The Street Rat and The Lost Boys

Chapter 1

*Disclaimer - The characters in this story belong to Orson Scott Card who authored the book "The Lost Boys" and Joel Schumacher who directed "The Lost Boys" Movie. I only own the storyline to The Street Rat and the original characters. *

Chapter 1

*TRIGGER WARNNG – SPEAKS OF ABUSE OF A MINOR*

CRASH

"WHERE ARE YOU LITTLE GIRL"

A young girl curled up in a tight ball pulling her bruised knees closer to her body. Hidden in the dark cellar under the stairs, 13-year-old Maya was praying to anyone who would listen that her father would not find her.

Maya's father, Joseph, was a cruel man. He was not always like this. Joseph used to be the most attentive father and husband. He worked hard at his construction job and took great care of his family. He would cook Saturday mornings so his wife could sleep in. He taught Maya how to skateboard and would help with her homework. He shared the chores with his wife and encourage Maya to follow his dreams. He was the greatest man Maya had ever known. She looked up to him and wanted to be just like her father.

Everything changed in a split second. The death of a loved one can break even the strongest man. The loss of his wife and son caused something to break inside. Joseph could not look at his daughter without crying. In a drunken rage, he ripped down all the pictures of his wife from the walls. Joseph started to drink large amounts of alcohol trying to fill the hole in his heart. He would go to work with a hangover every day and his work suffered. He lost his job and spent most of his days in the bar reflecting in sorrow and self-pity. He would return home early in the morning, pass out in his bed, wake up in the late afternoon and return to the bar. It was a repeated routine for several years until his wife's life insurance money ran out. With the money gone, he had not been able to buy his alcohol. He had to come up with other means to afford his alcohol. From breaking and entering to being a delivery man for some shady people, Joseph would do anything to drink his problems away. However, alcohol can only push the problems away for so long. Eventually all problems will reappear, and the consequences will become worse.

"GIRL! YOU WILL WISH YOU HAD NEVER BEEN BORN WHEN I FIND YOU" Joseph yelled.

Joseph had become tired of pulling the jobs to earn money for alcohol. He had decided his daughter should start earning her keep and find work. One of Joseph's friends had offered to take the girl and have her work for him. The money would be split between Joseph and his friend. With how young and beautiful the girl was, Maya would earn a lot of money for the two men.

BOOM

Maya shook as another door slammed upstairs. Her father's friend was a pimp who had control over 5 different teens and women for his service. Maya had met him before when she was 10. Her father had brought the man home with him one night. Maya still got goosebumps from the way the guy stared at her. Maya knew she did not want to work for this man. He was evil and cruel. Maya needed to be as quiet as possible until her father passed out. Once he passed out, Maya could grab her bag and leave her town. Maya had watched as her father slowly changed before her eyes turning into the monster who was currently trashing his house looking for her. Maya had to not only grieve for her mother and brother but also for her father.

BANG

Maya froze as the door to the cellar slammed open. She glanced through the opening of the steps and saw the shadow of her father. Maya prayed he would just turn and walk away. Her dreams were shattered when she heard him move to the top of the stairs.

"MAYA, I KNOW YOU ARE DOWN THERE. I AM GETTING ANGRY. COME OUT HERE AND FACE ME RIGHT NOW. YOU WILL REGRET HIDDING FROM ME." He stated.

Maya did not dare move or breath heavily. Even the slightest sound and Joseph would know where she was. If he found her, Maya would never be able to escape.

Joseph stomped down the steps and glanced around the crowded basement. He did not see Maya, but he knew she was there. He started walking around the area moving further away from the doors. Maya watched as he disappeared between boxes. She slowly eased out from her hiding place and moved toward the stairs. Just as she put a foot on the bottom of the stairs she heard her father.

"Where do you think you are going" Joseph sneered.

Tears slowly fell from her eyes. Her father was shaking with anger while she started shaking with fear.

"Please. Please don't" she begged.

Joseph snarled. "It's time you earned your keep here. You are going to stay with Miles and work for him. I do not want to see your face in this house ever again. Do you understand me?"

Maya's eyes widened. "Please don't do this. I'm your daughter."

Joseph's face went blank. "I have no daughter. Miles is expecting me to deliver you to him."

Maya glanced down for a second before raising her eyes up in fear and anger.

"No"

Joseph and Maya's eyes widened at what she said. Maya tensed before running up the stairs. Joseph took off after her and grabbed her arms to stop her. Maya threw her head back into his face crushing his nose. Joseph stumbled backward as blood gushed from his nose and fell down the stairs. Maya stopped and watched as he lay on the ground. He could be dead for all Maya knows but she was not going to check. Maya slowly backed up, shut the door to the cellar and locked the door.

Maya turned and ran upstairs to her room. She grabbed the backpack under the bed and stuffed the last remaining stuff in her bag. She crawled under her bed and lifted the floorboard to pull out an old dust covered shoebox. Once open, Maya pulled a picture of her family before her mother's death out of the box along with all the spare cash she had saved up. She stuffed it all in her bag and grabbed it walking out of her room. She opened the door to her father's room and pulled the box off the top of the closet shelf. Inside was a role of money, a knife and a lighter. Maya emptied the box and put all the stuff in her bag.

She pulled her backpack on her back and walked down the stairs listening for her father, but everything was quiet. Maya walked over to the front door and turned to look at the house around her. This would be the last time she would ever set foot in her childhood home ever again. Maya walked out the door grabbing her skateboard hidden in the bushes by the front porch. She quickly pulled up the hood on her jacket, jumped on her skateboard, and started down the road. There was only one place for an underage runaway to go. She had been planning this trip for a year and now it was time. She had looked at this billboard for several years talking about this sunny place where everyone was welcome.

Maya stopped at the light that would get her to the bus station. She glanced at the sign she had studied for years, a yellow sign that read "Come spend your holiday with us. Beautiful beaches during the day and amazing nightlife on our boardwalk. Santa Carla is waiting for you."

Maya crossed the street to the bus station and stood in line to buy her ticket. As Maya walked over to the bus that would take her to her new home she turned and studied the sign. "Here I come Santa Carla. Ready or not."