The Road Less Traveled

Prologue

My hands shake, blood coating them. I push them against her torso, against the knife wound, trying to keep the blood.

"Please," I beg. I can't lose her. "Please don't leave me. I don't know what to do without you."

Her face, the wrinkles accenting her eyes the only sign of her increasing age, spreads into a soft, agonized smile.

"Don't worry baby. You still have David. That's why he's here, that's why I married him. So you would have another person to rely on. I'm not really leaving you. I'll always be with you, so be good and grow strong. I love you."

Tears stream down my face, my ribs aching. "Maman..." I can't tell her. I can't crush the hopes and love she put into David. My hand brushes her hair back, the other still against the hole in her stomach. I wipe the tears from her eyes. "I love you. I will always love you," I promise. I give her a small smile, putting all I can into it. Her eyes form loving crescents before losing the glint. Her warm body cools slowly. I don't let go until the door slams open. David's screams pull me out of my head. I have to resist the urge to tremble.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!?"

"M-Maman was s-s-stabbed. She g-got home, and a man j-jumped out and- and he had a knife, and I did-I didn't know what to do a-and he ran away and- and–"

"SHUT UP! I don't give a shit! Grab your stuff, you have two minutes." My eyes are wide open, confused. "GO!!!"

Panicking, I do as he says. What else could I do? Ten years old, and I don't have anyone else. Maman was all I had, and now I'm stuck with David. With David, and his... punishments.

"Eighty-one, eighty-two, eighty-three..." I count. If he says two minutes, it means less than that. I have to leave most of my stuff, so I quickly grab a backpack and throw in my t-shirts, jeans, underwear, socks, and shoes. The blanket and pillow are mandatory, and my stuffed animal–Lulu. She's a tiger, and I've had her for longer than I can remember. I can't dwell on it too much, though. A picture of me and mom, and my hygiene stuff, and I book it downstairs.

"One hundred twelve, one hundred thirteen..." By one hundred seventeen, I'm trailing behind David as he drags me out of the house and into his car. All I can do is stare out the window and watch as we drive away from my home, with ma mère décédée inside.

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Hello My Lovely Readers!

Ik, ik, I haven't updated anything in a really long time, and I'm very sorry about that. Unfortunately, I've been a bit stuck on The White Wolf. I know the big picture for what will happen in it, but I'm still working on some of the filler bits. Filler is usually the hardest part when you do have a plot. That's okay, though! In the mean time, I will do my best to post on this story and a couple others I'm thinking about posting. We'll see how many updates I'll do today, I honestly have no idea. And updates in general will probably be completely random, though I'll try to post frequently. It is my senior year in high school, so I am a bit busy. Ciao for now!

P.S. If anyone comes up with a neat cover for this, please send it to me! I might eventually come up with one, but that takes extra time. Plus, I love seeing your responses to my writing, it completely makes my day!