Chapter V: Bleak

My dear reader, I wish that I could tell you that things became better after my mother lost custody of me and I was placed into foster care. I wish that I could tell you that my new "parents" were kind and loving Christians with a love for children. Even I believed they would be. However, God had a different plan for me. It appears that my battle was not over.

After my mother was placed in jail and sentenced to 15 years, the adoption center set out to finding me a new home. When they came across the Griffon family it was believed that they would make the perfect match for me. So one Saturday afternoon I packed my bags and got into the car that would take me to my new home.

We pulled into the driveway in front of a small, worn down yellow house. My driver assisted me with my belongings and guided me up the green steps toward the front door. I knocked. A woman, whom I presumed was my new mother, answered the door with a grin on her face. She was short and had wild red hair and warm grey eyes. She introduced herself to me, and then guided me to the rest of my family. I met my new father, a tall man with black hair and glasses, second. He gave me a warm welcome and called my new siblings downstairs. Abby, Richard, and Penelope were their names. They each gave me an emotionless hug and then they all guided me to my room. It turned out to be more like a broom closet.

As my life at the Griffons began to settle down, their true colors began to come alive. What I thought was the new light of my life turned out to be my all-time low.

I was treated as a part of the family for about a week. Mrs. Griffon cooked warm meals every night and sat at the head of the table. We all giggled and told stories, and afterwards we would all watch television together.

After that, everything changed. What was the first night that I was asked to cook dinner and clean the kitchen, turned into a tradition. I became the family slave, and I didn't bother protesting because I knew what the result would be, thanks to my mother. I still heard her in my head occasionally. She would laugh and tell me you better make your new family happy or they won't ever love you. Oh how I wanted their love. But like my mother, they never showed a mutual desire. All they ever did was bark orders at me.

My responsibilities in the Griffon home included, but were not limited to:

- Cleaning

- Cooking

- Laundry

- Yard Work

- Trash

- Dusting

- Mopping

If I was not done by 9:00 each day, I would go to bed hungry. I was now juggling school and all of my chores at "home." I was forced to do more for the Griffons than my mother had ever required of me.

My time at school continued to move downhill. I never found friends, and always lacked good grades. My peers continued to bully me for my frizzy hair and messed up teeth, but I never let their words get the best of me. Despite my many struggles I continued to attend church and keep my faith. Though times were difficult I was able to turn to God and place all of my worries into his hands.

I may have gone from one misery to the next, but as the weeks continued, I found myself missing my mother more and more each day.

I knew that I had to get out of there, however every attempt was unsuccessful. I eventually just stopped trying, and gave up.

I had to have faith.

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul

-Matthew 16:24-26