Damaged

Chapter 1

"Beau, time to wake up!" my older adoptive brother, Carter says while shaking my left shoulder.

Snapping my eyes open, sleep-filled fog clouding my vision: fueling the fear that I was already experiencing from my nightmare. Failing against Carter's body while screaming; "No, please, I'll be good!"

"Beau, you're safe, you're how with us!" Carter's voice filters through my cloud mind; while my brother manages to wrap himself around my body.

Carter lies me on back against the bed, our chests touching; his body weight pressing me into the mattress and effectively calming me down after several minutes. Once my breathing calms and my fog-filled mind clears, Carter slowly and carefully climbs off me with a small weary smile.

"Breakfast is ready, little brother," Carter softly says; as I scramble out of bed quickly nodding at him.

"Thank you, Carter," I sign toward him; walking over to my closet to find clothing for my day at school.

"Come down when you're done, mum made biscuits and gravy," he informs me before exiting my room.

We love when mum makes biscuits and gravy; all five of us love her cooking but especially this particular meal. Mum's name is Sasha, dad's name is Troyer and then there is us three kids; Carter and Courtney are twins who are two-and-a-half years older than me; making them currently 20 years old. Carter is thirteen minutes older than Courtney; both have blond hair and blue eyes. Carter is built and has scruffy facial hair and short hair; Courtney is tall and slender with long wavy hair.

Mum has long mousy brown hair and brown eyes that match; dad has shoulder length brownish colored hair and bluish-green eyes and built like a shit-brick-house. I don't remember my biological parents as they left me at a fire station when I was three days old with a note, the clothes I was wearing and buckled into a car seat. The note was left with Sasha and Troyer to keep for me for when I was older.

The note read: 'This is my son, Beau, he's a wonderful baby but I can't care for him any longer. He was born on November 22, 2002 at 2:27 p.m., 23 inches long and weighed 7 pounds and 12 ounces. Please let him know his mama loves him and I'm doing what's best for him as I'm only 17 years old; his father was my best friend until he found out I was pregnant and Beau's dad was 20 years old.

Thank you,

Bethany W.'

Sasha and Troyer adopted me when I was two weeks old and I had a happy childhood until I was 7 years old, when my dad's brother, my uncle Tristan, was watching me as usual while my parents were on their weekly date night. Uncle Tristan had been acting weird all that Friday night and I soon found out why - he owed money to a mob and I was his payment. He told me we were going to a carnival and then he'd bring me home; which he did but gave me to Mister Roy at the carnival before we left.

Mr. Roy ran the sex trafficking ring out of a warehouse; I was there twelve, almost thirteen months with nineteen other children. There were twelve girls and I was one of eight boys; our ages ranged from 5 years old to 17 years old, while there I became one girl's surrogate little brother. She had been 16 years old her name was Catlynn Lewis and she would be 26 years old now. I never seen or heard from Catlynn after our time at the warehouse and I've always wondered what happened to her and the other kids.

As you can see from how I woke up this morning, I have nightmares every time I sleep; which is about every third or fourth night from sheer exhaustion and I pass out. I'm only woken up by Carter or dad since I can become violent; mum and Courtney stopped when I accidently whacked Courtney across the face and split her lip.

Pulling my clothes on quickly before walking downstairs, I pull my hair into a hair tie as I reach the kitchen; where I enter to find the rest of my family sitting around the table with their plates in front of them and an empty one next to mum. I love sitting next to mum or dad as they make me feel safe; even at home, I need to feel safe from the horrors of the outside world. While at school, Brycen and Wyatt make me feel safe.