Chasing Dreams

3

Crumbling red brick buildings start giving way to white painted wooden fence line. Her legs have been aching for a little while but she keeps going.

A soft gentle warm breeze stirs up the trees along the concrete path around her. She takes a slow deep breath in and glances around. Her pace slows dramatically as she turns the corner, two blocks from a lifetime of living hell.

She can see the outline of a navy blue two door Chevy that belongs to her mostly absentee father. This wasn't unusual. Her older brother's black Harley bike is propped up in the drive way right beside it.

Her footsteps slow even farther, as she nears ever closer and sees a tall figure leaning against the white washed single car garage door smoking his favorite pack of cigarettes. It's the same person who conveniently forgot to pick her up at school.

She's already wasted enough time and dread has completely replaced the minor sense of security her walk had instilled. If only her mother was off work. She was the only person father seemed to listen to or treat with some respect.

His rage and manipulative ways slowly turned her older brother before her very eyes. Now, he is someone she doesn't recognize.

His once soft crystal blue eyes are now cold and lifeless. The only thing that doesn't remind her of father is his gigantic height. He towers over everyone and she misses when he was her dominate protector; before she'd had to learn to stand on her own.

"Raine," his voice is rough from the smoke he's inhaled but recognizable all the same.

She watches him ease his weight onto his black combat boots and level his eyes to hold hers. She doesn't even put forth effort to force a smile; a chiseled frown etched into her features.

She couldn't paint a convincing smile even if her life depended on it.

Is this what it's like to finally give up? Nobody has helped or told her anything; learning from pain is something she's struggled to learn on her own.

Slowly her footsteps drag toward him but she keeps her eyes downcast on the cracked concrete below.

"Raine, I'm sorry," a look of silent confusion are etched across her features as these strange words cause her to snap her head up toward him.

Don't believe everything people tell you. Sometimes they claim to be apologetic because they want something. They'll sharpen every blade prepared to be lodged in the spine.

This is a lesson she still has yet to learn and who better to show her than someone she spent her childhood watching.