Chapter 1- Kiki's Past
It was 7 am, another sleepless night for young Kiki. I was 4 years old at the time. My parents were just killed, when I was at preschool. All that I have to remember them by is my teddy bear. I am sick of this adoption agency. I just want to be gone from here. I think it's time that I make my dream a reality. I'm talking about running away. I got it all figured out. Once they let us outside for playtime after breakfast, I will sit by the bench at the gate "playing" with my teddy, and when they aren't looking, I will sneak out of the gate, and run. I will just keep running.
"Kiki, it's time for your bath. Are you ready?" The caretaker said
"Yes mam" I replied. I went willingly, at 830 we all went for breakfast. I wore my favorite pink outfit. It was a bright pink top, with a green peace sign on it. I also wore my favorite pink and green camo shorts. I tied my long blonde hair into pigtails. I put on my teddy his pink ribbon. Like I always did, when I was younger I always tied a matching ribbon around his neck. I followed my plan accordingly. I ate my breakfast as usual, in total silence with the other children. Finally it was time to go outside to play. I could put my plan into action. I sat waiting on my bench. Finally the caretaker had to run inside to answer the phone. That's when I ran. I kept running and running. It felt like I had been running for hours, I was lost, scared, and crying. Finally I felt what felt like a big wall in front of me.
That's when I met him, the man who would change my life forever, Duane "Dog" Chapman. I was even more scared then. He had his long hair, and he wore all black. I was too scared to run, and my legs felt like jelly. So I just fell to the ground, and sat there crying.
"Hey little girl, what's wrong?" Dog had said to me. I ignored him. That's when his wife, Beth, came up.
"What's going on? We need to go." Beth told her husband, that's when she saw me. "Hey baby, why are you crying? Are you lost?" She sounded really compassionate. I couldn't find my voice. So I just nodded yes. She helped me stand up, and asked me. "Well hunny, what's your name? Would you like to come inside for a snack? We won't hurt you."
"I… I'm Kiki… I don't have a home… th…thank you…" I somewhat stopped crying by now. I don't know why, but I felt safer all of a sudden. Beth and Dog had taken me into their house. There were a few older kids there. Dog introduced them as Leland and Duane Lee. Leland made me a sandwich well Dog and Beth went to talk.
"It's Kiki right?" Leland asked me. I nodded yes. "Well that's beautiful name, for a beautiful little girl like you." I smiled, and squeezed my teddy a little tighter. I didn't like compliments like that from strangers. "Where do you live?" he asked me.
"I…I live at Sunrise Adoption Center." I said, looking down, trying not to cry.
"I'm sorry to hear that you live there, it's not fair to grow up not knowing your parents." Leland said, really caring.
"My parents… they wanted me…. They just… they were killed… when I was at school one day… it was the last day of preschool… I was saying goodbye to my friends…. And then a lady from the office… she came and…." I couldn't finish my story I just started crying my eyes out. I squeezed my teddy tight and just tried to forget.
Dog came in, and shocked me out of what I was remembering when he spoke. "Kiki, it's totally up to you, but me and Beth would like to offer you a chance to live here. We can tell you don't like your adoption center." I didn't know what to say. I nodded yes, with tears flowing from my eyes, but not tears of sadness, but tears of joy. I finally had a home, somewhere I was wanted and belonged. Little did I know, that seeing Dogs side of the law, would lead me to making a decision that would change my life forever.