Just to Survive

By: Xzotic

Prologue

I hate sneaking back into this stupid place but it's the only way I can ever get a proper change of clothes and a couple of things worth pawning without actually stealing. I know others would find it weird that I'm climbing a tree to pick the lock on my own room but it's really nothing more than procedure for me now. By the time my good for nothing foster parents wake up and realize I was here, I'll be long gone and back to my usual haunts.

You see, the problem is that I'm stuck with a couple of con-artists as foster parents. When child protective services comes around they're all lovey dovey and play the role of the doting parents. Sometimes I'm there to blandly play along with the farce but most of the time I'm not and I can just imagine the shit that spews out of their mouths.

My room in their home is like a showroom. Toys, games, fresh linen, new clothes… the works. But they don't actually like me to stay there and the few months that I actually did stay there all those years ago were the most uncomfortable months of my life. And I grew up in one of the worse orphanages in the city so that's saying something. The Mizukis spent every waking moment sneering at me and putting me down. The last night I stayed there, it had gotten so bad that I'd thrown a punch at the husband. But I had only been twelve at the time so I'd gotten my ass beat pretty bad. Haven't talked to the two of them since, really.

So maybe you're wondering why I don't go to child-protective services where they're supposed to punish people like them? It's simple really. I'd rather have this freedom of going wherever I please and taking care of myself than risk going back to that depressing orphanage or trying my chances with another foster family. Better to have control of my own destiny than risk letting another stupid adult try to control it for me.

Besides, it's not all bad. I can sneak back into my old room whenever I need to and grab new clothes. I can even afford food for the next week or so if I pawn a few of the games or electronics they have strategically placed around 'my room.' Once, I even pawned a whole xbox360 and was set for about two months. That had been a pretty desperate moment, though.

Shaking my head at the bubbling memories, I methodically stuff a few odds and ends into a black duffel bag. A few pairs of pants, a few t-shirts, a new black and orange jacket, some fresh white socks, a nice watch, several computer games…. I look around the room and decide to leave the rest for their farce.

I place the bag beneath the windowsill and quickly remove my bloodstained shirt, what used to be a white pair of tennis shoes, and my favorite pair of ripped jeans. I throw those on top of the neatly made full-size bed and tug on a long-sleeved black shirt with a cool orange swirly design on the front and a pair of heavy-denim dark blue jeans. I fish out another pair of clean white socks and search the closet for a new pair of shoes and hopefully a belt. I happily find a pair of black construction boots and a thick black belt and finish getting dressed with a pleased smile.

I turn around, surveying the room one last time before I swing the duffel bag over my shoulder and jump out of the window. I purposefully leave signs of my being there and know that it'll piss the Mizukis off in the morning. The thought makes me grin as I run through the neighborhood, heading back to my hideout in the city. If I got back too late, I knew I would have a hard time waking up in the morning and would therefore be late for school in the morning. I didn't want to have to be sent to Mr. Iruka in the guidance counselor's office again so I put a new burst of speed into my run.

A/N: I know, I know! I have no business starting a new story when I haven't even finished my other two but this just wouldn't leave me alone and I kept writing more and more!! I already have an outline and two chapters on my hardrive!! I'll post the first chapter straight away but I'll save the second chapter until I see how this is received. This story won't be in first person. I only did this for the prologue. Please tell me what you think. I mean, the idea sounded great in my head but it may not have translated so great onto paper.

For those of you who might be wondering what's up with my other works, I'm really sorry but this is my last year in school and I've got such a heavy work load I could snap at any moment. This story literally wrote itself up to two chapters in just over an hour. My Kiba/Ino story is ALMOST done but I'm trying to find time to make it better. Please be patient.