Battle Scars [ Chresanto August Story ]

| Prologue |

"Mama's going to be right back okay?" My mom slipped her coat on as my father helped her.

I nodded as my hair swung into my face. Those two pig tails were not my favorite things at the time. I remember almost wanting to chop them off earlier that day.

"Remember, what do you do in case of an emergency?"

"I call 911." I nodded as my dad smiled and roughed my head.

"Okay kiddo, we're out. Lock the door behind us."

"Ok."

"I love you. Never forget that." My mother kissed my forehead as I cheesed up.

I did as told and went back into my room. That night I waited hours for my mom & dad to return. But the next day I awoken to only my dad. He said my mom was still at the doctor and she'd be out the next day. The next day turned into the next days. The next days turned into weeks & before I knew it, it had been a month since I seen my mother.

Then one night, my dad came home pouring his eyes out. I,only being 7, didn't have a clue why he was crying.
He just wouldn't stop no matter how hard I tried to cheer him up. It wasn't until that Saturday, I found out my mom had passed away. And it wasn't until 3 years later I was told she passed away from bras cancer.

Those three years changed our family for the worst. My mother's side of the family never liked my father, nor me, therefor they cut off all ties with us. My dad's side of the family lived too far to help us with any problems. Out of depression my dad lost both of his jobs, decreasing us into an apartment.

When I was 11, I went out on a run with my father. I sat in the backseat crouched down a little like he told me. Though I was told to do otherwise, I rose up and watched as my father handed the man three green filled bags as the man handed my father money. I had just witnessed my father do a drug deal.

With the dealing continuing for a year, we received another home. A better one at that. It wasn't like I didn't enjoy having the home, but one thing would have made it way better.

Less women.

Dad had been bringing women in and out of there. Not to mention men as well, not for what you're thinking. He'd sell in and out of the house, he'd have sex while he thought I was "asleep" & he'd even forget to bring me to school sometimes . My only get away.

But had I known my life would've changed when I turned 12, I wouldn't have took all of those things for granted. While asleep in our beds one night, my father and I were abducted. I remember being bond and smacked around. I remember feeling the hot tears run down my face as I cried for my dad through the duct tape.

I remember the blind fold being pulled from my eyes and my father being held at gunpoint bond to a chair just like me. If anything could've ripped my eyes out at that moment, I wished for it.

"See what happens when you fuck with us man?" The man cocked the gun.

"Mmmhm." My dad scrunched his eyebrows and sweated through the tape.

"It's a shame that yo' daughter gotta see you like this punk."

"Mjmvgkonrd gnomon." My dad muffled.

"Nigga what?" He snatched the tape off of my father's mouth.

"Please ... Please don't do this in front of my daughter. She's all that I have. Please."

"Should've thought about that before you didn't pay yo' due's." He aimed the gun."Any last words bitch?" He chuckled.

"I love you Jessica."

That's when he blasted my father's brains out. I cried, screamed, and squirmed in my chair as my father laid lifeless in his seat. The guys grabbed my father's body and left out. During the fifteen minutes of their absence I was able to wiggle out of the ropes. As soon as I stood up the doors opened and they came in surprised at me out of my trap. Not wanting to look back I ran. I ran and I ran and I ran and I ran. I could hear their footsteps fading off as mine continued going. That is until a shot to the leg slowed me down. I fell and began to roll down a nearby hill at a fast rate.

I was so pumped on adrenaline that I couldn't even feel my gun shot womb. I had rolled to a nearby busy road, thank god & hitch hiked a ride with an old woman who brought me to the hospital.

Explaining everything to the police had to be the hardest thing to do. I was only 12, I hadn't known any better. I know I gave off like descriptions, but that's because they had on masks half the time.

To make matters even worse is that I was taken in or should I say given to my mother's step sister. Her house was worst than my previous one. Perverted men coming in and out. She didn't even seem to care about me. She "raised" me up until I was 16. That's when she started dating this man name Harold. They were dating for at least 3 months. He was a pastor I believe. One day I came inside from school and she was talking on the phone.

"Auntie."

She pointed one finger up to me to hold with a slight attitude .

I sighed rolling my eyes a little as she finished off her conversation.

"What? Didn't you just get from school? Aren't you tired?"

"I came to ask could I go to the store?"

"No."

"Well, why not?"

"Because I said so, goodbye." She walked upstairs as I rolled eyes and sat on the couch.

"Roll your eyes again." I heard in front of me.

I looked up to see Harold reading the newspaper.

"What?" I spat.

"I meant watch your attitude, you're too flip by the mouth." He stood up coming into my face."Cut it out."

"You aren't my fat-" before I could finish my sentence his hand connected with my mouth.

I felt a tear fall down my face as I raised my hand to hit him back. Just as my fist connected with his jaw, my auntie gasped loudly.

"What the hell Jessica?!"

"He hit me first!"

"Go to your room!" She rushed over to his aid.

"What?!"

"Go to your room now!"

I growled going up to my room and slamming my door. This continued up until three weeks later. I had had enough. I packed a suitcase full of clothes and left on my way to school. I had $156.66 I had been saving up for a while (not including my true emergency money). That was only enough for two nights at a hotel. I was now on my own.

"And here I am," I mumble."Living on the stupid streets."

// Photo of Jessica to the side //