Alone

When Little Ziggy was at school for the first time in 2006 (age 5), he was so excited. He'd be ready well before they needed to begin the few blocks walk, all dressed up in his nicest clothes with his hair still a total mess, and would chatter all through the afternoon about the new things they were learning. He'd bring home his artworks and Diana would help him put them into their 'precious things' folder, because Alex didn't like them leaving around the 'rubbish'.

His teachers could already tell Ziggy was smart, and had told Diana so. His letters were clear and sentences made sense. He spoke with certainty about many of the topics his class was learning about and he read chapter books with an ease that the teachers wouldn't expect of someone with 3 years on him. He had already taken placement grades and the school was looking to put him where he would benefit the most.

Ziggy was a bit like a sponge. He absorbed every bit of information and was able to store it for easy recall. Not only that but he was about to use the information, connect it to other things he already knew and work out new things for himself. The teachers were amazed and tried to get Diana to put him into a special school or at least get him a private tutor, but the Grovers simply couldn't afford it. It didn't stop Diana enriching his environment whenever she could. Ziggy and her were on first name basis with the town library and the doormen at the museum always gave them a discount. The Michaels still made sure he kept up with his Spanish and he was basically fluent! Diana couldn't work out who was prouder, them or herself.

But now? Things weren't going so well.

Alex had just lost his job due to cut backs and he hadn't been able to find a new one. That meant food was even scarcer than it was before as there was even less money available to get food. The entire family was beginning to look even more malnourished, especially little Ziggy, who was never going to look anything other than skinny. Diana was fairly certain that he was going to grow up that way, just a little too skinny and a little lanky. She knew that growing up under nourished usually stunted growth…She glanced over to where the child was reading through another book, barely seeing his tuft of wild hair and smiled, he would definitely never be tall, though that was partially her fault as it was. He had the short gene from her side of the family.

Diana continued adding up the months bills and rent against what she had earned so far at the diner and it wasn't looking like they'd be getting much more food any time soon. Thankfully, the Michaels last child had moved out and they were willing to share the little extra food they had on the down low, otherwise she was fairly sure they would have already starved.

A loud thumping echoed through the walls and Diana looked towards the front door with a hint of fear in her eyes.

'Ziggy, sweetie, why don't you go read in your room for a bit, ok?'

Ziggy, who was staring at the door fearfully himself, swung his head to stare at her with tears in his eyes. 'Mama, no,' he whimpered, leaving the book on the floor and running over to hug her, hiding his face in her skirt.

Diana close her eyes for a moment, feeling tears prick them as she hated herself for the fact that her child had learnt to fear his own father. Hated that they had ever been put in this situation. She hugged him back briefly before pushing him away and towards his room, Ziggy looking at her with wide eyes before turning to go hide in the cupboard like she'd taught him to.

'WHERE ARE YOU, YOU WORTHLESS BITCH?' Alex yelled, stumbling through the door drunk, hitting the doorway on the way through. He found DIana and advanced towards her, Diana moving slowly backwards with her hands in front of her.

'Alex? Alex, please, Ziggy is just in the next room.' She tried, quietly.

'HE'S NEXT! THAT WASTE OF SPACE IS THE REASON I'M IN THIS HELL WITH YOU!'

'Ziggy had NOTHING to do with this, it was our OWN faults! We should have known better and you shouldn't be blaming him for what isn't his fault!'

Alex lunged towards her and Diana sprinted, putting the couch between Alex and herself, tears making their way down her cheeks. 'Alex, please. Please stop this.' She cried, feeling the aches from the last few times this had occurred making themselves known. She cringed and tried to loosen her muscles, but seeing him so worked up wasn't good for relaxing.

Alex took that pause to leap over the couch, grabbing Diana by her hair and wrenching her head back, making her cry out in pain. She tried to curl into a ball to protect herself as the blows began to start, but Alex was relentless, eventually forcing her to the floor, where she curled up, but he simply began kicking at her sides and arms. As he paused to catch his breath, Diana forced herself up from the floor, tripping Alex before moving to the door. Alex threw a small glass vase at her, it hit the doorway next to her, but she still cried out as some of the broken pieces cut her arm and face.

Diana paused at the door, tears streaming as she glanced towards the hallway Ziggy's room was down. She turned back as she heard Alex grunting as he tried to get himself up again and let out a desperate sob as she turned and escaped out the front door.

XOXOXOX

Ziggy crept out of the cupboard after the house had been silent for a whole half hour. Mama had always told him that if she didn't come get him, he needed to wait, to make sure that Daddy didn't get mad at him too. But he didn't really understand why Daddy would get mad at Mama. Mama was really nice.

He crept down the hallway slowly, moving towards the lounge room. 'Mama?' Ziggy whispered, as he peered around the corner. Seeing the glass on the floor, he quickly ran into his room and strapped on his shoes. Mama had always said that there are pieces of glass that were too small to see if a glass broke. He moved out into the living room, glancing at Daddy, who was snoring on the floor.

'Mama?' He repeated, a little louder this time as he looked around, not seeing her anywhere.

'Mummy!?' He started calling, running into the hallway outside their apartment to see Senora Michaels looking at him sadly as he tried to find Mama.

'Senora! Senora! Have you seen Mama? I can't find her!' He asked, grabbing onto her pants with tears running down his face.

'Oh, mi corazon, your mama had to go for a bit. She's going to find a safe place for you and her to stay, so you'll just need to stay with us tonight. Ok, chico?'

Ziggy nodded mutely as Senora Michaels led him inside and sat him down at the table, placing a bowl of soup in front of him.

The next day, Ziggy's father had packed up their things. By that afternoon, he had grabbed Ziggy from the Michaels' and had driven them to the next town, Ziggy crying the whole way.

The day after, Diana had come in, beaming through her bruises and cuts about a friend from high school that was willing to give them a place to stay until they could get on their feet.

It was Senora Michaels who held her when she broke down after they told her Alex had already taken Ziggy and gone.

Ziggy was alone.