Chapter 1 - A Broken Family
THE light of the full moon shone through the open window of the apartment, illuminating the white bedsheets. Justice stirred. The full moon was not a time of rest for her. Carefully, she folded her sheets in half and stepped over Rose. Rose was perfect. She was eight, and had the most innocent face Justice had ever seen, and her pale skin seemed to radiate white.
Justice tied her hair back and stepped out of the open window. A cold breeze whipped around the edge of the building, chilling her body. Justice liked that. She tiptoed over the window ledge, and reached the old steel ladder on the side of the building. She had never really wondered why it was there, all she knew was it was there and it took her to the roof of the apartments. Taking the rungs one by one, she reached the top of the apartment block. Sitting cross-legged on the cold concrete, she watched. Watched the flashing lights of the highway. Watched the rolling waves of the distant sea. And watched the stars, and the moon. The moon seemed to be calling to her, longing for her to come. Justice sometimes wondered if it was her father up there, watching her. Wondered if he’d be pleased with what she had turned into; a beggar, a thief. But she loved and cared for her sister so much, paid their rent, her school fees, even sometimes went without food for her. Yes, the moon was begging. But she had a duty to fulfill. So she got up, bones creaking, and slowly descended the ladder. Through their window, Rose was still sleeping. Justice blew her a kiss, then slipped through the window and back into her bed. Yes, there were challenges on the road ahead. But she had Rose, and Rose had her, and they would face everything together.
