Love and Hate

Adventure We Go!

Scarlett's POV:
I had to take care of my sisters now. I had absolutely no choice at this point because I guess there's no one else who CAN. Father is a drunken fool and mother died a years ago, so now it's all up to me. I have to make the decisions for the family now. I shouldn't be here, it's not right for me nor my sisters. I can't continue to go on like this, I got to get out of here. I just want to take my sisters and run away. I want to! I'm going to...but I'm going to write Michael one more letter...
Michael's POV:
Another evening performance finally ends and my brothers and I return back to our hotel room. I was completely exhausted at that point and collapsed down onto my bed, smush ing my face into the mattress.
Marlon: Hey Michael!
Michael: *muffled* ...what Mar...
Marlon: You got another letter.
At those words I forgot about being exhausted immediately and sprung up from the bed. Marlon handed me a nice white envelope and I quickly opened it. Another letter from Scarlett! Oh boy! I opened the folded papers while I sat back down and read it in silence. She wants to run away?! Oh NO! I jumped up from the bed and ran over to the desk in the corner, grabbing some blank paper and a pen and attempted to write back quickly to prevent her from doing such a crazy stunt. But, it was too late... The letter I sent was immediately returned to my hotel room the next day...
Scarlett's POV:
Emmy: Scarlett-!
Scarlett: SHH! Don't make...a sound...
I grasped Emmy's hand tight and held Katherine with the other and tip toed down the stairs as quietly as I could with them. It was very late, almost one o'clock in the morning, and we were finally getting outta this horrid place. I gave Emmy a backpack to carry her stuff with other essentials, and I packed both Katherine and mine in a rollaway suitcase. To keep Katherine quiet, I gave her a pacifier so she wouldn't make even a peep while we were exiting the house. She was tired anyway because it was so late, so she rested her head on my shoulder and sucked quietly on the binky. My father had finally passed out on the couch after what seemed like hours of slugging back that wretched alcohol. As we traveled further down the stairs, his unhealthy snores got louder and louder. I held Katherine in my arms tightly and heaved the rollaway suitcase down the last step. We tiptoed over to the front door and I carefully turned the doorknob. The door squeaked rather loudly when I pulled it open and I nearly jumped out of skin with horror. I froze and waited, seeing if my father was now up and ready to purple me into the ground and the plan failed. Fortunately, another obnoxious snore echoed from the next room and I sighed in relief.
Scarlett: *whispered tone* Come on!
I let Emmy scurry out first and I stepped onto the porch after her, closing the door behind us. I instantly grabbed my suitcase with my free hand, ran down the stone steps, and hurried down the desolate street with my sisters.
Scarlett: RUN EMMY!!
Emmy squealed and we ran as fast as we could, trying to get as far away from that hell hole as we could. I finally took my sisters and ran away, I even packed everything! Clothing, food, some bottled waters, and as much money as I could find. We made our way to the old bus stop and rode along to the next one and the next one and the next one. The girls slept on the bus as it went to the next town, but I stayed awake, feeling relief beyond belief.
During our adventure, I had to carry Katherine about 99% of the time. Sometimes she'd like to try and walk, but ended up getting too tired and yell "uppy!" until I picked her back up. Whenever we got the chance, we would take the train, cabs, or even walked to get further away from home and closer to our destination. My sisters were scared and slightly homesick at first, but I snapped them out of it. After all, it was for their own good. I couldn't let them live in that house with our father hurting them, they're too little to go through what I've been through. An upside to traveling the states was the sights. The buildings, the nature, the different landscapes, the sunsets, it was all incredible! My number one priority was that I had to find Michael, it was the only way. I may have traveled this far on my own, but I had to be with someone at some point. I remembered that he went to New York for the third stop of their tour, we had to go there. Imagine me in the Big Apple! I could barely wait! I was praying to god the Jackson's would let us stay, they liked me right? Yeah! I concentrated on that always for about five minutes, then put it to the back of my mind so I wouldn't stress.
We were already half way there, my sisters and I were so tired, but we kept on going. It took days and days and days to get there, harsh cold days. We barely stayed in any hotels, I didn't want my name being registered anywhere just yet so we wouldn't be found and if we did I'd fake a name and just give them the money. However, I was rather exasperated having to carry suitcases and Katherine everywhere. I didn't care though, I was glad to leave Gary and I never want to look back. I had HAD it with my father and his bull. I kept telling my sisters I was doing it for them every time they tried to complain or whine, that shut them up.
After what seemed like an eternity of bus fair, trains, and motels, we finally made it to the city. I helped Emmy and Katherine out of the taxi cab we were chauffeured in, I paid the driver the rest of my money, and we walked down to the theatre where the J5 concert was supposed to be held. Katherine fell asleep in my arms during the ride and Emmy was quietly weeping as she scuffed the soles of her shoes beside me.
Scarlett: Shh, Em... It's gonna be fine, I promise. Look! We made it!
She sniffled and nodded, I pulled her closer as we walked through the busy streets of NYC. The place was amazing! The buildings and lights, exotic people and music everywhere! We walked about three blocks and made it to the skyscraper we longed for. I left our suitcases in the lobby, in the corner so no one would notice them, and I took my siblings and snuck backstage of the concert. Security was surprisingly low and the guard we snuck past was actually peeking in the little window of the door to watch the performance. Apparently the show was about to wrap up so it was perfect timing to get here. It didn't take too long before we spotted Michael's dressing room, it was the last one down the corridor. I rubbed Katherine's back gently to keep her asleep and looked down at Emmy. The eight year old looked right back up at me tiredly and I smiled.
Scarlett: Well, here we go baby..
My mother always used to say that to me, god I miss her so... I let go of Emmy's hand and took hold of the shiny gold doorknob and slowly opened the door.