Broken (Edited edition)

The Start of Something New

My Brother Todd has abused me ever since I was about three years old.  At least that's as far back as I can remember. My parents were always too busy to keep care of me, with long days at work or just going to parties with coworkers, so they left him in charge.  Giving him the orders, and the leadership.  They didn't know what Todd was doing to me, and if they did they didn't care at all that he was hurting me.  So when my brother graduated from high  school, he moved out of the house. I felt relief at first, I had finally escaped from his grip. No more beatings, no more hiding, no more... other things. I could come home, and actually relax.  Sit on the couch, watch some TV.  Eat some food without getting yelled at. I didn't need to run to my room so I could hide from Todd, or sneak around the house to keep away from my parents. But then my Mother came to me one night, and told me that I was going to live with Todd. No explanation why, just told me to start packing.

Four years have passed now, I'm in total hell.  If Hell looks like an apartment that was made for one person, I'm there. Todd is twenty now, and I'm about ten.  I think so, I don't really keep ahold of time that often anymore.  Everyday I fear when the bell rings at school, meaning I have to go home to that trashy apartment.  To that trashy street, with the trashy neighbors who are always high or drunk.  My Teachers are always asking me about the bruises and scars, and I don't explain them.  They're always asking questions, sticking their noses into places they shouldn't go.  But I'll never confess to them.  They won't do anything about.  Just call 911, and they won't do anything either.  Not if Todd can do anything about it.

  Boston is a beautiful city, I'm not criticizing it, but the apartment building Todd lives in is trash. It's a two floor building with two apartments still open. They're huge, yes, but for one person it's huge. Todd's apartment is an open space, with two rooms that are closed off from the opened area.  It has one bathroom, one bedroom, and living room/kitchen. The bathroom has a running toilet, broken shower, sink with mold around the faucet, and one working light out of the three. The living room/kitchen is the worst part of the apartment. The sofa has holes from rats, and it's also a sofa we found on the streets while going to get Todd's smokes. It's suppose to be a beige couch, and now it's a dark brown from rain and mold. I won't go anywhere near it, even though it's my bed. Yep, I sleep in the living room, on the floor.  With no blanket or pillow, just the clothes on my back.  Sometimes I use a hoodie as a pillow, and my bookbag as a blanket.  But during the Winter, I'm numb.  As if someone left the windows open.  To let me freeze to death.  There's a lounge chair that Todd sits in while he watches sports.  Mostly Wrestling as I've noticed.  Todd's tastes haven't really changed since he was in high school.

The TV is the nicest thing in the apartment, a 60 in. TV that he won in poker. The kitchen never has any food, and I mean never. The four years I've been here, it has never been filled with anything edible. The fridge only has whisky and beer in it twenty-four seven. Whenever I tell Todd I'm hungry, he tells me to go eat something out of the garbage dump.  Which is just out the front door.  Some neighbors are really nice, and leave me a bag of bagels for me when I'm heading off the school.  When I'm walking back, there's a sandwich or something sitting there for me.  It usually Mr. Shrooms.  That's what I call him, he's always high on 'shrooms.  But he can be very sweet when he wants to be.

Tomorrow though, is a big day. Because Todd says we're going to a convention." Brad has these tickets for something, and he can't go to the thing.  Some dumb Comic-con thing, where morons go see their favorite celebrities or something like that. So we're going. If I hear you speak a god damn word to anyone, I'll beat you harsher then any other time!  I break your jaw, and cut out your heart.  Then eat it for dinner!" He yells, and grabs me by the throat.  He slams me up against the wall, tightening his grip.  He clinches his fist, and punches me in the eye.  I start to whimper, feeling the swelling start already.  I bruise easily." You got me slime?" He snarls, and I nod. Todd looks nothing like me, nor does he act like me. He has blonde hair, bright blue eyes, tanned skin, muscles, and the brightest teeth I've ever seen. He use to be on the football team before he was taken off for being caught taking drugs. I on the other hand have dark brown hair, hazel eyes, pale skin, frail bones, and don't usually have bright teeth. I hardly ever brush my teeth because I don't have a tooth brush. So when I get a free one from school or something, I'm able to use it for at least two months or so before he throws it out.