Aftershock

Emily has felt like she was an adult since she was 16. That's when she moved out of her parent's house. Actually, it was probably some time before then, that she felt her childhood slipping away. Like, when her mother remarried an alcoholic hot-head when she was 10; or maybe when she was 11. That was when her mom and "dad" started their new family, and her, and her 8 year old sister learned how to care for infants and toddlers, and babysit. "Mr. Dad" wasn't the best dad.. in fact, he wasn't the best person. He couldn't handle his two step-daughters to begin with, when they decided to have a baby girl, and then… another! Those years were full of pain, abuse, feelings of betrayal, hate, and so on.

Life was out of control for her family: Mom and "dad" worked crazy night shifts; Emily and Stephanie babysat their two little sisters, went to school, and picked up the slack around the house; while dealing with an abusive, controlling man that always hovered over their shoulders. Their mother would pretend nothing was going on, and said their "father" was just "strict". Everyone around them knew better. But who was going to try and ruin a budding new family, over a couple of misfit, bastard, troublemakers?

Then, Mom got pregnant again, and the news that came from Emily's, then, 4 year old sister's mouth, floored her: "It's a girl AND a boy!" Enough was enough, and she left. Not as easily as that but, definitely, as quickly as that. And the only place to go from there...was downhill. Fast.

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This is the story about the aftershock of my damaged youth. The real deal. Names are changed to protect the innocent... and not so innocent. Situations are changed to protect the personal life of the author, but I'm not going to make anything up. I feel like it's time to clean out my closet. It's time to organize these thoughts, and get them out there, so it's not bottled up inside. And maybe... they can stop haunting me late at night.