The Girl with 1,000 Voices

Prologue

"DADDY!" A short six-year-old was held back by her mother, tears streaming down her cheeks as she reached out her tiny arm to the man walking to his plane. "DADDY! COME BACK!"

Her mother pulled her to her chest, trying to muffle her daughter's screams. "Hush, Lyuba. Things are better this way." Her mother ran a hand through her red hair, smoothing down the wild curls.

And all I remember is your back

Walking towards the airport, leaving us all in your past.

Four years later the young Russian girl sat next to her mother in the hospital bed, tears streaming down her face once again as she held her mother's hand weakly. "Momma." Lyuba sniffled as she wiped her crystal eyes. "Please, don't leave me too."

Her mother smiled weakly up at her daughter, running her hand through the girl's soft hair once again. "I'm sorry baby." She coughed. "But things are better this way. You'll get to see your father again."

"But I wanna stay with you Momma." Lyuba cut in, a fresh river of tears forming behind her eyes.

Her mother pulled her into a gentle hug, pressing her lips to her forehead. "I know baby, I know. But can you do Momma a big favor?" Lyuba wiped her nose and nodded, waiting for her mother's final words. "Give your father another chance. I love you, baby. And I know you're going to do wonderful things."

I traveled fifteen hundred miles to see you,

Begged you to want me, but you didn't want to.

Lyuba nervously knocked on her father's door. A tall man greeted her with a scowl. "What the hell do you want?" He snapped quickly, keeping the door between them.

"Daddy?" Lyuba croaked out as tears formed behind her eyes again, the young ten-year-old pushed them back before continuing. "It's me. Lyuba. Momma-She. Momma's gone." Two treacherous tears slipped down her cheeks, the only warning before she sank to her knees.

"So, what?" Her father shrugged. "That's not my problem. Get lost brat!"

Lyuba froze, slowly looking up at her father. "B-B-But I-I. I don't have anywhere to g-go." Her heart sank as she stared into her father's unemotional eyes.

"I SAID SCRAM!" Her father screamed as he slammed the door in her face.

But piece by piece he collected me,

Up off the ground where you abandoned me.

Lyuba sat on the first empty bench she found, her knees tucked under her chin trying to stay warm as fresh tears ran down her cheeks. People on the street walked past her, only giving a side glance before turning to gossip. Until a certain eighteen-year-old walked down the sidewalk, his brown eyes instantly landing on the shivering child.

"Hey, are you okay? Are you lost?" He asked gently as he crouched in front of the shy girl. Lyuba looked at the dark-haired teen through her bangs before burying her head in her knees.

"It's okay." The teen tenderly placed a hand on her arm, pulling her eyes to him again. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. I'm Yuri." Yuri gave the small girl a kind smile, that reminded her of her mother. "Do you know where your home is?"

Yuri's question brought fresh tears to her eyes as she numbly shook her head. "I don't have a home anymore. Momma's gone and Daddy doesn't want me anymore."

Yuri looked wide-eyed at the child before pushing his anger down and pulling his lips into a bright smile. "Then why don't you come stay with me? My family has a great hot spring, and my Okasan (Mother) loves to cook really yummy food. You could join us for dinner."