When the unexpected happens a young girl finds herself almost in a impossible situation. With her mum unable to help her, Oakley must now navigate life on her own.
She must keep secrets to protect her mum and she must keep secrets to herself safe...
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Everyone has nightmares, some more than others and with nightmares comes fear. When I have nightmares I like to think about the moon. The moon has what everyone wants, it eventually comes with the sun. It gives people hope that eventually with all the darkness that is surrounding them that it will go away soon and be replaced with the sun's light. Hope is what keeps everyone going.. It keeps people focused on their goals and what is to come in their future.
Without hope there is nothing.
There is a whole lot of nothing in my life. No meaning, no purpose, no happiness but there is that small glimpse of light. It can be described as the same shade of light you get from the moon. Which shows me a sign that within all this darkness one day the sun may shine. Which makes me come back to the moon and how comforting it is, especially when it is at its fullest. So whole, so bright and so full of hope that when I look at the moon it makes my heart feel just as full as it.
"Oakley?" I hear a soft whimper. I look behind me and see my mother. My mothers body is looking more and more like the corpse of what it used to be. Her plump cheeks are no longer full and plump but are now sunken. Her old pink lips are now white and cracked along with her skin which has now fallen into a much lighter shade. If not a corpse then a ghost because that is what my mother looks like. "Mum? What's wrong?"
"You need to go to bed, Connor is almost here." I almost find the corners of my lips lifting. The familiar feeling of my mum wanting to nurture and keep me safe.
"It's ok mum, I will stay awake." I say and then shift nervously. "I want to make sure that you are ok and that you don't...hurt yourself."
Mum's blue eyes turned ice cold as the hands by her side turned into tight fists. "Don't try and tell me what to do little Bee. I am the mum and you are the kid. I am an adult."
"I am sorry mum"
A cough in the room broke the tension and I could see a tall, large figure standing in the corner. "Well isn't this a pretty sight?"
My arms found themselves wrapping itself around my body as he walked closer to us. My confidence around him always seems to go down the drain. But that is only because i am not stupid and I know what he is confident of. "Hello darling." Mum smiled showing her yellow stained teeth.
"Hey babe, how are you going?" Mum sighed and moved away so she was facing him. "I have a headache and I am not feeling very well but I am glad you are here now." Connor chuckled and ran his fat fingers through his greasy black hair. "I am glad too babe and I have just the thing to make you feel better." He says lightly twirling a bag of needles and substances in his right hand. Mum reached for it but then Connor moved it closer to him. "You know me better than that babe, I need to get payment first."
And just like that my mother was gone.
Like I said, I have a whole darkness in my life and there is no need to elaborate on that. But if you want some details about me I can give you a few. My name is Oakley Miller and I am 11 years old. My hair is a light golden blonde, I am not tall however I am not short either. My eyes are green but not completely green. There are small blue speckles in them which makes them different. I find my eyes the most attractive feature about me if i had to pick one. My mother always tells me that you have to be proud of what you have and what others don't because that is what makes everyone unique.
It has always been just me and my mum, always a packaged deal no matter what. That is the only promise my mother has managed to keep despite all odds, we have never been separated. We have moved from city to city and from to town never staying in one spot too long. In the past social workers have looked at me and have nearly had chances to take me away from mum. Mum would never let that happen so she decided we would move every six months. It does get lonely I do admit but luckily for me it does keep life exciting. It keeps me wondering what is lurking around the corner.
But for mum it is whatever boyfriend has money no matter how bad he is.
However this town is different. We have been living here in Guerneville for six months now and mum hasn't said anything about where our next stop is. I used to think when we did stop it would be because me and mum have finally found our happiness and are now living like a normal mother and daughter would. But i dont think this is the case and I am starting to have a gut feeling that I have already lost my mum. My mum has had lots of addictions and bad boyfriends throughout the years though she has always managed to pull through. I like to think it is because she remembers that I am hers, and that she wants to be a mother. But these days it seems like she is coming further and further from remembering.
Connor walks out of Mum's bedroom and drops the bag onto the coffee table along with a used syringe. He does his belt and then gives me a creepy smile with a wink. "You have a fine mother there, kid."
"Don't speak to me." I spit. He rolls his eyes and chuckles to himself as he lights a cigarette.. I scrunch my nose as the smell of the cigarette smoke goes into my nose. "You know kid, you're smart and you have fight in you which i will give you that." He stalks closer to me. "But being a brat to people who you don't know is just stupid."
"I am not scared of you."
My head whipped to the side of the room when his hand met my cheek. I stammered back a bit then held my burning cheek with my hand.
Throwing his cigarette on the floor and stomping on it he then grabbed me by my hood and pulled me to his. I could smell his stinky breath as my face was only inches away from him
I tried to mask my fear the best I could but my shaky legs and hands were a trembling mess. "Are you sure about that kid?" he spat. "Because I can show you how scary I am right now." shivvers raced up my spine when he whispered that and I knew he wasn't kidding. I shook my head vigorously and tried to use my strength to push him away with me. The corner of his lips lifted as he looked down at me.
Almost licking his lips.
"Connor?"
With just the sound of mum's voice he let go of me and I quickly scrambled to grab my things and runners before I left.
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