From Girl to Dog (Survivors Fanfic)

A Miserable Life

  I sat there, outside my mother's room. She and my step dad have been in there for a while. I started to get nervous. My step dad drinks and drives, an abusive husband and father. My dad shoved her in there, smacking her. My mothers eyes full of fear and tears. After a few screams and slapping sounds, I've heard nothing but silence.
  It's been that ever since. My name's Brook Ellen. I'm sixteen. My mother and I lived so peaceful until HE showed up. Now my mother and I cover our bruises and scars. One time, my step dad hit her so hard, her eye swelled shut. We almost starved because my mother couldn't go grocery shopping. I would've gone to get groceries but he broke my leg. I call my step dad by his first name, Zack. I would never call him dad.

  I still sit there. I twirl my long blonde hair with my fingers. Waiting for my mother, I felt tears fill my eyes and started to weep. I hear the doorknob turn, I quickly wipe my tears. I stand up with concern.
Is my mom still alive?
The door slowly opens, Zack steps out, ignoring me. I watch him stroll to the fridge and grab a bottle of beer. He slouches on the couch watching TV football. I happen to notice his arm has fresh scratch marks, oozing with blood.
I sneak into my mom's room, slowly opening the door. I gaze upon the room, there on the floor, is my dying mother covered in blood.
"Mother?" I weep.
"Brook?" she struggles to talk.
"Mom, what did he do?"
"He hit me."
"Mom, are you okay?" I grasp her hand. I could feel the life drain out of her.
"I love you Brook." she whispers.
"Mom? MOM?" No answer. My eyes overflow with tears, I scream while tears stream out of my eyes. Zack appears in the doorway.
"YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED HER!" I scream. Next thing I know, he punches me in the head, and everything goes dark.

  I wake up, daylight blinds me, it's so bright. I hear Zack's muffled words,
"I found this poor child, please take her in."
"Oh of course," a woman's British voice says.
My eyes roll to the back of my head and I pass out again.

This time, it's dark. I fully open my eyes, gazing about. My head feels like a hammer pounded on it. I'm laid down on a single bed, decorated with pink bed sheets, my head sits on a feather pillow, dressed with the same color as the sheets. The walls covered in posters with hearts and stars, along with bible verses. Mint green paint coats the walls. Then my eyes fall on a woman, she watches me, with a huge smile on her face. She wears pale skin and flowing, long, brown hair. She's a chunkier woman. She's dressed like a maid, black and white clothing. She looks like she's in her forties.
"Hello dear." she says, I can tell it's the same woman I heard.
"Where am I?" I ask.
"You're in an orphanage, sweetie."
"Why?"
"A kind man found you and brought you here."
"That man killed my mother. And caused me to have these scars and bruises."
I lift my shirt sleeve to show her.
Silence. Just silence. She stares at the bruises and scars with widened blue eyes.
"Oh I'm sure he did." she says unbelievably.
"You don't believe me? Why would I lie?" I bulge my green eyes.
"Sweetheart, you suffered a terrible blow to the head. You're just confused." she says with a smile.
"But-" I don't finish my sentence.
It's no use. She won't believe me.
"What's your name?" She asks.
"Brook."
"Do you like to read, Brook?"
"Yes."
"Come with me."
We walk out of the room, and into what looks like a book store.
"Choose any book and I'll buy it for you." she exclaims.
"Okay." I say uneasy. I gaze about looking at books that I would like.
No....No....No  Then a book catches my eye, Survivors: The Empty City by Erin Hunter. It catches my eye because a dog stands on the cover, he looks tall and proud.
This is the same author who wrote Warriors and Seekers. I read the back and it sounds odd but cool.
"This one!" I yell. The woman grabs the book, and takes it to the counter. She pays for it and hands it to me.
We go back into the room.
"Go ahead and read. If you need anything, call me on the phone next to your bed." she says to me. I don't answer, already hooked to the book. Soon, I read the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh book. I have to wait for the next book. I found out the woman's name is Mary. After reading all the books, I started to get bored. So one day I put my ear against my door, trying to hear Mary's conversation on the phone. I hear her footsteps of the squeaky floor. I quickly jump into my bed and she knocks on the door.
"Come in!" I answer.
"Guess what?" she asks with a huge smile on her face.
"What?" I ask mockingly.
"You're being adopted!"
"What?" I say shocked, "But I like it here."
"You're being adopted by a really nice woman!" she exclaims. I don't answer.
No matter what I want in my life I don't get it.
"She's on her way." she continues excitedly. She dances with excitement out the door.
A few hours later, there's a knock on my door,
"Come in." I groan. A woman's face pops in.
"Hello Brook." the woman says, her voice a little scratchy, probably from smoking.
"I'm going to adopt you." I stare at her, she looks like she's in her late thirties. She wears a bob-cut hairstyle, blonde hair, a flowery dress, and tons of makeup, her body, really curvy and stinks of cigarettes.
Okay. I just ignore her, packing my books with me. The woman scowls and leaves the room, leaving me alone.
Mary strolls in and reaches for my bag of books.
"I got it," I insist. We walk through my room's doorway, I gaze around the orphanage, watching kids play around. I walk into the outside world, there outside is the woman, waiting for me in her little, pink, Ferrari. I peer up at Mary, who gives me a crooked smile. The Woman opens the door for me.
"Here you go Miss," she jokes. I ignore her and plop on the black, leather seats. I stare through the window, where I see Mary standing on the steps. She sneaks a finger to her eye, wiping a tear. We wave at each other through the glass and eventually the Woman starts her million dollar car and drives away. I watch Mary, who gets farther and farther away. Soon I don't see Mary or the orphanage anymore. The Woman doesn't say word, neither do I. We spend the car ride in silence, none of us say a word.

After an hour, we finally arrived at the Woman's house. It's nothing like I expected, I pictured a mansion and a pool, but she must have wasted her money on her stupid car. The house, colored a dull pink, the yard trashed with plates and party cups, even beer cans. Green, long grass stretches out of the ground.
She doesn't even do yard work. I bet she parties. The deck's brown paint chips off, leaving hideous wood revealed. I grab my bag and I carefully shut the car door. The Woman's name is Jessica, I don't call her mom, she hates it how I call her by her first name. She unlocks the chipping, white door, and strolls in. The inside looks exactly like the outside, trash on floor, instead of grass, it's dirty clothes.
"You didn't clean your house?" I say disgusted.
"Don't get sassy with me young lady! You'll help me with this mess!"
"Why do I have to?" I snip. We glare at each other, then Jessica's slapping hand lands on my face. I stare at her in surprise, my cheek tingles where she hit it. I press my teeth together as hard as they go, and I smack her back in the face. She lays her hand on her cheek where I smacked her, her eyes wide with shock.
I'm done being told what to do!
Before she says another word, I stomp to my room. When I open the door, the room echoes, it's completely empty. Probably the cleanest room in the house. I plop on the carpeted floor with my knees to my chest, I lay my head on my knees. I think about sweet Mary and the orphanage. I eventually fall asleep in the same position.

Booming music wakes me up, people screaming with delight. I spring to my feet, alert. I stalk to the door, I grasp the doorknob and twist it. The music gets louder, I peek outside, Jessica dances with her scrawny friends, people flood the house, along with men around her age. I slam the door and crouch in the corner. All night I stay awake from the music, I struggle to sleep. In the morning, the music stops, and Jessica peeks her head in. I glare at her, she smiles mischievously and disappears. I hear her talking on the phone, I can't hear her through the door.
Is she giving me up? Will I go back to Mary?
I raise my hopes waiting for the door to open. Soon, the door opens. Jessica's head appears around the door.
"Brook, you're going to school!"
"What!"