TOUGH

Melissa Tanya Burdens

My name's Melissa. I am a quiet person who displeases talking about herself.

I don't really tell information about me, unless it's actually needed.

But I guess I could introduce myself, for now.

I've been surviving this planet for 15 whole years.

5 years ago everything was perfect, until our town was affected.

I was just 10 years old by then.

I still remember that horrible day that I get nightmares about.

After the acid rain ended, I remember going inside my house thinking I would be safe.

Boy was I wrong, mom had gone crazy and stabbed dad with a knife.

When I saw the cuts in his back, I cried and cried, our house was also affected.

Mom was affected, dad died, everything was crashing apart that fateful day.

Enough. It hurts too much to remember.

My dad was killed-murdered by mom sick mom who knew nothing about what was happening.

I have always loved my dad.

He taught me how to be me, how to stand up for myself.

And now, I wish he was happy, wherever he is.

He made me who I am today.

A fighter, a guardian. But he also taught me lessons on being independent.

That's why my sister and I survived for 5 years.

My sister...

All I could say now is that I HAVE a reason for living.

My little sister, Riley Rose, whom I call R.R.

She's the reason why I wake up everyday.

She's my WORLD, if I would lose her, I would go in a range.

Yes, I am like a mother to her, she was only 5 when the incident happened.

At this age, you would probably find teenagers partying and enjoying their youth.

Well, not in this world.

Being innocent and sweet will get you nowhere but death.

That's why I learned to grow up, that's why I carry a gun or a knife everyday.

Yes, I do kill people.

But never anyone who's not attacking.

I kill those who try to hurt me or my sister.

I never hold the blade for the wrong reasons.

What my father has always told me still rings in my head all the time.

"Life's tough, so you have to be tougher."

And that's what I did, I GREW UP, I BECAME tough.

Never would you see me running away from anything.

I train my sister, but I don't want her to be like me.

I want her to enjoy life while it lasts, but also know how to stand up for yourself and survive a situation.

Believe it or not, but I have never smiled after these years, never.

I have 3 jobs :

I'm a student.

I work, I'm an employee.

But most importantly, I'm a fighter and a protector.

Now leave me alone and don't get killed. Watch it kid, it's a dangerous world out there.