I woke up. it was late, 5:26 PM. I sat up and stared at the wall for a moment, thinking. memories of what happened earlier rang through my head. I didn't like it. Mother's voice yelled through the house, "Nalti! Dinner is done!". I succumbed to my feet and ran down to the table and sat. Mother cooked spaghetti today. my favorite. this.. couldn't be good. fear struck my face when mother said..

"So. Nalti.. I heard you got your report card today."

I gulped and stammered. "I- I don't know what you're talking about.. I didn-"!

but, mother interrupted me. her voice was fierce, and scary. "Listen here, you little WORM. You show me your report card, and you might not get it."

I reached into my backpack and shakily handed over the report cards.

Mother was enraged. "SEVEN F'S. DO YOU, NALTI, KNOW WHAT YOU ARE? A FAILURE. YOU WILL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING!" Mother hastily added, "God, You're just like your father.." mother started crying. "ALL I WANTED WAS A GOOD CHILD. GO TO YOUR ROOM!"

I froze. I was too scared to move.

"WHAT. ARE YOU DOING," Mother screeched. "YOU want it now, DON'T YOU?!"

Mother approached me slowly. she used the back of her hand to slap me. she slapped me with such force that I flew back. I was bruised blue. Mother yelled at me to leave. as I limped up the stairs, I saw her In the corner of my eye, guzzling a bottle down. figures..

I locked my room. I didn't want her to hurt me anymore. I opened my window. I tied my sheets together, and climbed down it like a ladder. I was on the driveway now. I started running away from the home.

It was dark, and cold. I picked up spare change I found on the ground as I walked. maybe I could walk to a grocery store and buy something.8

Eventually, I saved enough for a bag of pretzels. I hid some items inside my hoodie. they didn't know. I paid and left.

I felt free. Away from the pain, the abuse. free from mother. but, as the night went o n, eventually it got dark, so I walked to a park near my school and slept there.

I awoke to the sight of an old couple gawking at me. whatever, I walked to school.

END IF CHAPTER 3