Chapter 1
Life is pointless… that’s what I thought as my mother was screaming in my face this morning. This happens every day. My mom doesn’t even love me. Of course not. I, Lia Casey, am not loved. My mother raised her hand to smack me in the face. She does this often. She could break my jaw, but she doesn’t care. The funny thing is, I am adopted. The adoption agency has had me since I was born. I was taken there from the hospital. Even my biological mother didn’t want me. I do have a sister, though even if she isn’t blood. She is a spoiled brat that gets away with everything. Her name is Audrey Lynn Casey. Her name even makes her sound snobby. I am seven years older than her. I am thirteen years old and Audrey is seven. I wanted to slap her dumb little face but I knew I would get beaten again. So here I am standing in front of my screaming mother. She was screaming about how I was such a mistake. This will get old someday. She keeps telling me that she is going to take me back to the orphanage, I was only adopted five years ago. I felt my eyes swell with tears and I yelled “Then do it, take me back, you never loved me anyway, maledetta puttana!” I said the last part in my native tongue Italian and ran to my bedroom crying. I know I am in a lot of trouble, my mom doesn’t like when I talk in Italian because she doesn’t understand it. I heard stomping and I went to my window, opening it. I was on the third floor, but there was a trampoline in the backyard. My mother was banging on the door to my room. I grabbed the backpack I packed in case I ever wanted to leave. She opened the door right as I jumped out the window onto the trampoline with my backpack full of things that I would need. I got off the trampoline and ran. I ran as fast as my legs could run. I don’t know where I am going so I keep running. I find an alleyway that doesn’t have rats or homeless people. My new home. I opened my backpack and looked at what I have. I made a list:
Two outfits
A sleeping bag
A blanket
Three bottles of water
A bag of chips
A switchblade
A small box of matches
A sketch book
Some pencils
I put the switchblade in my back pocket. Then I looked around at my surroundings and I saw a dark figure. I stood up grabbing the blade out of my pocket and asked, “who’s there?” with the switchblade in my hand. The dark figure looked to be a male. I heard a deep grunt as the figure came towards me. He tripped and fell in front of me. I backed up slowly. I giggled quietly and then quickly brought the switchblade in front of me. He stood up trying to play it off. “¿Por qué carajo se ríe?” He said in a different language. I looked him up and down. He had a leather jacket. His t-shirt looked muddy, probably from the fall. He was also wearing jeans. He stood up and he looked at me with confusion. He pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight. I covered my face with my hands. “Why are you here?” He asked with a worried tone. He stepped closer to me and I held the switchblade out “don’t come near me” I said. He stepped back where he was standing and extended a hand “I am Roberto Hernandez. What’s your name?” He asked and I lowered the blade. Maybe he is not a danger to me. “Lia” was all I said. He got the hint that I wasn’t going to shake his hand and he lowered it. “Well Lia as I said before I am Roberto. I would like to know why you are in this alleyway alone?” He asked worriedly. I closed the knife and put it in the back pocket of my jeans. I didn’t answer him. I looked at my bag. He must have seen it because he facepalmed. “You ran away, you children are never happy.” He sounded disgusted as I looked down. I felt a tear run down my cheek and I quickly wiped my eyes. I wasn’t happy at home and he was right, children like me are never happy. “I was adopted by bad people” I said and fell to my knees. He knelt in front of me and said “look at me.” I did look at him and he gave me a reassuring smile. “Everything will be fine okay” he said. I nodded. He took a handkerchief and wiped my face. I wondered if he was going to help me. He put the handkerchief away and extended his arm to reach out his hand, this time I shook his hand. He helped me stand up. “Thank you” I said politely. He nodded. “Why did you run away?” He asked. “I don’t wanna say” I said quickly. “Roberto!” a strange lady yelled. I reached for my knife. “Over here!” Roberto yelled. I felt worried, maybe he brought my mom or someone bad to take me again. I pulled out my switchblade and held it in front of me, I slowly backed up. “God there you are, I thought another gang beat the shit out of you again.” She said out of breath from running. She was blonde with French braided pigtails, she was wearing all dark colors like she was about to rob a bank. Her jeans were green and had holes and her belt was barely hanging on. Her shirt was black, long sleeved, and very tight. She was a bigger build and I can tell she will beat the shit out of you. I backed up until I hit a wall. When she saw me she looked at Roberto. “Who’s the kid?” she questioned him. “I found her sitting here and she could be in danger,”he responded. Her expression looked like she was worried but I wasn’t paying attention. I couldn’t breathe and my vision was blurry. Things were losing color, everything went black and the last thing I heard was that lady say, “Oh shit she’s passing out, ROBERTO CATCH HER!”
