my family. Like most middle children, we always tend to be the odd one's out. Anyway, my family is different, unlike other normal families where there's love, peace, togetherness and laughter. My house is mostly filled with screaming parents, fights, broken bottles, cigarettes, liquor, vomit stench, you name it. It's tiring, and depressing, especially when you have no one to talk to, you just feel torn, helpless and broken. I can't count the number of times I have contemplated suicide.

My name is Anastasia Marshall, I'm 16 years old and miserable. My parents are Adam and Rosa Marshall, I have two sisters, the oldest Crystal Marshall she's 18 years old and the youngest Daisy Marshall she's 10 years old, That's all there is to know really.

In my family, it's everyone for themselves. My mother is a drug addict and my father is a chronic drunkard. Crystal is a glorified slut, that is putting it nicely. Daisy is a complete angel and I try my best to keep it that way, I try to shield her from this situation. She's the lively rainbow in my gloomy life and I feel responsible for her.

My family wasn't always like this, dad used to work as an investment banker and mum used to be a nurse. My now dark and gloomy house used to be filled with so much laughter and light. Then dad lost his job, mum started doing drugs - then she got addicted and was forced to quit her job as a result. Dad started drinking and now everything is upside down. Crystal used to be a straight A student and assistant captain of her cheerleading team, I guess the raging darkness in our house took its toll on her. I wish we could go back to how things used to be, but wishes aren't always horses...

"Ana?!... We're going to be late for school." I hear Daisy say, from her place beside me.

"So sorry Dai, c'mon finish up, then we leave, the bus will be here soon." I force a smile.

"Okay... Where's Crystal?"

"I'm not sure sweetie. No talking while eating remember?"

She simply nods. I feel like I've been forced to mature before time. Managing the home, taking care of myself and my younger sister, being responsible for the bills. When I realized my parents couldn't care less if we ate or not, or if the light and water bills got paid - I got a part-time job. The little salary I'm making, is barely enough to take care of the house, yet my parents seize the money or steal from me...

I'm forced out of my thoughts again by a loud crashing sound upstairs, like a bottle breaking.

"Come on let's go"

I stand from my seat and grab both Daisy and my empty dish and drop them in the sink. I'll have to attend to them when we get back from school.

"Are mum and dad fighting again?"

"Let's go, the bus is here"

She picks up her backpack, I do same, and we walk to the bus. Daisy gets on the bus and waves bye, while I walk to my own school. We go to different schools, crystal and I are in the same school, she's a senior, and she's almost done, I hope she graduates, I really do, but with the way she's going repeating will be a huge possibility. Like every other day, she's not here to drive us to school, she's probably too busy slutting away or partying, so I'm left with no option but to walk, again.

I wish there was a way out of all this... Now I'm leaving one source of misery for the other - high-school. High-school is another source of loneliness and pain for me and to survive here, I've learnt to stay out of everyone's way, That way they don't know I exist.
I love education but I hate school.

AFTER EATING SOME SNACKS, I assist Daisy with her homework before attending to mine. It's quiet up in my parents room, they must be passed out or something, I need some money from them, now might be the perfect opportunity to get some, because if I ask for some, they won't give it to me, they'll rather spend it on drugs or booze. To think it's my money and I still have to ask them for it.

"Daisy, I will be right back, just finish up, okay?"

"Where are you going?"

"Uhm... I want to check on mum and dad"

She makes a face

"Be careful Ana."

"Yeah, I will be back. Just finish up."

She nods, but keeps her eyes on me as I turn and make my way up the stairs. I will be lying if I said I'm not scared right now, I can hear the sound of my heart beating loudly in my chest.

This shouldn't be the reaction of a child going close to her parents room, I know. But, with parents like mine, it is necessary, as you don't know what mood they are on and what they might do to you. I have prayed for years now, for my mum to even look at me, like a mother looks at her daughter, but she simply doesn't care.

I tip toe into their room to find them both passed out. My mum passed out on the couch with her upper body draped across the arm rest, while my dad is sprawled on the floor next to the couch, with a bottle of liquor in hand.

After making sure they are really passed out. I start my search for my money. I check my mum's purse, my dad's wallet, under the pillow, in the drawers and my dad's jacket, still nothing. I'm about to give up, when I notice a small wooden chest on the table, I open it slowly, and it makes a creaking sound, but I don't give up, I try opening it slower and slower and finally it's wide open. There's a stack of hundred dollar bills in it, I don't know how they have this much money, because I don't think the money they seized from me is this much. But I need some of it to do some grocery shopping for the house, before my sister and I starve to death. I take some bills and drop the rest, then I place the chest the same way I met it and tip toe towards the door of the room, when I hear my mother stir in her sleep and I freeze in place, I turn and check if she's still asleep, then I tip toe out of their room and let out a sigh of relief...

When I get to the living room, Daisy is fast asleep on the couch. So, I carry her to our room and lay her on the bed, I walk back to the living room, gather her books and backpack and take them to our room. I place them on the table in a neat pile, but there's a paper sticking out of one of her books, I pull it out, and it's a drawing of our family, it's not perfect, but it's really nice. I feel a tear slip out of my eye and I quickly wipe it away and keep the paper neatly in the book.

After ensuring everything is in its place, I quickly rush out to the grocery store. Walking down the road I see children playing - some on the swing, others showing their friends something on their phones and that makes me realize how much of my childhood I'm missing out on. I let out a sigh and double my steps, so I can make it to the grocery store on time.

When I'm done buying everything I need, I pay at the checkout point and I make the trip back home. When I'm three blocks away from my house, I notice there's a strange car parked outside my house, so I walk faster and when I get into the house, there are two men in suits talking to my sober looking parents, Daisy is sitting on the staircase, so I drop the groceries in the kitchen and rush to Daisy's side

"Who are they?" I ask Daisy in a hushed tone.

"Detectives" she whispers.

"What do they want?"

She shrugs.

"I'm not sure, but when I opened the door, they asked me to get mum and dad, they've been talking in hushed tones since, and I can't hear a thing"

"Okay, I'll be right back"

I walk into the living room and four of them, my parents and the two men, turn towards me, my mum is crying, I haven't seen her cry in a while.

"What's going on?" I ask with a small frown on my face.

Guys do you know that underneath this chapter, there is a vote button, and do you know when you click it, it changes colour 😲? Cool right?, you should totally try the magic 😉! 😚😚😚

Cover picture: @unicornxlips

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