Shadowheart

Chapter 1

Dawn approaches. The rising sun shines through the neighborhood, through the windows of the houses of Tully Street in the town of Saint León, New Mexico. All of them but one window, which is always shut with the curtains down. Behind those curtains is a dark room, with the walls covered in rock band posters and drawings. Close to the window is a bed, with the quilt covering a body almost entirely. The alarm clock sounds, and the body uncovered herself to shut it off. She walks to the bathroom as she got up from bed. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror was a pale, young, slender girl, with dark brown eyes and black hair with a red streak of highlights on the front of it. As she brushed her teeth and washed her face, she dressed up with a striped tank top, a sleeveless jacket, a skirt, high socks and a pair of sneakers. Grabbing her schoolbag she went downstairs to her front door, when her mother called out.

-"Dahlia! Come eat your breakfast!"

Dahlia hesitantly walked to the kitchen and said: -"Mom, I'm not hungry, I have to go."

-"Dahlia, your body needs some nutrients, have some of this ham and eggs" Said Dahlia's mom, Caitlyn.

-"Mom, I'm just not hungry, I just wanna go to school."

Then a loud voice was heard.

-"Dahlia, your mom cooked you those damn ham and eggs. You think she made that so she could throw them away!?"

Dahlia's father, Maxie, dropped his fork on the plate, approaching her with the loud footsteps of his workboots.

-"Dad, I'm running late for the bus, and-"

Maxie slapped Dahlia, interrupting her.

-"Listen to me. She worked to make that damn breakfast for you. Now you sit down on the table and eat!"

Dahlia holds a tear as he left to finish eating.

-"You heard your father. Sit down and eat."

-"Mom... Didn't you..."

-"Right now, Dahlia."

Dahlia picks up her plate, and sits in the dinner table to eat breakfast. It wasn't the first time Dahlia was hurt by her father as he was a workaholic brute with a short temper. Her mother never seems to take action from the atrocities Maxie committed, nor seems to care and goes on with her usual routine. Apparently, her mother suffers from low self-esteem which causes her to cast Dahlia aside. Dahlia never talked to anyone about this, as she feared her father might find out she told anyone. After finishing breakfast, Dahlia washed her plate and went to school, without a goodbye or take care or a kiss from either her mom or dad. She silently walked towards the bus stop, looking around the streets to put her mind at ease. As she arrived, the bus was leaving, and Dahlia chased after it, screaming so it could stop. But the noise inside was so loud, the driver couldn't hear. The bus left, and Dahlia was left on foot. Looking at the departing bus with no hope, Dahlia walks on the sidewalk, hoping she could hitch a ride or find a taxi.