Chapter One
"Sang! Where are you? Get your lousy... ." Her angry words trailed off to unintelligible mumbling. My locked bedroom door refused to keep out the hung over ramblings of my step-mother at bay. I I jerked up in bed. Immediately I panicked, on high alert. What did I do this time? Mentally, I ran through the past few hours. There wasn't anything I could think of that might have set her off. Again, what had I done? Really, I knew the answer to that… nothing. I never did anything to deserve her bitter hatred and insufferable torture. Well, that's not true. I was born and though totally beyond my control, I guess that was enough to warrant her punishments- which she so lovingly handed out on a rather consistent basis these days. Kneeling in rice? Done it. Sitting on hard wooden stools for hours on end? Been there, more than once. Holding up pitchers of water? Check. Standing until I collapse? Yup, done that too. Recently, she's decided to up the ante. What used to only be debasing methods of breaking my spirit, you know things like what I mentioned before, had turned into rage filled bouts of violence that left me bruised, bloody and broken. More than once I've literally had to crawl up the stairs to seek refuge in my room.
Mommy Dearest's latest had given me more boot sized bruises than I could count, a bloody nose and what I'm sure is, at the least, three cracked ribs. Though I wouldn't know for certain. Doctor appointments and ER visits are out of the question. I'm guessing about the extent of my injuries based purely on the amount of pain involved, and that's a lot. A whole, whole lot.
Carefully, I eased myself back in bed. It sounded like my step-mother had fallen back asleep, which meant that I could try to catch a few more hours of sleep until I had to start this torment all over again. I sighed and slammed my fists onto the comforter around me. Things were getting so much worse than they used to be. She drank and overdosed on her pain pills on a fairly regular basis these days. Something had to have sparked this behavior in her. It surely wasn't anything that I had done. As a general rule, I only spoke when spoken to and kept to the shadows in every aspect of my life. I was invisible, and I preferred it that way. So what was it? There was only one thing that I could think of.
It's been nearly two weeks since we last heard from my father. Even longer still since he left on a 'business trip' to Mexico with his blonde, bombshell secretary Kymberlee. I'm guessing all totaled, it's been almost a month since anyone around here has seen him. Step-Mom was pretty dependent on him for nearly everything. She no longer worked due to a disabling car accident that broke her back nearly three years ago. She's been popping pills and drowning her sorrows ever since. Leaving her room only to visit the doctor, restock supplies and dish out the occasional beating. Needless to say, I prayed she remained holed up in her room, submerged under her dingy bedding, flipping through talk shows and soap operas by day and infomercials by night.
I gazed out my windows, trying to lose myself amongst the stars. Willing myself to anywhere but here. So far, it wasn't working out to well. I could still feel my crappy mattress cradling my sore body. As my eyelids began to droop, I heard the jangling on my doorknob. It's in situations like this where I'm so glad I had the forethought to start locking my door. I sucked in a deep breath, not wanting to disturb the noises of my wannabe intruder. Past experience had taught me to not be caught unaware. The distinct click of the lock releasing told me that I could relax… a little.
Marie peeked her head through the doorway, into my darkened room. "Psssssttt, Sang! Are you awake?" She paused, giving me time to answer- which I didn't. "Sang?! Wake up!" Her persistence told me that she was in need of something. Marie would never talk to or check up on me for no reason. If I wanted peace, then I had no choice but to respond.
"What do you want, Marie?" I hoped that she could hear the irritation in my voice, because I was trying to make it real obvious. "I'm not covering for you again, so don't ask."
Marie gave me one of those pi-shaw noises that teenagers are so prone to. "No, Sang." She was talking to me as if I were an idiot. "I just wanted to snag a few bills from you." For someone who wanted something, Marie was sure being rude. "Danielle and I are hitting up Shimmy's for a little fun, and I need something for the cab. Do you have anything?" She couldn't see, but I rolled my eyes at her desperation. Danielle was a girl who lived down the street and had so kindly taken Marie under her wing, teaching her all the finer ways of teenage debauchery. Drinking, partying, clubbing (which was where they were apparently headed tonight), drugs and sleeping around with the who's who of our High School sports teams were all a possibility when Danielle was involved.
"Sorry, I spent the last of my money on lunch today. Really, I wish I could help but I'm broke." It was a lie, but she didn't need to know that. Marie wasn't happy with my news. "Ugh! Now what?! I'm supposed to be meeting Danielle at the corner in 5, Sang." I muffled a groan with my pillow. How was this my problem? I just wanted her to leave so I could get some peace and quiet
This time I huffed aloud, hoping to convey just how put out I was feeling about this whole situation. "Just a sec. Maybe I have a five." Grudgingly, I rolled out of bed and went to my pretend hidden stash. This was just the decoy supply. Marie frequently scavenged my room for anything she deemed desirable or useful. Usually this meant cash. If I kept a small amount hidden in an obvious place, then she was less likely to go looking in other places throughout my things. Like the actual location of my stockpile of emergency bills. So far over the years, I'd amassed nearly a thousand dollars doing odd jobs for neighbors, babysitting and the small, irregular amounts that Dear Ol' Dad gave us in allowance.
I reached up on my bookshelf and pulled out the old book I'd hollowed out to serve as a hidden safe, of sorts. I feigned secrecy, quickly pulling out the book and using myself as a screen between Marie and the book. I plucked out a five dollar bill, and slipped the book back into place. "Here, this is all I have, sorry." She snatched it out of my hand faster than I would have thought possible, turning out of my room and tossing a "Thanks" over her shoulder as she left. Quietly, I shut my bedroom door, clicking the lock into place. Finally, she was gone. Maybe now I could get some sleep. Tomorrow I had an all-day babysitting gig for the Walkers down the street. I had to be there by seven a.m. and was going to be watching their toddler twin boys, and 6 year old daughter well passed their (and my) bedtime. Most teenagers would detest the thought of such work, but I was thrilled and I couldn't stop the grin that plastered across my face. After tomorrow, I would finally have enough money to put my plan into action. In less than two days, I would be free.