Dangerous Bonds

CHAPTER ONE

J

I cling to the bars as the flower my mommy gave me falls apart in my hands.

The ride completes its final loop, and the screams of both myself and others gradually fade as it comes to a stop.

The bars lift, and people disembark the ride.

"Mommy, mommy, I did it, I did it!" I scream with excitement as my mom smiles, capturing the moment with her phone.

She explains it's late, and we need to go home because Daddy will be back soon. I frown and express, "Mommy, I don't want to go home; Daddy is going to yell," I say quietly.

"Jas, he was upset last night; he didn't mean it. He apologized," my mom raises her voice.

"Mommy, he says sorry every time, and he does it again," I respond, looking down.

"Jasmine, drop it. You're a kid; you don't know anything," she says, grabbing my chin and making me look at her, frustration evident in her voice.

Tears stream down my cheeks as I, so young, face the yelling. She grabs my hand, dragging me to the car.

Buckling my seatbelt, she slams the door, making me jump. The car starts immediately. About 15 minutes later, we reach home. Upset, I storm off to my room.

After roughly 5 minutes, she knocks on my door, offering an apology.

I smile, "It's okay, Mommy. I know you were a little upset; it happens." She reaches into her purse and hands me one of her mini pink lotuses.

Approximately 30 minutes later, the front door opens and slams shut. My older brother storms up the stairs, slamming his door. The yelling starts, and I hear things being thrown, frightening me.

Clutching the flower from Mommy, I run to the closet, scared he might hit me like he hits Mommy.

✰

After weeks of the same daily routine, my brother's birthday arrives. Sharp at 6:57 am, I burst into his room, leaping onto his bed, enthusiastically yelling, "Happy birthday!"

Turning eighteen, he's now a big boy, and I'm delighted. My big brother seems so old.

He sits up, annoyed, "Shut up before you wake Dad up, Jesus, Jas," he says. I sit down, quietly apologizing.

He gets up, swinging open his closet door, hastily packing bags with clothes. "Where are you going?" I ask.

No response. He throws his last T-shirts into the bag, slips on his shoes, walks downstairs, grabs a cereal bar, and heads out the front door, instructing me to go back to bed.

I head upstairs and step into my room, but it feels empty and lonely. Choosing to shut the door, I find my way to my brother's room and crawl into his bed.

At 9:52 AM, my mom enters his room, sighing upon seeing that I'm not in my own.

"Where's your brother, Jasmine?" she asks, concerned.

"He left early this morning, Mommy. Where did he go?" I inquire.

She swiftly turns around, heading to her room, shouting, "John, wake up! Alexander is gone."

He groans, "What do you mean, gone?"

"Jasmine mentioned he left early this morning; she doesn't know where he went," she exclaimed.

I hear him rise and storm toward me, shouting, "You little brat, where the fuck did he go?"

"I don't know; he didn't tell me," I respond, tears welling up in my eyes.

✰

At 5:30 AM, my alarm rings. I swiftly shut it off, leaping out of bed—it's my eighteenth birthday.

Opening my closet, I grab my suitcase and hastily stuff it with clothes and shoes. After finishing packing, I slide on socks and shoes, don my jacket, and throw my hair up into a messy bun.

I head straight downstairs, leaving and closing the door as quietly as possible. Once in my car, tears start flowing, realizing it's been 10 years since I've seen my brother.

I miss him so much, but he hasn't even tried to make contact, taking his phone but never answering our calls.

Arriving at the temporary hotel, I enter, pulling my suitcase behind me. I provide my reservation details, and she hands me a card. I nod in gratitude before heading off.

I seize my suitcase and make my way to the room. Sitting on the bed, tears flow until exhaustion leads me into a deep sleep.