Charity Helper

O N E

"Kai! Kai! Kai!"

The hand that covered my mouth tightened slightly. I had to suppress my giggles so we weren't found. Lynn, behind me, made another hushing sound to try and silence me.

"Lynn! Kai! We give up!"

I turned around, giving Lynn a small smile of victory. We had beat Chris and Matt, in only ten minutes.

I shoved the cupboard door open, rolling onto the floor while laughing. Lynn rolled next to me, smiling and giggling as the boys ran over to us.

"You two looked like idiots!" Lynn laughed.

"Whatever," Chris rolled his eyes. "Lynn, we gotta go anyways."

Lynn sat up, waving at me as she and Chris ran to the front door. I sat up, only to be scooped up by mine and Matt's father. He tickled my sides, and I squirmed in his arms, laughing and trying to jump from his arms.

"Bedtime for you, young one. You have school tomorrow morning."

"But dad-"

"Nope, let's go. Up to bed."

--

A door slammed shut, causing me to sit up in bed. I relaxed after realizing it was probably just our dad, getting back home from the bar. I settled back under the covers, about to fall back asleep when my door opened.

I was too tired to move, but lifted my head.

"Dad?"

No reply. The man in my doorway slowly closed the door, and I decided to sit up. I started to move, and watched as he sat on the edge of my bed.

"Dad?" I repeated. For a quick second, I was confused. I smelled something sour as he leaned over and breathed out. My arms were pushed together, and I thought he was going to tickle me again. I tried to struggle, but his grip was stronger this time.

My little seven year old mind didn't know what was happening, or what I had been forced to do that night.

--

I started to cry as the door slammed shut. I knew what this would lead to, and how it would end. The second my door opened, I kneeled on the floor, trying to hide my tears as he stepped closer.

Fifteen minutes later, I was kneeling, hair in his fists, and mouth- mouth doing unbelievable things. I tried not to cry.

All the sudden, my light turned on. I couldn't see behind him, but heard a loud smack seconds later.

I fell to the floor after being shoved, only to be pulled to my feet seconds later by no other but Matt. He scanned me over, eyes looking up and down my body.

"Did he touch you?"

No reply.

"Kai! Did he touch you?"

Still no reply. No. He hadn't. Not tonight. Before? A few times.

I didn't talk- I couldn't. I didn't want to.

"Come on," my twenty year old brother drug me out of the house, only to be stopped when our dad ran out and grabbed my arm.

"Lets go inside, Kai," my father tried.

"Leave her go," Matt snapped.

Even at eleven, I was still not sure what was happening. My memories had gotten fuzzy at this point. Up until the knife appeared, and Matt started screaming in pain. Lights from next door houses turned on, window drapes opened.

Matt turned to me, hand against his stomach.

"Kai, run!" I couldn't move.

Dad stood, studying the bloody knife in his hand. Matt could barely stand, and tried moving away from me to lead dad away. At the time, I had thought he stumbled away because he wanted to get inside. But he later told the cops he wanted to lead our father away.

Somebody tall ran past me as another man picked me up. I recognized my older neighbor, Mr.Johnson's voice as he tried to get me to talk. My eyes couldn't tear away as dad lunged at my brother.

I could no longer see, as Mr.Johnson started to pass me to his wife so he could join the other man to help my brother.

--

The therapist listened as I spoke. I hadn't talked to many people aside from her. And I'd be leaving her in a week.

"What keeps causing you to have the same dream? Certain foods?" I shook my head. "Have they been making you eat your meals?"

"Yeah," I rolled my eyes. "But I don't know what's making me have this dream so often. I guess knowing I'll be adopted, it's giving me jitters."

"Well, there's not much you can do for that. But, at least you'll be going to a public school again!"

"Oh, how fun. Bullying again."

"Kai, people do grow up. Eventually they'll stop."

"Sure," I rolled my eyes again. "I have to go anyways."

"Will you talk a little bit more? Marianne is having worries about you."

I didn't answer, but instead walked out of her office and leaving the door open a little bit behind me.