Fire Starter

Chapter One

My nails dig into the back of my thighs, as I practically sit on top of my hands.

It was only a matter of time until I'd get that phone call on the house phone, a reminder of the bills not being paid. Every single time that they've called, it was around this time of night precisely, although I didn't seem to know the time. It's just that apparent when you're observant, and have nothing better to do.

I wished they'd stop calling. I don't have have any money to feed myself, let alone pay the bills.

It still seizes to surprised me that the lights were on, and that the water ran when I showered earlier.

If it happened to have occur that the phone didn't ring in the next 24 hours, it would possibly be because the phone was cut off.

It got tiring to hear the same sympathetically annoying voice calling constantly about eviction, that I always hang up right after answering. I never could even understand half of the words that was said, due to my lack of knowledge. I don't even know what eviction is.

I threw my head back, heaving a sigh.

That must happen to everyone who's 8 months behind in rent, that's if they even get this long of an exception to stay in their home, before physical action takes toll. It's a small town of no more than 1000 people. It's better when almost everyone knows each other. Why? Because they might give you several chances to try to catch up on bills. For example; everyone knew Uncle Robert, and that's why I've gotten so many chances.

I'm an 18 year old jobless, because I thought I'd never have to work a day in my life, until the one person who takes care of me, nurtures me, and even protects me, died. The closest thing I had to family.

One day, I'm perfectly happy with everything, and all is well.

And the next, I lose my Uncle Robert, and I'm told that all his money goes to his blood family whom I've never even met and not a single cent to me.

He didn't even have a funeral, his body was shipped out of town to his family, and that was that.

That all kind of leads up to now.

It'll be 9months in two days without my uncle who died of a rare heart condition that runs in his family, and fortunately I am and wasn't actually his niece. But if that weren't the case, I would of had at least enough money to feed myself.

He was just my mom's bestfriend who took me in after she died. I never knew how she died or what happened to my father, and never dared to ask, considering my ignorance towards my family's history.

Why would I ever want to know about my past, when I was happy, and my future was set in stone?

The conclusion I came up with is that my dad was possibly a drunk who beat my mom to death and is rotting in prison for first degree murder.

It never hurts to guess.

I don't even know what they look like because I have not a single photo of them. Little do I know if I even had or have siblings.

I suck in a sharp breath when suddenly the house phone's classic old ringtone rings throughout the small living room, indicating an incoming call. How long was it going to be until the phone would be out of service? Ridiculous, I thought.

Routinely, I pick up the phone, only to put it back down.

My stomach then grumbles, for it had been days since my hunger was resolved.

The cabinets and refrigerator contained no food, whatsoever.

Frustration always carried on with being lonely and hungry.