Sticks and Stones

Violet

"Follow Anna and Levi!" I command to my precious siblings. Levi is gnawing on a thin, elongated twig. "Get that out of your mouth! That is naughty!" I penalise my young brother, I'm not mean in the slightest. I just want the best for my siblings. I was giving one role by my parents, that is to be the protector of them. To be fair, I'm not bothered about my own reality, I'm bothered about their future and their sake. They haven't experienced life yet. Father told to me to always stay aware, because there is nasty people. I don't know why I listen to him, or why his voice keeps repeating in my head. Mother calls him a nasty man, then she tells me that I should never associate with those 'strangers' that come and go, and I constantly overheard his conversations to these strangers. Mother said to never tell a soul, I'm not sure why. I didn't understand til now. Til mother was forced to remain in our previous home, my real home, only for her to clean, to wash, and for the well-being, interest and advantage of my father. I dislike calling him my 'father', but unfortunately that is what he is to me. I don't look at him like one, I don't look at him normally anymore. He doesn't make time for me, and now he's casted me away to this peculiar location. Abandoned. Helpless. Why would he do this to me? I'm a young 13 year old girl, who has to take care of 2 young siblings of my own, who were desolated alongside me. Imagine their confusion. Imagine their needs. Imagine how they'll react when they can finally understand. I'm not going to be the one to break the news to them, that's for sure.
"LEVI! Twig, out your mouth! Now!" I discipline him again, grabbing his hand gently yet threateningly, and snatching the twig out of his mouth. Why was I so rapid to react to that? That's not like me, I would never do that to my sibling, so why would I do it now? I just don't get what came over me, but it's happened now and he has seemed to listen.