I woke up in my bedroom late at night having heard my parents arguing again. I don't like when they argue, I hear them talking about wanting to leave each other. Will they leave me too? I walk down stairs peaking around the doorway to the living room where I had seen light coming from and them arguing. My Daddy notices me watching and yells at me, "Go to your room! You aren't allowed down here this late!" He says angrily. I nod scared walking away when I hear my MaMa say, "I will not let you treat our daughter that way!"
I turn around and see her punch him. Daddy says I was a mistake, something's wrong with me. I wonder if MaMa thinks the same. I watch them fight as I worry they'll hurt each other really bad. I remember them mentioning if something happens to them that they said to call police. I think this counts. I go to the phone in kitchen and dial what they said was the number for police. "Hello? Police, my Mama and Daddy are hurting each other, " I say into the phone. They ask me questions of where I live and how they were being hurt. I didn't know what they really meant, but I stayed on the phone cause they told me too until I heard sirens.
My Mama and Daddy had been fighting the whole time when I hear what sounds like one of them running when the sirens arrive. I run to the living room to see if my parents were ok.Before I get the chance to see my parents a police man approaches me and asks if I was the little girl on the phone. I nodded yes and he took my hand leading me outside. I look around seeing all kinds of vehicles with my Daddy being put in a police car. Was he in trouble? I put the thought aside as I was led to a friendly woman who said she was going to send me somewhere safe. Wasn't home supposed to be the safest place ever? "But Mama said home is safe," I say not wanting to leave.
"Home isn't safe anymore. Your Mama and Daddy made it unsafe when they hurt each other," The nice lady says. I simply nod scared of that what was once safe became unsafe with such a small act. She took me to her car and helped me in before getting in the driver's seat. She started driving not telling me specifically where we were going. I see us pull up in front of a large building with tons of rooms. She was right, I'll be safe here.
She helps me out of the car and we walk into the lobby together. I hear her talking to someone at a desk as she had me sit down in a chair in the lobby. I still don't understand where I am. The nice lady left the building without me and a girl older than me, maybe 16 came to me.
"You must be Sally, come on I'll show you to your room," she said holding her hand out to me. I took it confused and followed carefully. I was being told to trust one too many strangers it felt like, but I didn't have much choice.
The girl introduced herself to me, but I kinda ignored her as she said it. She pushed me into a room that 3 other girls around my age were in. Two bunk beds sat in the room with one on each side, both top bunks taken. I go and sit on the only open bunk and awkwardly stare at the girls as they stare back. I was sitting crisscross on the bed scared to go to sleep. "Welcome to the orphanage for the forgotten," on girl says. She definitely was the oldest of the group. I looked at them confused before I figured out they just got left here by someone too.
I managed to get to know my bunk mate well quickly. She told so many great stories that she said her Daddy had told her while she was still with him. They really helped me sleep that night. I dreamt of my parents laughing and getting along like I liked to think they used to. I dreamed of the place I wanted to live in.
Then I woke up the next day remembering where I was. Things have changed alot and I still barely understand it all.
4 Years Later
I wake up in the room I've been in for 4 years now having to wake my bunk mate up. Today was the beginning of 4th grade. Time to begin preparation for Middle School. "Come on sleepy head, we've got school!"I say now having put my glasses on. 8 years old and needing glasses. Seems crazy to me.
"5 more minutes!" My bunk mate Rachel says sleepily.
"5 more minutes and you'll miss breakfast!" I say knowing that always gets her up. I see her quickly jump out of bed and I head to put on clean clothing.
( https://shop.r10s.jp/luckypersonswebstore/cabinet/hayden/2018ss/g6053/g6053_carrot-2.jpg )
After I get dressed me and Rachel rush to the dining room. The older people would take all the food first if we weren't fast. It was a silly game everyone was in on, but it was bad if you managed to miss 3 days in a row of getting more food that the older kids. Me and Rachel quickly got a pile of food and sat down.
While we were eating Rachel handed me something wrapped in newspaper. She could never afford wrapping paper. "I know it's late, but I think it was worth the wait," Rachel said to me. She had missed my birthday at first, but I unwrapped the gift to find a deck of tarot cards.
I guess she had noticed my curiosity of witches with all the candles I bought and how I wanted so many Crystal's I couldn't get. Sure I wasn't obsessed to the point it was my everything, but it was nice to at least let my little hobby be noticed in a friendly way.
Over the next few years Rachel gave me little trinkets she got from her trips to the mall she got with the older kids. Once we were 14 we started going together until a certain adoption day.
"Today's the day," I tell myself as I put on my favorite hat. I only told myself that because I wanted to have actual chance of getting out of here. Most people just thought I was weird, but I'm determined to just be me as always. Rachel drags me to the huge lobby that i haven't been in for awhile. This must've been an important one compared to the others if everyone was out here. I really hoped they are looking for age 14 or higher since I'm 14 years old.
I see someone walk in that I remember Rachel telling me about. He definitely wasn't whoever the important person was, but they always saved the most important for last. The man had greenish yellow hair with a snap back on while just wearing a standard t shirt and jeans. He seemed nice, I can't wait to get to talk with him.
One by one kids from ages all the way from 7 to 16 were going in talking to him while other kids went to other families that showed up, or single people, or couples. Rachel had gone in to talk with the man I'd been wanting to talk to while I was stuck waiting in the lobby. Rachel
Then soon enough stepped out the door waving me specifically over, My turn. I took a deep breath and went over to the room.
Rachel and I hugged before I went in. Stepping through the door I was nervous because I wasn't sure of he was as layed back as he seemed. I went and sat down in front of him with a wave. "Hey, I'm Sally," I say shyly with my sleeves covering my hands.
"Nice to meet you Sally, Name's Chase Brody," Chase says with a relaxed tone. We slowly began talking to each other until I fully relaxed and we started arguing over cartoons. He was surprisingly childish for his age. It was nice. Before I even leave the room he says he wants to adopt me and I squeal with joy, I didn't think I'd get put of here until I was 18.
We walked out together and while he signed all the forms he told me about his 'brothers' though he seemed unsure about his word choice. I was going to continue to live with a big household. I ran to Rachel telling her the news and she was so happy for me. Maybe some day we'd see each other again.
I went into my room and quickly packed meeting Chase downstairs as we got in his car and headed to his house.
