Mirrors

Family

             It's time to leave and I'm being transported out of the hospital in a wheel chair, I guess it was hospital policy. It sucked, but not as much as actually having to leave sucked. We got to the main entrance and I saw my mother outside. She seemed agitated. She saw me and I just knew instantly this was not going to be fun.

            "You have GOT to be kidding me! A wheelchair? Really though? She don't need all of that!"She said as she ripped me from my seat. "Get yo ass in the damn car." Pointing to the Mercedes in the parking lot. I got in and the entire ride was her yelling and taking sips of a beer. I didn't know she drank beer. Things had changed. We pulled up to our block, and it looked different, more run down. The house at the corner was officially abandoned. And there was not one speck of green grass anywhere. We finally drove into the driveway, I recognized the faint ghost of what used to be my childhood home. I walked inside and it was a mess. Trash was everywhere. And it smelled horrible. Then I saw lines of white powder on the table.

            "Mom, are you –" I said before I was interrupted by a slap across my face.

            "You fucking little bitch! Who told you to speak in MY HOUSE? I ought to kill you right here where you stand." She said as she threw a punch and knocked me on the ground. "You take everything from me! You've ruined my life, and Karma is coming for you, you dumb bitch." She continued to hit me and I passed out.

            I woke up in the middle of the living room. I turn to see a disheveled man sitting on the couch snorting the powder on the table; clearly cocaine. I gathered my strength and went for where my room was. Just as I passed the living room I heard my mom say "GET HER!" I sped to my room and locked the door. I heard them get there seconds after me.

            "Alright bitch, you have to come out sometime!" my mother's voice is fading now.

            I turned around placing my back against my door, and noticed the disaster in my room. She trashed it. Profanity covered the walls. And there was nothing but a torn mattress on the floor. I slid to the floor and sobbed. It was worse than I expected. The pain in my chest weakened me, and I began to doze off.  That's when I heard a loud bang. Instead of going to help I stayed stuck to the door. Fear filled me as I heard my mother scream and then silence, the house echoed with footsteps. They got louder, and louder. I heard them at my door.

            "Lex?" I heard David say.

            "Oh my god!" I said jumping to my feet and opening the door.

            "Lex!..." he said then pauses. "What the fuck did she do to you!? I'll kill Her!" he heads back to the living room.

            "Stop please don't! Just get me out of here!" I said grabbing him.

            Without any words he grabbed me and we head out. Outside I saw my mom's Mercedes and a royal blue Mustang. My brother has been doing well for himself. I moved into the beautiful car and we pulled out of the drive way. I was too exhausted to even speak, I fell asleep in the car.

           

            I felt a gentle hand on my arm. I woke up to see David trying to wake me. Then as my eyes adjusted to the darkness I noticed we were the in the driveway of an enormous house. It was absolutely gorgeous.

            "David is... is this where you live?" I asked in complete shock.

            "Yea..." he said getting out. Not seeming enthusiastic about it.

            I walked in and the house was more beautiful and the outside. He actually has a foyer! It led to a huge staircase that's sat under a large crystal chandelier. My breath was taken away. But then my mind wondered.

            "How did you get this? How did you get any of this?" my curiosity was really going to get to me one day.

            "Drugs. I am a drug dealer. I sell everything from weed to cocaine to heroin." He says acknowledging my shock. "and before you say anything I DON'T do drugs, I KNOW how dangerous it is. And I've been doing it for years, alright?"

            I was stunned, but I didn't think I wanted to know any more so I just agreed "Alright then."

            He showed me to my room on the second floor. It was gorgeous, he set it up just for me. It had everything, a bathroom, 2 huge closets, a couch and a small dinner table. It was my own apartment. I wanted to cry but I was still in pain from the beating earlier. I thought to myself, maybe things won't be so bad. The next few days I wad left to my thoughts as David tried to get me a job in the city. I thought, what's the point I never even finished high school? But he said he had some connections and can get me something. Thinking about school had me thinking about my friends, Rih and Sam. I wondered where they were, had they given up on me, why did they not try and find me? I'd have to ask David when he came home. He was often gone for days leaving me alone, and I was too afraid to leave my new safe place. Sometimes I heard noises but then I convinced myself I was hearing things.

            One day I heard a laugh. I was certain it was real and I had to check it out. I opened the door and I saw a little girl and boy sitting at the edge of the stairs. They got so startled they ran and the little boy tripped at the bottom of the stairs and fell. He began to cry and I ran to help. By the time I got there a woman ran up beside me yelling.

            "What did you do!?"She's both angry and concerned.

            "I am so sorry I..." I begin slowly.

            "Not you! These little rascals! Michael Joshua Dennis! You better have a good answer for this!" she said sternly lifting the boy to his feet.

            "Wait a minute..." Is this my brother's family? I have a nephew? A niece? This was too surreal. Then I was knocked out of my trance.

            "I'm sorry Dave said you weren't supposed to be disturbed. But little Michael is such a trouble maker, and he always manages to bring this one along." She says gesturing to the little girl next to Michael. "I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself. I'm Erica, and this here is Alexandria. We call her lil Lex."

            All of this was too much. I couldn't help wanting to cry, without a single word I ran back to the safety of my room, closed the door and cried. There was a whole world I missed. And I would never get that back.

           

            The next day David paid me a visit. He told me about his wife and kids and how Michael is 5 and lil Lex is 3. He said she reminds him of me when I was a little girl. We reminisced on our childhood, but its short lived because good memories were scarce. We go off on a tangent and begin discussing the job he got me. It was at a simple coffee shop right in the center of the city. I was excited and yet scared to enter the real world again. Who knew what fate had in store for me now. 

Leave comments! let me know what you think should happen NEXT!