How Things Are

2

"Just keep moving. Just keep walking. One foot in front of the other." It's been about a week since my last meal. Perhaps I deserve this. The last thing was stolen from a toddler. Hunger is just another weakness that needs to be fought off.

That toddler deserved it! Who doesn't share at that age? "I started sharing when I was three!" Oops. "Sorry, I wasn't talking to you."

Great now I'm shouting at old people and talking to myself out loud. "If having inside conversations wasn't weird enough..." This was supposed to be a quiet safe neighborhood to hide yet I'm the one carrying a katana and talking to myself like a psycho. Now I have to leave.

Well, that's not the only reason. They found me again. Derek's friends nearly caught me. I stopped being lenient. No more subtle getaways every time I'm found. I lost count of the heads I sliced off.

The last hiding place was pretty great. I helped a few other girls out and we set up a fort high up in the trees. It took a lot of work but the five of us made a home. Set up traps for whoever comes close. Had cameras. I got cokky and chopped here heads off and put it on a stick to lure them near a trap. "But freaking Kathrin." Yup, Kathrin of all names betrayed us.

Stupid hoe was brainwashed into leading one of the many and took the girls while I was away. The fort was burned down when I got back but I saw it on video. She pretended to lead me to the other girls but I already saw her traitorous self on camera. Not to mention she smelled like gasoline. "How dare she?!" We were all like family.

Great, talking out loud again. There's always a Kathrin or whatever it is they say. So no more helping.  It's hard to see women giving in but that's their choice. I refuse to have a master. Especially Derek. He probably had the other girls warming his bed first.

That's usually how it works with most crews. The leader gets the first touch for however long he wants. When he's done, she either belongs to one specific person or gets passed around. Some girls are lucky enough to have to do labor and don't get touched often.

I remember how beautiful my mother was. Simon said the only thing that reminded him of Dad was my black hair. Mom's was red. Even as she got older, Dad made her dye it so she would keep her original color. I don't remember her smiling though. He was happy to have a beautiful trophy at his side but my mom was miserable.

That's why me and Simon ran. He was a leader of a powerful gang but once your son and heir ran away he either had to reject us or give up his throne. Simon didn't want me to end up like my mom.

A year after Simon died I tried going back to him. To tell him what Derek did. Dad just looked at me with disgust and said "You should have died too." After he locked me in his basement. It took me six months to escape. I was in bad shape. My dad had his men beat me to try and put me into submission.

The only reason I escaped was because one of his men forgot to lock the door. As soon as I left I got Simon's katana and left. The entire time I was there my mom never once showed herself to me. I guess she might have been angry with me for leaving her alone with my father. Or maybe mad for getting Simon killed.

Either way, it's just me and the katana now. I don't help those who won't help themselves. Everyone already thinks I killed Simon anyway. Mine as well act like it by chopping off some heads and talking to myself.

"Now where can I find some friggin food."