Rabbit: **WARNING - This story is very psychological and if you are uncomfortable with reading stories about domestic abuse, foster families, mental damage, tragedy, family troubles, parents who neglect their children, etc... please do not read. Please feel free to ask if your discomfort pertains to anything in this story by message. I will do my best to answer as soon as I can. And as a little hint, the story doesn't have all bad in it.
**Note - characters and/or situations appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
**Thank you for reading. c: Please don't hesitate to give constructive criticism that will help me improve my writing. Also, this is an original story and not a fan-made one.
**Dedicated to: A very important friend who has had problems with abuse. I want to point out that abuse, separation anxiety, or any other thing in that prospect is not forgiveable. No one has the right to hurt another, especially their own child. I do not in ANY way, shape or form accept the negative pieces in this story, however it is sad that it exists.

(Jesse's POV)

He was just sitting there. A boy around the age of twelve who had fair skin, dark hair, and sad eyes. He didn't even take a moment to look up from his clouded thoughts. I felt a pang in my chest while I stared into the depths of his brandeis blue eyes, unable to tear my own away.

Rain came pouring down on this child infront of me and soaked him through to his bones. All I could do was watch as he shivered coldly. He raised a hand to is forehead and held his heavy head up while droplets of water trickled down his skin and hair. The maturity in his deep blue eyes wasn't average for his age. Children shouldn't know that expression.

My legs wouldn't move and I was unable to do anything. Dark spots danced infront of my own frosty eyes and I realized that the boy wasn't real. Suddenly I heard an ear-splitting tone of voice saying my name viciously. "Jesse!" I didn't want to open my eyes.

"Wake up you ungrateful child!" I heard my mother scream so loud my ears began to ring. I knew this tone. She was angry. I kept my eyes closed tight with my covers over my head. Right away, I shivered when she took the thin sheet from my body.

A pain shot through me as I felt skinny fingers search through my hair and tear me off my bed. My eyes shot open. A shrill cry of agony flowed out of my lips when I fell off the slim mattress, dragged by my wrist through the threshold of my room.

"Mom! Let go!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. Soon, I was sent tumbling out the front door and down the three steps into a bone-chilling puddle. I groaned as I picked myself up off the pavement. I stared at the woman infront of me.

Glaring down at me hatefully from the front door, my mother spat out, "You're such an eyesore. You weren't supposed to be here.." She turned and closed the door as if she had a somewhat regretful expression on her face, then I heard the door slam and let that thought disappear. I stood in the street for a few moments and staggered down the road barefoot.

I slept in the park that night, keeping an eager eye out for trouble so that I could avoid it at all costs. It's not the first time that this has happened. I never thought she would be so upset in the morning and I can't even imagine what happened to get her that way. I remember the last time that I had to stay outside, I slept in a public bathroom in a subway station. It's a good thing they don't lock the cupboards under the sinks.

For mid-October, the night was humid and moderately warm. Apparently everyone else thought so too because they were all outside. Homeless people, couples, people just getting off work.. I honestly didn't know that there were so many homeless people in London. I don't live in a particularly amazing house, but I have a roof over my head most nights. I felt bad about it. For a six year old boy to think this, I wondered what was wrong with this world. I wanted to change it genuinely fix it.

- (Dream of the past) -

"Happy birthday... to me... Happy birthday... to me.." I felt tears coming on as I continued, "Happy Birthday.. dear Jesse.." I couldn't finish it. I was sitting in my normal spot when I ate whatever I could scrounge up from the refrigerator. Warm, salty tears started to stream down my face as I sighed in disappointment from the lack of company.

I turned four years old today. My dad was somewhere else. Mom never really told me where he went. I knew where she was though. She spent her spare time out with her friends getting drunk or meeting other guys. She forgot again. I thought to myself, glaring daggers at the floor. It was probably very unconvincing because my face was wet and eyes were red from crying.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang and I jumped to my feet. Bolting to the door like some animal chasing its prey, I opened the door with a smiling face. To my dismay, no one was outside. I closed the door slowly, hearing a eery creaking as it shut. Turning around, I jumped when I saw Jessy, a boy my age standing there. "Happy Birthday, Jesse." His voice sounded angelic. His eyes sparkled as he stretched his arms out wide for a hug. I ran towards him and buried my face in his shoulder. Us two four year old's sat down and talked for the longest time. It was the best birthday present I could have received.

I felt a wave of happiness crash over me and I began to cry again. Tears of happiness. Jessy, a boy who I had just met a few months ago had more consideration for me than my own mother to come and say happy birthday. I was happy to have at least one friend in the world who cared, and I got one. I was happy.

-(End)-

I awoke to the soft sound of birds which were eating the remnants of waste that has decomposed in the garbage. A slight chill enveloped my body and sent shivers down my spine. I could see my breath.

I decided to head home, keeping my eyes on the ground to make sure I didn't step on anything sharp. Walking up the steps, I held my breath just hoping that the handle was unlocked. After reaching out to twist it, I lightly pushed and was graced with the sweet sound of an opening door. I let my breath out.

Stepping in through the entrance, I shut the door behind me and crept through the living-room towards the hallway when I was brought to a halt by my mother who was sitting on the floor by the wall. "So, you came back? Useless child.." I heard her mutter. Ignoring her comment, I continued on to my room and closed myself off from the world again.

The next day, I woke up and went into the kitchen cautiously, hoping that she wasn't awake. If there was one thing I knew, it was that she was grumpy in the mornings. The linoleum floor was cold beneath my feet. I opened the small fridge and stared in disbelief. There was nothing but an almost empty 1L carton of milk and a mutilated block of hard butter. I had to ask her.

I called out for her, "Mom?" After a little time of waiting for some kind of response, I called out again. I padded around the house and realized she wasn't there. She knew I didn't like when she did that. Panic and anxiety rushed through me. Did she leave me alone? What am I supposed to do? I want to have a normal family that stays with you at all times.. One of those typical families I see when I'm at school on 'Bring your parents day.' If I could have that, I wouldn't want anything else. Why did Dad leave... Where did Mom go?

To my relief, I heard the door unlatch and she stepped through with a grocery bag full of food. She set it on the ground and took her old shoes off, tossing them to the rug. "You're still here? Get out of my way before I send you to one of those foster homes." She snapped at me.

I kept my eyes glued on the ground so that I didn't have to suffer the wrath of her own eyes. "I thought you left..."

"Why must I leave when this is my home? If anyone should leave, it's you." She hissed, hatefully.

I looked up, to afraid to say anything. I simply waited until she left to her spot in the living-room before I took a peek in the bag. When I snatched some food, I practically inhaled it. I haven't eaten since Friday night and it's Sunday morning. Taking a swig of the water in the water bottle, I washed the sandwich down.

Hoping for some more, I built up the courage to ask. "Mom..?"

Right away, I knew it was a mistake. Her eyes showed ill intention towards me. "What did you just call me?" The tone in her voice made it clear she was getting ready to do something painful. She stood and made her way over until she had my back pressed up against the wall.

Face to face, she wound up and brought her palm swiftly across my flesh. I could feel a slight sting on my cheek as my hand recoiled straight to my face, covering the mark of a hand. When she poised to strike again, I closed my eyes tightly and shrank to the ground with my arms over my head. Before she could make contact, her cell phone rang.

Grumbling, she answered her phone. "What? Oh hi!" I cowered against the wall as she basically changed character. "What? What do you want me to do with.." She paused and looked down at me, after that she resumed talking on the phone. "Sounds good. I'll see you then." She squealed and smiled down at me, ignoring the blood that appeared from a torn lip and the welt from her own hand.

"Jesse, honey. How would you like to go somewhere with mommy?" She asked, unusually smiling. I stared up at her with large eyes, curious about the sudden change in personality. Although the thought of going somewhere with her was overwhelming. I was ecstatic.

A/N: I know it was bad to start off a story with something like this... Hopefully no one feels offended or hurt by reading this.. The story really is a painful tragedy but I kind of like the plot... Hopefully you do too later on... c: (I feel like I used the word door too many times... oh well.)
Fact: The UK has many homeless people and even though there are council houses that cost them nothing, there were less houses than people that requested them and now many people are left homeless even though you get no fixed amount of euros when you go to the social security office. Unfortunately, there is a large number of people who are homeless there. Did you know that?