Nope nope nope, not putting up with this sh*t again today.
I can hear the yelling while I approach the battered house I used to call home. It would be smart of me to turn around and walk away right now, but I'm already late. I cant handle too bad of a punishment today, I'll end up in the hospital again.
I slowly walk up to the door and wince at the sound of glass breaking. I grab hold of the door knob and turn the handle. Unluckily for me, the door decides to creak loud enough I'm sure the people on the other side of the world heard it.
Everything stops and the two people of my nightmares give me their full attention.
"Look who decided to finally f*cking show up." Hana comments.
"I had to study." I say embarrassingly nervously.
"Study my ass. What's more important, my clean house or your f*cking studies?" Edie asks rhetorically.
"I-"
"Save it." Edie cuts me off.
"Let the girl speak asswipe." Hana snaps.
"Don't give me that f*cking tone bi-" Edie is cut off when Hana throws a glass at his head.
Unfortunately he dodges it easily and gives her a sinister smile. This isn't going to end well.
"I'm sorry-" Edie laughs, "Was that meant to hit me?"
"What does it look like." Hana rolls her eyes.
I think now is a great time for me to just.. skedaddle.
Without turning around, I watch them continue to yell at each other and I place my hand on the door knob. I turn it slowly and try to open the door.
Just my luck, the door creaks at the noise of a f*cking rocket ship taking off.
Both of them focus their attention back at me and Edie's face drops.
"Where the f*ck do you think you're going b*tch?!" He asks.
"You know," I chuckle. "Anywhere but here."
"Get your ass back here, it's near time for dinner." Hana says sternly.
"I'd really rather not.." I try turning around. I think I have a death wish today.
Before I can get anywhere, I feel a harsh tug on my ponytail, making me yelp. My head is pulled back and I nearly fall on my butt. I'm able to catch myself though and I turn around quickly, seeing Edie with that nasty smirk of his. What I would do to just smack that off his face.
But you see, I did that once. The broken leg I received was really not worth it.
It's too late for me to do anything when I feel a stinging pain on the side of my face. His hand connects with it, forcing my head to the side and I bring my hand to hold my cheek. I breathe deeply, continuing to hold my cheek. Anger only stirs inside me when I hear Hana f*cking laughing in the background.
"Get in the kitchen before I do worse." Edie threatens.
I hold my head back up and lower my hand, glaring at Edie and Hana. The smiles on their faces make everything worse. F*cking sickos.
I sidestep Edie and walk around the dusty couch and into the kitchen. I drop my backpack on one of the chairs of the table and decide to get to work. I look through the cupboards and don't find much.
A can of Spaghetti-Os is calling my name but I know Edie and Hana wouldn't be satisfied with such a dinner. Rather, I grab a bag of dried pasta and get a pot of water boiling on the stove. I look in the fridge and find a jar of pre-made spaghetti sauce and decide to try to pass it off as homemade.
I'm not in the mood to Gordon Ramsay today.
I can hear the TV turn on as I wait for the water to boil. Edie likes to deafen the house by playing old sports games at 100% volume. It certainly makes for a relaxing evening.
When I notice the water beginning to bubble, I drop the dried noodles inside and prepare a small pot to heat up the sauce. I open the jar and empty it's contents into the pot.
I stand over the stove, watching the food cook and zone out.
I was nine when I was placed in the care of Hana and Edie, if you could even call it care. Up to the age of nine, I bounced around between foster homes and orphanages. Every time a family wanted to adopt me, they would always back out last minute. I was always told it wasn't my fault, but after it happened five times, how could I believe differently?
Each foster home kicked me out, the orphanages didn't want me.
Why you may ask?
I was simply too much to handle.
At least that's what the rumors were.
When I was five, I had a best friend who liked to cause a little bit of mischief. That included setting a couple fires, starting fights, and breaking some glass in different homes. Honestly now thinking about it, I'm pretty sure she was a straight up psychopath.
I however, had sense, and a desire to be adopted. I didn't partake in such endeavors, I was just conveniently nearby when they happened. Thus putting me at fault or making me an accomplice. Ever since then, I had a reputation. Not one that I deserved, but one they placed on me anyways.
That reputation made me undesirable as a prospective adoption or even a placement at the good homes.
It's how I ended up in Hana and Edie's 'care'. They were the only ones willing to 'set me straight'.
I've been here since the age of nine, putting up with their sh*t in hopes of one day being moved or adopted. But of course, I now know it's wishful thinking. I'm fifteen now and no one would want me.
I'm a teenager with a bad reputation that I got when I was f*cking five.
No one wants me, or even cares about my current situation.
I know now I'm the only one who cares.
I have to take care of myself.
And that's what I plan on doing today.
The thoughts have crossed my mind often to simply kill myself. It's too easy of a way out and lets be honest, the only ones who would really benefit are Hana and Edie. They wouldn't have to deal with me anymore.
Since that's not an option, I've come up with another.
To kill Hana and Edie.
Realistically, it would make me a murderer and sh*t but at this point, I don't even care. I don't deserve what I've been put through and the only way out, and to be out for good, is for them to die.
Do I have second thoughts?
Not really.
The bottle of pills in my backpack is just calling my name honestly.
I focus back on reality and notice the pasta just about done. I peek out of the kitchen and see Hana and Edie focused on the TV. I turn back around and open my backpack.
The pills I got are from some sketchy kid at school named Sloan. He's rumored to be in the mafia or some sh*t and these pills are supposed to be some kind of lethal weapon. Let's just hope they work.
I take one more glance back to make sure the two caregivers are still occupied and of course they are. I open the bottle and drop a couple pills into the sauce. I stir it up so they dissolve and drain the now cooked noodles to add inside.
When the dish is done, I plate it up and bring it out for them. Usually I would be irritated to serve them, but today I'm feeling quite excited about it.
"Dinner is ready." I get their attention with the two plates in my hand.
"Finally." Edie rolls his eyes, reaching to grab the plate from my hand.
I let him take it and give Hana hers. I leave them be to eat but stay in the kitchen to see if this thing really works. I watch them eat with a small smile on my face.
Their plates end up clean, I guess that jarred pasta sh*t is pretty good. I notice them both starting to cough and I raise my eyebrows at the sight. Honestly I didn't expect these to work.
"What the f*ck?' Edie exclaims between coughs.
They both start wheezing and I walk out of the kitchen.
"Goodness me are you two feeling alright?" I ask in a sickly sweet tone.
"What the f*ck did you do?" Hana asks, coughing in between each word.
"Nothing of course, what's the matter?" I ask, acting oblivious.
Edie cant even speak between the coughing and the wheezing.
"Call 911!" Hana wheezes.
"Sorry, didn't quite catch that." I comment. "Could you repeat what you said just there?"
"C-" At this point they cant even speak.
The wheezing slows and eventually stops completely. They lay lifeless on the couch and I stand there debating my next move.
I have a bag packed in my room already and I walk up the stairs to grab it.
I open the door one last time to my attic of a room. It's completely unfinished. Cold in the winter, boiling hot in the summer. Needless to say, I'm not going to miss it. I walk past the battered mattress on the floor and grab the small duffle that carries my life.
All that's inside is a small teddy bear, a couple pairs of clothes and a photo frame of me and psycho friend from foster care.
Don't know why I decided to keep the photo to be honest. Possessions I own are slim so I guess anything I have qualifies as treasure.
I throw the bag over my shoulder and take one last look around, savoring my safe place for the past six years. I turn around and walk out, closing the door behind me.
I walk downstairs and past the lifeless bodies. I decide to go out the back to try to avoid any early suspicion. I know eventually they'll find the bodies and discover I did it. I just hope I can outrun them by that point.
I walk into the kitchen, suddenly remembering the can of Spaghetti-Os. I open the cupboard, grab the can and put it in my bag. It will be nice for my trip.
I walk out of the back door and close it behind me. Honestly my plan is to just go. I have about $300 cash and I'm just hoping that can get me out of this town and into the city. I walk away from the house and jump the fence.
I walk for about an hour and my legs are getting tired. I never said I had stamina.
I find the nearest bus stop and wait for a bus to arrive.
When it finally does, I get on and pay the fee. I grab a window seat and place my luggage by my head as a pillow. I look out the window and the scenery passing is hypnotizing. I find my eyes closing slowly and eventually, I pass out.
{}{}{}
Screeeechhh
I wake up immediately and look at my surroundings. We're clearly out of my town since I don't recognize a single thing out of the window. Since the bus is stopped, I decide to get off here.
I say a quick thanks to the driver when I get off and look at the map posted at the bus waiting area. I'm at least two hours away from my town which brings me some relief. I decide to just walk and figure out a place to stay for the night since the sun is nearly setting.
I spot a McDonalds up ahead and decide to use their washroom and get some food. When I get there, my first priority is washroom. I do my business, wash my face and decide to change my outfit out of paranoia.
When I'm done with everything, I leave the bathroom and order some nuggets and fries to fuel the next phase of my journey. I sit at a booth to relax for a few minutes and finish my food in peace.
When I'm done, I clean up my garbage and leave the restaurant. I start walking in a random direction, unsure of what my next move is.
I walk between a lot of fancy buildings and dressed up people. The streets are starting to empty now since it's starting to get dark. I keep walking though, I need to just find somewhere to sleep.
I walk by a few ally ways but my paranoid self wont walk down them. Although, now that the sun has fully set, the ally way is my only option for rest and I'm going to need it on my journey.
I find a suitable spot and decide to rest here. It is an ally way, but it's relatively lit and there is a dumpster here that can block me from the view of the street. I place my bag down in the corner of the brick wall and dumpster and sit down, trying to get comfortable.
As I try to get comfortable, I start to hear voices approaching, making me pause.
I stop breathing in hopes they don't hear me.
"Get the job done, I'm on my way there." A masculine voice says.
Ah sh*t sh*t sh*t.
"No, no one can f*cking know." He now walks past me and I breathe out in relief.
I adjust myself which makes the sh*t inside my bag clink together and the man suddenly stops. He turns around and his eyes land on me.
Damn I'm stupid.
"Yeah whatever. I'll call you back." He says, hanging up the phone and starting to walk towards me.
I went through all this trouble to die in an ally way. Life sure is a treat.
"Hey." He greets.
I don't respond.
"Are you good kid?" He asks.
I cant see very well in the dark but the little light in this ally help me to see this well-built man. He's tall, relatively attractive in the dark.
As he approaches me, I prepare for death.
"I'm not going to hurt you kid. What are you doing here?" He asks.
"Sleeping, what the does it look like?" I ask.
He chuckles at my words.
"No need for the attitude, I just want to help." He replies.
"Says the random stranger approaching me at night in a sketchy ally way." I retort.
"Look kid, you were here first, I'm just minding my business." He replies, making me roll my eyes.
"If you were minding your business, you would keep walking." I reply.
"Well maybe you've caught my attention now." He says, putting his hands in his pockets.
"Because that's not creepy." I reply quietly.
"My bad." he holds up his hands in mock surrender. "Look, are you alright? What are you doing here?"
"Sleeping, what does it look like?"
"Don't you have a family? A home?" He asks.
"Gee random stranger, why don't I just pour my heart out to you right here, right now and we can bond about the horrors of being a homeless kid." I reply.
"Okay." He nods his head, accepting the fact he wont get a useful answer from me. "You don't have to be homeless."
"Are you hiring a kid with no skills for your law firm?" I ask sarcastically. He's wearing a suit so I assume he's in business.
"Nope." He says, "But I can train you."
"For what?" I scoff.
"To fight." He says. "I'm not a lawyer kid, I'm in a less legal business. I've been looking to invest in someone, you seem to be the perfect candidate."
"A scrawny teenage girl you found on the streets?" I clarify, "Clearly you're not in business."
"Sometimes people can surprise you and I'm betting you can." He says, pulling what looks to be a card from his pocket. "Look kid, I'm not going to sit here and beg. I think you could have potential and I want to train you. If you find yourself interested, come to this address and ask for the name on the card." He hands me the small card. "Deadline for your decision is two days. Hope to see you soon."
With those words, the man walks away. I look at the little card in my hand and twirl it around.
it's a simple white card with an address on it.
624 Fenton Ave.
Mr. Finland Jaria
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Posting the first 4 or 5 chapters at once :)
Until next time.