Fight For Life

Chapter Five: I'm Not Snooping!

CREEEEEEAAAAAAk! Puffs of dust fly out from the box, causing me to cough. When I can finally breathe again, I take a peek in the box, something I never thought I would do in my lifetime.

Wait... it's empty? What?! I am backing away, reading to slam down the top in frustration, when the corner of a piece of white cloth catches my eye. Pulling, it seems as if there's an earthquake happening to the entire bottom of the chest. A few seconds later, I realize why. It's a false bottom! Grinning, my hands eagerly flip through the yellowed laces and aged photos until they rest on something hard and rectangular. A journal. Perfect for finding out the things my mom never told me.

"April 30th, 2100 

Dear Journal, 

Money's running real thin these days, I don't know what Momma and Poppa are gonna do to keep me and little Joey fed. We're down to our last loaf of bread for all of us. Baby Yvette cries all the time, seeing as her stomach is never full. This sounds horrible, but sometimes I wish she would just shut up! We're ALL hungry!  

Marielena <3

May 3rd 2100 

Journal, 

The bread's gone today. Even though we all only had a bite or so each day, there's no more. What are we going to do? There's no work around, and Momma only stares forlornly out the window at our community. The one we can't even afford to live in anymore. The Rich District. We're going to have to move, but maybe it's for the best. I'm the only one trying to keep our family together now! Only I still take care of Joey and Yvette. 

Marielena <3

May 5th 2100 

Journal, 

We haven't had a good meal in months. What does being full even feel like? I can't remember. Nothing to eat in 2 days. What do we do? 

Marielena <3"

I closed my eyes, My mom had starved as a child, and I'd never known. She'd never thought that I might want to, even though I'm her daughter. She'd written her story down so long ago, and I was desperate to drink it all in. I'm dying to know my mom's life story, the one I had never questioned before. I need to know everything I had missed from her past.

"May 7th 2100 

Journal, 

I'm so hungry. We all are. Through the glum mood, I don't know why Momma and Poppa dressed me in a silk dress today, one of the ones i never wear. Maybe it's a party! 

Marielena <3

May 8th 2100 

Journal, 

I HATE THEM, I HATE THEM, I HAD HIM, I HATE EVERYONE! Only I had to move. Momma and Poppa sold me for money! Who's going to take care of Joey and Yvette now?! Obviously they don't love us... How could they? My own parents! 

Marielena <3

May 9th 2100 

Journal,  

I'm a servant. Even though I'm eating better than ever before, and the master, Luke, is kind to me, I can't shake the fact that I'm in chains. Hypothetically, of course, though they may as well be literal. I was bought, because of my parents. 

Marielena <3

May 17th 

It's been a week since i've written, but I'm just too busy. The Mistress of the house slapped me. She hit me! she hates me, I don't know why. Luke gave me ice and told me to ignore her. 'She's jealous of your beauty' he says. I only mumble that I'm the servant. My cheek stings.

May 23rd 

Journal, 

The slapping is a regular thing now. Everyday in fact. I hate it here, I want to go home. My skin crawls with bruises, just like my heart does. Luke can't always protect me, not that I'd want him to. TAKE ME HOME! Oh wait, this is my home now."

I read, fixated on the countless entries. My mom was so brave, why did she abandon us? Flipping though the pages fervently, I need to know what happened. Most of the pages are tearstained, breaking my heart. Then, the tone changes.

"December 27th, 2103 

Journal, 

I've been here for 3 years, and finally things are looking up! I met a guy, as cliche as that sounds. We've been seeing each other for 2 weeks in secret now, and I can't stop thinking about him. I think I'm in love! He's my very own Christmas miracle, my first real happiness in years. He works nearby, and his name is Jason. I want to run away with him, to leave. We belong together. I just don't want to be hurt again. Last night I finally got up the nerve to sneak out and see him, even though he's waited for me by the gate everyday for the last two weeks. I know, I've seen him, but I've been too scared. When I saw him, I wanted to scream with happiness. We did--"

The journal just ends. What did my mom do? What did Jason do? Jason is my dad, and Marielena is my mom, but how come I never knew any of this? 

"Aurora?" Gem's voice, faraway, pulls me back into reality.