For Experimental Purposes Only

Chapter 7 (Isa)

I liked living with Papa. I call King-Holland 'Papa' now. He is the bestest person in the entire world. He'd always tell me stories at night. He got better at it, by the way.

The Witch was still witchy. But she is nicer now. She told all of us to be really happy around Papa because he was trying to be really happy around us.

And Peasant Boy talked now. That might only be because he has a girlfriend. Her name is Lyza and she's really nice. She even bought me a new teddy bear after my old one got ruined in the washing machine.

A lot of times we would sit in the attic and talk about all the stuff that happened at school and how Zoe and Papa had crushes on each other.

One day we were all sitting on our beds. This time we weren't talking, we were just quiet. Peasant Boy was texting Lyza , The Witch was probably reading spells out of a book, and I was doing math. I should say 'we were' until The Witch said something.

"I'm tired of not knowing," she said.

"Not knowing what?" I asked.

"Not knowing about you guys," The Witch said.

"But you know about us," I said

"No, I mean your guys' backstories. Like why you're in foster care." She moved on the couch so that she could see everyone.

"We can tell each other... I mean we are siblings, right?"

The Witch was talking really slow. Peasant Boy looked kind of uncomfortable.

"Okay!" I said. I liked the idea, it was like telling stories. "I can go first!" I said.
Peasant Boy nodded.

"I had a Mama and Daddy, but they disappeared when I was little," I explained.

"What do you mean?" Peasant Boy asked.

"Well, I mean, one day they woke me up sent me to daycare and they went to work. But they never came to pick me up from daycare. The lady watching all the kids said it was because of some explosion at their work.

"So I went to the police station and they said some really big words that I didn't understand. I think they said something about bombs though."

Peasant Boy and The Witch looked surprised and sad. I didn't know why.

"So I went to my first ever foster home and got to sleep on bunk beds! The lady there said that Mama and Daddy went to a magical kingdom in the clouds where they can eat and do whatever they wanted. She said that when I'm really really old I can go visit them there."

Papa was at the bottom of the basement steps. I think he was listening, but I was the only one who could see him. I didn't tell The Witch or Peasant Boy because I didn't think that they would want to know.

The Witch and Peasant Boy looked at each other with worried faces.

"That's all, Vee it's your turn," I said.

"Ummm," she said. "I never met my mom or my dad. They placed me in foster care when I was born.

"I guess my dad was always out of the question. My mom's name was Claire and she gave birth when she was fifteen -- younger than Jason. So other things came first. Like, high school and relationships with guys and such."

"I'm sorry Vee. That sucks," Peasant Boy said.

Papa was still listening from the stairs.

"See, that's not even the worst part," said The Witch. "I've tried... everything. I've called her. She even picked up once. I told her who I was and she hung up. I even went to her house once. Same thing. I told her I was her daughter and I got a door in my face."

The Witch started crying. I thought that the tears would melt her, but they didn't. Peasant Boy went to the couch and sat next to her.

"I've been in foster care all my life and I just kept hoping and praying that someone would... I dunno... want me. And it's crazy, but I feel like I belong here -- with you guys and David. But I can't stop thinking that it's all just for experimental purposes only and at the end of the year, it's all gonna be over."

I climbed onto the couch and laid my head in Vee's chest. She hugged me. She was surprisingly good at it.

The Witch looked at Jason. She wasn't crying as much. "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to," she said.

"No, no, I want to tell you. I just..." Peasant Boy paused, "I just haven't... my dad... he..."

Jason took a deep breath.

"My Dad was abusive. It's weird. I didn't even know that it was uncommon until I was ten and even then I was too scared to do anything about it."

I didn't know what "abusive" meant, but I listened anyway.

"Did your mom do anything? Wouldn't she..." Vee trailed off.

"She was... drunk and high most of the time. I don't think I came home from school to find her sober once. I'm surprised that I was even allowed to go to school. I guess it was just some sort of daycare to them. A way to get me out of their lives. "

Vee held me tighter.

"Why didn't they just send you to a foster home, to begin with?" Vee asked.

"I served as my dad's punching bag and I did chores every day. It would've been kinda pointless. Why give up your personal assistant when you can slap him whenever you get mad instead?

"It's kinda funny. School has always seemed like such a burden, but it was actually the one place that I was truly safe. It was actually one of my teachers who turned my parents into the police.

"I came into school with bruises and cuts one day. Of course, she asked me what happened. Especially since my parents never came to parent-teacher conferences or signed any of the field trip slips or whatnot. And I told her that my dad came home angry the previous day from work.

"She must've called the police because the next week I was locked in the basement and heard really weird stuff from upstairs. I actually hid under the two blankets that I had for a bed because I thought they were gonna hurt me. But, I heard sirens and then just started screaming.

"I knew then that what my parents were doing was wrong. So, I just cried as loud as I could for help. It felt so freaking good. They had to break into the basement with an ax," Jason explained.

"Cool!" I blurted. A fireman came to my school and showed us his ax last week.
Vee sushed me. I closed my eyes and pretended like I was sleeping, but I was actually still listening to Jason.

He continued, "Anyway, I was so tired I forgot what I did that night. But within the next three days, I was living with a foster family. Then another, and another, until I landed here."

I was still fake sleeping and it tricked them both.

"She asleep?" Vee whispered to Jason.

"Yeah, I think so, " he replied.

They put me in my bed and tucked me in.

I wasn't gonna pretend anymore.

Jason wasn't a Peasant Boy. He was my brother now. And Vee was my sister. Even if she's crafty. And, David Holland was my dad.

They were my family now. And I didn't need to make believe that.