The Cursed Queen

Undone

 I kept running, I didn't stop. It's been days since I left, I was so hungry. I needed to save my money. Kenan gave me everything he had saved, he did everything for me and Mary-Anne and now he's gone.

He had left a note in the backpack I took with me. It was simple like him, but it was the simplicity that made the note special made the note special, he knew everything he wanted to say there was no fluff.

"Keep safe no matter what happens. Forget him forget about us"

-Kenan

That's exactly what I did, I went back to sleeping in buildings and stealing. Most of the time I was running from angry store owners. I remember the first time I was caught in a while, I was 10. I had stolen a nice rotisserie chicken from this middle-aged woman. She had seen me around her store from her store and encouraged her sons to mock me and taunt me knowing I had no food.

"Hey dirty, Ya hungry?" the eldest boy taunts

The younger one had tossed a loaf of bread at me and I greedily scooped it up. The eldest barrels up to me and smacks the loaf out of my hand and stamps all over it.

I frowned, I hadn't eaten in days and this fool had stepped all over my meal. Kenan's money had run out long ago. Apparently, something about the economy had made things expensive, or, at least that's what I was overhearing the adults on the street say.

I launch upwards from my crouching position and deck the boy in the face. Blood spurts from the source. The boy stares in disbelief, and I use the opportunity to spit at him. The youngest brother slowly backs away while the eldest who is now enraged reaches for me. I weave out of his grasp, and kick him in the shin. He sucks in a breath and I use the opportunity to shove him and run.

"I'll kill you, you dirty thing. " he screeches

I weaved through the streets, I was sprinting now I knew if his mother caught me she would turn me in. The officers had been on a heavier patrol now. They no longer cared how old you were. If they found you they would take you to their training facility.

I made my way to a familiar dark alleyway. I saw the empty dumpster and slipped into it. There was my backpack and a blanket I had stolen. I lay there frozen, suddenly I heard the officers.

"She escaped again, the same description too. The roach keeps slipping out of our hands right when we are about to get her." one man groans

"We'll bring the dogs next time" Another man offers

"Did you see how she roughed that boy, she's a monster. But a great catch.'' The first man speaks again.

"You crazy she broke that boy's nose, they described her as a wild looking dark skinned girl. We can't keep her near our folk" one man yells

"When you can tame the lion, who do you think the real king of the jungle is?" a man chuckles

I hear them walk off but I don't dare move. All that stuff they said, was it true? I protected myself until Mommy came back, it wasn't my fault. Mommy would have to apologize for leaving me for so long, but I would forgive her. I always did.

My stomach growls as I try to lull myself to sleep, it was freezing and the blanket was coming apart. I wish mommy was here (even though I swore never to talk about her again)so we could drink hot chocolate like we used to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yemi" my mother sobs.

I sat quietly, I almost wanted to slap my younger self for being so weak. I did everything just to get my mother back. I slept in dumpsters, I stole, and almost got killed multiple times. For someone who wasn't looking for me.