Jail Baby

Released

A week after my seventeenth birthday, a guard approached my parents and I during meal time. This wasn't an extreme abnormality, so I wasn't too worried. I should have been, however, because what he said next changed my life forever, no matter how dramatic that sounds.

"Kadence," the guard said, "Now that you have turned seventeen, and finished the time for your crimes, you are being set free. Without your parents."

My jaw dropped open. I didn't want to leave my home. I wasn't ready.

"You are being put into foster care, and will join high school. Good luck."

I nodded, a frown forming. We knew this would happen at some point, though I had always dreaded the day. I was sent to collect what little belongings I had.

The same guard drove me to my foster care home. He kept me in handcuffs the whole ride there, even though I was supposedly being released. We pulled into the driveway, and as he was uncuffing me, I took the time to look at the house. It was big. Not mansion size, but still very large.

As soon as I stepped out of the car, the guard drove away. Guards didn't seem to like me very much, but they all knew me by name. I was like that troublemaker kid in school. The one every teacher and administrator knew by name, because they were all previously warned about them.

I walked up the driveway and to the house. I knocked on the door without hesitation. Kadence West doesn't know fear.

The door swung open wide. A plump woman stood there, with a wide toothy smile on her face. She looked way too happy and nice. She wore a blue and purple flowery Hawaiian shirt, flip flops, and faded blue jeans. A blue visor was perched on her head.

"Well hello there! I'm Diana Huckle. Welcome to my home!" The lady said, again being overly cheerful for the situation.

I just stood there, semi-awkwardly. I'm not a big fan of good people. Or cheerful people. Or people in general.

"What's your name sweetie?" Diana asked.

"Kadence," I said, raising an eyebrow a little.

"Such a beautiful name for a beautiful girl!" Diana exclaimed, opening up her arms, as if to hug me. I hated hugs. She might get stabbed if she hugged me.

This lady was really starting to get on my nerves. She was way too peppy.

"Please come in, come in!!" I forced a small smile, that probably looked beyond fake. It was kind of like that scene in The Addam's Family Values, where Wednesday is at summer camp, and she forces on a smile for them, and that annoying girl like freaks out. I love Wednesday.

Diana stepped aside, and I walked into her house. The color scheme was pink and yellow. Bleh. I preferred orange and black.

There were about ten cats walking around her living room. I hated cats.

The whole place smelled like cat urine, tuna fish, and old people. I didn't try to hide my disgusted face.

Three other kids sat on the living room floor, looking bored as heck. One, a boy, was playing with the fuzz on the pink carpet. Another boy stared blankly out the window. The other, a girl, picked at a hang nail. All three of them were thin, very thin, and pale.

"Children, meet our new guest, Kadence." Diana said. The children looked up, but their facial expressions didn't change. They looked miserable.

Diana stood over the girl. "This is Nina, she's fifteen." Diana went and stood over the boy closest to Nina. "This is Jack, he's seven." She stood over the last boy. "This is Shane, he's fifteen too."