Descendants Of Mischief

Fourteen and a half: The Dublins

"Where's my brother?" I ask looking around the dark room as a lady enters. She's wearing a grey suite with ugly black shoes. They make noises when she walks. The room is dark and empty making it loud.

"He's being adopted" she says slamming some papers down. It doesn't scare me but it does make me angry. She's underestimating me. She doesn't know my capabilities.

"He can't be! You can't give him away like that" I tell her furiously. I have always been trained to remain calm and quiet in case of this situation.

"You can't do anything about it, you will never see him again" she says mocking me. I bite my tongue and keep quiet. "You're being placed with the Dublin's" she says and I hate her. She's vicious but she's right. There's nothing I can do.

"Why didn't they take me too?" I ask and she laughs. My eyes begin to water but I try my best to hold the tears back.

"You'll never find a home, you're unlovable. Your brother is sweet and innocent. It was easy for someone to love him and take him in" she says standing up and walking out. I'm left alone in this dark cold room again. I look at my reflection through the window. I look like a criminal being held for interrogation. I'm not a criminal. I never hurt anyone. I never did anything wrong.

...

"Nadia it's your turn to clean the table" Ms. Dublin says throwing her used napkin on the table.

I hate it here. I've been here for three days and I've already gotten in trouble twice. I share a bed with another girl. They hit the kids when someone is bad. They don't treat us right. I'm scared to even talk around them. I've barely mumbled a couple words.

"Are you deaf? Start cleaning" Cindy there daughter says pushing me. I knock down a cup and juice spills on the carpet. I can feel Mr. Dublin walk in the room. I look up and I see her husband walk towards me angry.

I begin to cry as he takes off his belt. I try to move, but he grabs me and the belt hits my back. I cry out in pain and try to get out of his grasp, but all I feel is the belt on my back. I curl up into a ball on the floor as he lifts his arm to hit me again. At some point the hits become tolerable and my body feels numb.

"Clean the table before heading to bed" Ms. Dublin says when her husband finishes beating me. I stay on the floor crying as they leave. My cry turns into a sob. I don't want to be here anymore. My whole body aches and my head hurts.

"Let me see, I have a lotion that can help with that" Fiona says taking my arms helping me up.

"I don't want to be here" I cry to her and her eyes tear up.

"None of us do, but I'll help you okay" she says and I hug her.

"I want my mommy" I cry in her arms missing my moms embrace. I miss her so much. Cindy lifts my shirt and flinches at the marks. She applies the lotion softly and I squirm from the pain.

"You'll be fine" she lies. I won't be fine If I stay here. I'll be far from fine. She hands me two pills and pours me a glass of water. I take the cup and pills. I struggle taking the pills but finally get them to go down.

"Their bad people" I tell her. She looks at me for a second, taking my necklace into her hands.

"Hide your necklace" she says tucking it in my shirt. I nod and wait for her to talk again. "How was it before here?" She asks me.

"I was home, happy. My parents loved me. They didn't hit me" I tell her and she shakes her head.

"It will never be like that here, you better start getting used to it" she says. "I'll help you with the table this one time" she says grabbing the dishes. I sniffle and rub my eyes. I look at her and she points at the dishes on the table. I help her with the rest of the dishes and hand them to her as she washes them.

"Thank you" I say getting on a stool and help her dry the dishes.

"You're welcome, just don't say anything or I'll get hit next" she says handing me a plate.

"Where were you before this?" I ask putting the dishes away.

"In another home, I've been here most of my life. When I was five I lived with my dad and his girlfriend. She didn't like me so she would lock me in the bathroom. When I was six she ran me over with her car so I went to the hospital. They looked into my home life and discovered it wasn't suitable. So they placed me with another pair of abusive adults. The only difference was this couple was paid to beat me. Not all homes are bad, there are people who do a decent job at caring for you. The only problem is they don't keep you for much time" she tells me. I won't ever get to see my parents again. This is only the start of how hard I'll have it.

"Does anyone care what happens?" I ask her. She looks down and shakes her head.

"Nope, you can thank your parents for that. We don't even get a birthday cake. The most you'll get is a card that they print and mail every year. The same card every kid gets. If your lucky you'll get a family that's down to adopt damaged kids. You'll never be a normal kid after here. You're at that age where you can remember this fucked up situation. That's why couples want babies and toddlers. They want younger kids to make it easier to claim them. They want to mold and manipulate them to their likes. At least you'll know the truth and where you came from" she says. I forget to look her in the eyes and wonder around. I wish she was lying, but she's older. She knows better. She's been here longer. I have no hope here. I won't be able to escape. I'll be lucky to leave alive.