~ ~ ~
The concrete was slick with rain and the lights of the city reflected back. The mirrored images blurred together, hiding the secrets this town really held. Looking down into the puddled raindrops, it was a beautiful sight.
Green, yellow, red.
...
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~ ~ ~
As I walked home, I stepped carefully over the same cracks in the concrete. The city seemed to be falling apart, fading more and more as I got closer to home. For once, it wasn't raining. The clouds were still stretched across the sky, but at least the walk home wouldn't leave me soaked.
The house came into view at the end of the street. It was an unhappy place, where even a smile was as rare as sunshine in this rainy city. Inside, there was no relief from the cold. The house was drafty day and night.
The cupboards were empty again and Benny and Martin were apparently starving. I checked the money I kept hidden in my room, frustrated that I needed to take even more to feed everyone else. I could have just left them to fend for themselves, but I knew I never would. They didn't ask for this any more than I did.
The others, though, didn't deserve a penny. They were rude and selfish, taking from me and never giving anything in return. I would give to the boys. They were young; they needed someone looking after them.
I made Martin and Benny put on their rain coats and shoes so that they could come with me. Joseph and Debra didn't even glance as we passed by them and left.
I walked with the two boys, Martin on my left and Benny holding my right hand. We walked to the grocery store that was around 10 minutes away from our house. I kept money in my jacket pocket, never trusting this neighborhood enough to wear a purse. I'd learned that lesson the hard way. I was fifteen years old when my purse had been snatched off of my arm so hard, it nearly dislocated. I'd been knocked to the pavement so hard, I didn't even want to get back up.
I gripped the boys' hands harder thinking of this.
As soon as we walked through the doors, I turned to the them. "Okay, guys, I have twenty dollars for this shopping trip."
They looked up at me, their brown eyes filled with trust. In me. My heart swelled for a moment, and I realized just how much they relied on me to take care of them. I managed to smile, trying to push down my guilt for ever thinking about leaving them.
