The Wolf

Ch. 1: The Transfer Student

~Nico~

My eyelids flutter open as grey sunlight streams through the dark curtains. My body aches like it's nobody's business. I realize that I am laying on my bedroom floor. I didn't make it to the bed this time.

I slowly pull myself to a sitting position, wincing with every movement. I hold my breath as I pull up my shirt to eye my body. I gasp. It's worse than I thought. Every inch is covered in bruises. I peer down at the new, dark-purple and black ones. The fading ones had turned yellow and light blue. I look away, disgusted. My ribs are definitely bruised, I can just tell. The only place that doesn't have bruises is my face. Even in his drunken stupor, my uncle knows what he'd have to go through if the teachers caught wind of his abuse.

I groan as I strip off my clothes. I have to change for school. It's a chore to do anything, but I know I'll get used to it soon enough. I always do.

I have been taking beatings for the last 2 years now. Before the beatings, I barely ever bruised, but now is a different story. Considering how skinny I am from lack of nutrients, I think that has a part to play. I only get to eat at school. They don't feed me breakfast or dinner, so I usually have to sneak it. If I'm caught trying, I get a scolding or a beating-- maybe both. Since I don't have school on the weekends, or during vacations, I, pretty much, starve while I try to fend for myself.

I brush my teeth in the bathroom sink. I take this time to look at my pale face. My eyes have dark purple circles under them, making the piercing blue color pop. My medium length hair is all over the place, bedhead. I brush my hair while simultaneously brushing my teeth. When I'm finished,  I grab my backpack from the corner of my room.

My bedroom is small. Really small. It is on the third floor, so... a room in the attic. I can barely stand up and I'm 5'3". It is painted completely white and contains one small, round window. My twin size mattress is pushed against the wall next to the window, while a mini dresser squats next to my bed serving as a nightstand. The rest of the room is covered with poetry and pictures I've created. There's only a little room to walk around, so I usually just sit around most of the time. At least I don't have to share a room with my cousin Kyle. And even more lucky there is a bathroom so I don't need to walk up and down the stairs. I think I'd be dead tired if I had to. Maybe just dead.

I open the dark curtains and tie them to the side to allow some grey sunlight to brighten the space. The rays reflect off the white walls, illuminating the area significantly. The only light I have for nighttime is a lamp on my dresser.

I finish checking my backpack to make sure all of the things I need are in there before I gingerly pull on a coat. It's September and the weather is already turning cooler. I walk down the attic steps, down the second-floor stairs, and to the foyer. I pull on my shoes quickly, lest I be seen by one of the three devils themselves.

As soon as I open the door, I hear, "Where are you going?" I gulp. That's aunt Tanya. I reluctantly turn to face her.

"To school," I say, petulantly.

She looks me up and down with her lips pursed, like she is looking at a smelly, homeless person asking for change. "What about Kyle, you're not going with him, are you?" She asks as though that was the worst thing that could possibly happen.

I don't know why she asks this when she knows that Kyle hates me just as much as I hate him, and she would never allow it. "No, I'm in a hurry. I have class duties." I lie.

Her eyebrow raises with suspicion, she doesn't trust me. And I don't blame her, I don't trust her either. "Well, okay. Bye." She says with no emotion as if she could care less. Then walks away into the kitchen.