Forgotten (original version)

Chapter 1

"Luciana, it's your turn to do the dishes." My brother, Harry, tells me.

"Ok." I told him back. My family always calls me Snow White because of my

raven black hair and pale skin, but I assure you my life is not that of a princess. We wake at 5:00 am every morning. It's my job to make breakfast. My big brother does the dishes in the morning, and at night. But on Tuesdays and Thursdays I let him take a break and do the dishes myself. We don't have enough money to pay for the house so even though I'm busy with chores, I still work a job every other day. My mom is the only adult in the house that I rely on. My dad is always either drunk, or sober and sick, which causes him to drink more. My relationship with my mom is iffy. Of course I love her and respect her, but she lets my dad stay even though he beats the crap out of me. He loves my brother though. I don't know why. I love my brother too, but why can't he love both of us? My big brother usually protects me from my dad, but sometimes, most times, he's just too drunk to understand.

I sigh. A sound that rattles my chest, reminding me that we are far more

vulnerable then we think. I was diagnosed with Megaloblastic anemia when I was ten. Hence the nickname Snow White. I've been living with it for six years. We can't afford to go to the doctor's office anymore, so I just have to live with it. It's not really a big deal. I take vitamin B12 once a month. It's supposed to go away but it hasn't yet. Again, not a big deal.

I spend a lot of my time at school, of course, and when I'm not there, at work, or doing chores, I go to the library. I love reading. Mostly romance and historical fiction but I'll read just about anything. Except horror. I despise scary things. My all time favorite book is Twilight by Stephenie Meyers. Yes there are some scary moments, but it isn't bone chilling kind of scary. It's predictable.

"Are you gonna stop staring into space and start doing the dishes?" my brother teases.
"Sorry . . ." I mumble, "I'm kind of having a bad day with my anomia."
"Oh I'm sorry. I can do the dishes if it's too much."
"No, no. It's ok. I can do it."

Once I finish the dishes I head to the library. As soon as my dad got home I left. I don't want to be around him. I walk instantly to the romance section and find a good book to read. I chose Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay. Before I can finish the first chapter my brother calls me.

"Sis you gotta get over here." he says over the phone, "Dad's going crazy and is acting up."

"I'll be right there." I leave the library and bolt down the road. I nearly smash into a light pole but dodge out of the way. When I swing the door open I cover my mouth and gasp. He had whipped mom with a belt and she was curled in a ball, sobbing.

"What did you do?!" I scream at him. I had kept my thoughts in long enough. I couldn't hold them back any longer. The words came flooding out like an open dam, "I am so freaking tired of being scared to come home after school. I am so done with you beating me until I am bruised and bleeding. YOU CAN NOT JUST WHIP YOUR WIFE TO THE GROUND AND EXPECT TO GET AWAY WITH IT!" I scream in his face. I realized as soon as I said it that I was in trouble. But I don't regret it. He needs to learn that you can't do this. It's been going on far too long.

"What did you just say to me?" he asks, his voice slightly slurred and reeking of alcohol, "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME?" he repeats. I don't even flinch. But when he raises his arm and the belt comes down on my chest I do a little more than flinch.

"Woah woah woah calm down, Dad." Harry says, stepping between me and Dad, "Do you really wanna do this?" he asks him. It was a stupid question. Of course he does.

He grunts and goes back to his spot on the couch and pulls out a beer. Harry helps mom up before he helps me.

"Are you ok?" he asked me. No. I'm not. I'm not ok at all. I literally just ran a mile and now my chest is throbbing and I feel faint because of my stupid anemia. And I was just whipped by my dad for standing up for his wife. I could've said that. But all I say is, "I'm fine." and walk to my room. Because the truth is I'm used to this. He's been like this ever since my little sister, Voletta, died ten years ago. It was a devastating loss. I don't blame him for losing himself. She was murdered at four years old. It wasn't fair. That's why I hate scary books. But that is no excuse to beat your sixteen year old daughter who is very much alive.

I sat on the edge of my bed and watched the birds feeding out my window. They're lucky to be a bird. They don't have to worry about money, or abuse. They just soar through the clouds without a care in the world. Relying on people to feed them. I wish I could be like a bird.

I flop back and cover my face in my hands. After about five minutes of just sitting there, I get up and pull my shirt up just above my belly button to see the damage he did this time. It was worse than he's ever done before. The belt cut my skin leaving an oozing wound. It was already getting infected.

"That looks bad." I hear Harry call from the door.

"I'm fine." I say again, even though it really did hurt like heck. He sat down beside me and looked at me with a worried look in his eyes.

"When are you gonna stop lying to me and tell me how you really feel?" he asked me. He was eighteen years old. Not much older than me. But I look up to him.

"When everything really is ok." I responded. He wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me into a hug. Before I can stop them, tears start streaming down my face.

"Your anemia is getting worse isn't it." his voice cracks which causes my heart to shatter.

"Yea." I whisper. I liked to tell people that it wasn't a big deal but if I'm being honest with myself, it is. It affects me in ways I never would've thought.

"You'll be ok, right?" Harry assures more then asks.

"I hope so."