AnatomyGames

I walk into our small house to find mother half passed out on the floor again. "Another day, another drink" I sigh to myself. It's all she ever does now after dad was taken by the Authorities for going out into the mountains. In our town we're kept in constant lockdown, but for those who dare to be adventurist, like myself and my dad, we go outside the fence. Dad and I use to go together until last spring when the authorities caught him and sent him away. So now mother drinks. "Mom, let's get you up" I say whilst lifting her body off the ground. "No..." She slurs. She staggers to her feet and starts yelling, "you know Meredith! You know! Your father was a great man and you will never be half the person he was! Never! You know! Get out! Get out of my life!" She swings her arm at me and hits me above my right ear, which makes my world spin. Another blow follows which sends me to my knees. She finishes her routine off with a swing of her wine bottle which catches my left Cheek, just under my eye. My vision darkens around the edges and I stagger upwards towards the door. I run to the weakest point in the fence and climb through. I try to remember that it's not real, just the alcohol talking, but after hearing the same words for over 6 months you start to believe it. My heart beat slows the deeper I get into the mountains. Usually I'm alone up here but not today. I see a guy up ahead near a big oak tree. I think I recognise him from school. He's handsome and his eyes melt through my body.
"Meredith! Are you alright?!"he asks. This boy knows my name, how does he know my name? I don't answer him, I don't talk when I'm upset.
"Um.. Would you like some sultana bread?" He continues, uncomfortably shifting his weight from one side to another. I know who this guy is now, it's Derek. He has a lot of "girl" friends at school, if you know what I mean. Tears are still fresh on my cheeks and I wipe them away with my tattered sleeve which sends a fresh wave of pain through my body. His eyes change when he realises I've been crying, "Meredith, what happend!?" A new edge of compassion in his voice. I'm not use to people caring about my feelings so I immediately retaliate. "I'm not some charity case for you to fix" I yell at him as I storm off into the mountains. To my surprise he follows me. I climb to my usual spot by the highest peak of the river and then sit down on the large rock that overlooks our little town. He sits down next to me and offers me the bread again. It's so rare for anyone to share anything in this town, let alone food. I smile at his hands and break off a piece of bread. We sit in silence for a long time until he reaches out and observes my cheek. "It's not bleeding to heavily, you won't need stitches." He says grinning. I laugh at this because the thought of stitches even being available to us is so slim, it's practically impossible.