Going Mental

Not A Real Girl

//TW: CHILD ABUSE + SMOKING AND ALCOHOL USE, BURNS//

"August 17th,

I want to go back. Why did they leave me? I'm scared.

I miss Fan, and Soap, and Suitcase, and even Nickel. This isn't home. I'm scared and I want to go back.

Mom and dad are scaring me. They leave sometimes. Me and Balloony will get food from the fridge, but when they find out I get scared.

It's been 3 years. Why did they take me back?

Balloony tries to help me sleep. I can't. I'm just glad I got the music box. The music box calms me down. Mom threatens to take it from me. I don't let her. She hits me.

Dad hits me sometimes too. He's usually at work. They go to the bar sometimes. They come home and hit us more. Balloony gets hit more than me. He tries to keep them away from me. I don't know why.

They drink at night. Sometimes in the afternoon too. They take me to school. I get scared when they drive. I don't know when they've been drinking. I don't like school. People are mean. Teachers try and help. They don't fix anything.

I get sick. The smoke hurts my throat. I cough and have to stay home. I want to go outside. I don't like being inside.

I sleep in the basement. It's cold. The lights are always off. Mom and dad spend money on drinks and smoke sticks. That's what Balloony calls them. Smoke sticks.

They don't pay the light and warmth bills. That's what Balloony says. He says they need to and that we'll get kicked out of our house. They'll leave me and him on the streets or something.

I'm always scared. I miss home. I miss Toilet and Mr. MePad.

I hate it here. I cry sometimes. I freak out and breathe really heavy at night. In the morning I cry. Then I go to school and cry more.

I'm hungry. I need to see if Balloony has any more food.

I'm glad I kept the music box. I found the thing Toilet was looking for. I broke it.

They'll come back for me. I think. Me and Balloony will go home with them, and my mom and dad will go to jail. I'll tell people what they did. They can't do anything when I tell people.

I'll cry on that day too.

I'll always cry.

I need to eat.

~Balloon"

No POV

"Fan, may I steal you for just a moment?" MePad leaned into the door, before seeing a few children gathered around Soap. "Are you alright kids? What happened?" Quickly, he rushed into the room.

Soap was on the bed, and Paintbrush had a cold wash cloth on her forehead. She was wearing shorts and a tank top, and they had a bucket of water next to the bed. "Mr. MePad! Sorry- we had an incident while you were gone! Soap got hot water everywhere and we think Suitcase did it, by accident maybe?" Paper quickly exclaimed, with a bit of a strain in his voice. He looked nervous, and worried, and his eyes glanced in every direction. "We're trying to cool her down!"

MePad grimaced. "Paintbrush, excuse me for a moment." MePad stepped besides the children, kneeling down. She had some bad burn marks, and in general looked like she just wanted to sleep.

"I'd assume it's a first degree burn. Second degree at worst. I can treat it with some type of gel or cream of such..." MePad thought for a moment. "Thank you for taking responsibility, Paintbrush. I'll take care of Soap now."