Alaska's Ocean - Zach Abels

Chapter 1

I let out a long sigh as i turn the key in the lock to the rusty red apartment door. Aaron is behind me, impatiently shuffling his feet. He can't wait to get inside to play his friends on X box live. Don't get me wrong, I'd be doing the same thing, if i was allowed to use the X box. Or the Tv. Banned from all electronics. What my parents don't know is that i know every hiding place they have. It's a small, cramped apartment, it isn't hard. I open the door and go straight to my room. I have around an hour to kill before my parents get home. So i do what I always do. I pick up my guitar and try to get as much practice as i can before they get home. I'm not allowed to make 'noise' either. I've tried to argue that it's music, but the debate doesn't go far before I end up with bruises. For talking back and being rude. But i guess on some level i deserve it.

I start off with Island In The Sun by Weezer. It's always been an all time favorite of mine. I finish that song, and strum the first chord to Wonderwall by Oasis.

Today is gonna be the day

that they're gonna throw it back to you.

By now, you should've somehow

realized what you've gotta do.

I don't believe that anybody

feels the way I do about you now.

And All the roads that lead to you are winding.

And all the lights that lead the way are blinding.

And there are many things that I

would like to say to you, but I don't know how.

I said maybe, You're gonna be the one that saves me.

And after all,

You're my wonderwall.

I heard The door open as the last chord faded into the walls around me.

"Shit," I cursed. They're home early. This almost never happens.

"Alaska Rose Ocean." My dad's voice booms from the hallway. I cringe as I hear my middle name. "Get the fuck out of your room, Now." I knew that if i didn't go, the punishment would be more violent. So I confidently walked out to face them. As much as i didn't want this to happen in front of Aaron, or even at all, that was how it was going to happen.

"Yes?" I asked standing in front of my dad. He was almost two feet taller than me. I had barely stopped moving, and i didn't have time to react before i was hit by a sharp blow to the cheek, just above my jaw. I heard a loud crack before i started to register the pain. But he wasn't done.

"Why-" He kicked me hard in the stomach, causing me to fall to the ground.

"The fuck-" Again, in my knee.

"Is my laptop-" He lashed his foot out again, catching my left fore arm.

"In shards-" He kicked me in my right shoulder.

"On the floor?" He finished, out of breath. He ran a hand angrily through his graying brown hair. I felt my eyes threaten to spill, but i blinked, refusing to let him have the satisfaction of winning. My body ached, this was the worst he had done in a while. I thought quickly about how to answer him. If i didn't i could expect nothing but more pain.

"Because I smashed it," I choked out. He kicked my stomach again, causing my throat to convulse, forcing me to spit. The spit tasted metallic, and i knew the taste immediately. Blood.

"That was our only computer," My mom screeched, looking like if my dad wasn't in the way, she'd kneel down, rip my hair out, and bite every finger off. I was barely paying attention to anything but the throbbing pain all over my body.

"Listen, bitch. Listen closely." My dad began.

"I've had enough. Sixteen long years, and you still haven't changed. You're still the embarrassment, the mistake of the family. You'd think you would have learned by now to act like your siblings. But no, you full out disobey whatever we tell you." My mom stepped closer to where I was curled on the floor.

"Go to your room and stay there. By this time tomorrow, we want you out. We want you gone." she growled.

"Are you kicking me out?" I asked, my voice gurgling hoarsely.

"She finally understands one thing we ask of her," My dad said sarcastically.

"Fuck you," I say, weakly holding my middle finger out to him. He pursed his lips and kicked my hand, hard. I recoiled and crawled to the hallway that led to my room. I turned around for a brief second to see Aaron sitting on the small couch, wide eyed with controller in hand. As soon as I was around the hallway corner, I stand on my right foot, trying not to put too much pressure on my left knee.

The moment i closed the door to my room, the tears started to pour. They weren't the silent tears. They're the loud, sobbing tears. The tears where you feel as if you're drowning in a sea of misery. You're suffocating, gasping for air. I guess you could say I'm drowning in Alaska's ocean. I just don't know why. Why did it have to be me to live this life? what have I done to deserve these scars? I should at least be grateful for the last night here, right? At least it gives me a little time to pack something. I have maybe forty five minutes tomorrow, but I have to be gone by Three twenty-ish. Where will I go? I would ask my best friend if i could stay with her, but at the same time, I could never do that to her. I put my head in my hands and sit on the bed. That's when I realize. I am homeless, with an aching body, and with nowhere to go.