prologue
Do you ever feel like your drowning in the far deep ocean? Your cold, scared, and, alone. That’s how I feel every day. My life isn’t the perfect life that every other kid has, it’s far from that. You see, about eight years ago, my mom passed away in a car accident. She was coming home from work one night, and some drunk driver crashed right into my mom and she instantly died.
It was one of the worst nights of my life for my brother and me. At first, my dad would stay in his room and not come out at all. But later on, he started getting drunk, day after day. He started beating my brother Lucas and me.
Though, he only got to beat my brother once, and it was the first time he had ever done it, because, after that, I didn’t let him lay a finger on him.
Your life at one point takes a real big turn. Like you’re on the highway and out of nowhere comes a huge turn, one you didn’t expect. That’s exactly how my life turned out. I never thought that I would lose the parent I love the most or get abused by my own dad. Things in life sometimes come unexpectedly.
My dad was a good guy. He met my mom in college, they had a class together and they sat right beside each other as well. You see, my mom was a shy girl. She liked to keep to herself. She was anti-social, but My dad and mom started hanging out together after school and they instantly clicked. You know the rest, they started dating, then a few years go by and they end up getting married and they eventually have two children, Lucas and I.
I remember the day so clearly, the day my mother died. I heard my dad screaming downstairs at the front door. Someone was standing there but I couldn’t see, because my father was blocking my view.
I sat on top of the stairs waiting for a good hour tell finally my father shut the door. He just stood there and I asked him what was wrong. He said three words that shattered my whole entire world. “Your mother’s dead”
I cried night after night. My brother Lucas at the time was five and he didn’t understand what was happening he kept asking where mommy was but all I kept saying was she’s gone.
That happened 8 years ago. Ever since that day, my dad started hurting me. Though My father finds something to yell at me, It’s either the foods too cold or I didn’t clean the living room much, or I’m just ugly. So I basically get a beating for everything.
I have a job after school at a Diner. My father always forgets to pay the bills so I have to pay for them so we can have light at our house and a warm place. Lucas was on the basketball team and he was also the captain, so he stayed after school most of the time But I usually worked till seven, and his practice always ended at 4:30. So his friend’s mom drops him off. On weekends, I’d take him with me to the Diner or he spends it with the basketball team. On weekends I usually worked from 7 a.m to 11 p.m. I always try to pick up more hours to earn more money.
I also don’t worry on weekends about my dad because he’s always at a bar getting his ass drunk, and comes home around three in the morning.
Since I’m a senior and I passed all my classes I don’t have a 4th period so I always go straight to work. Last year I had earned a lot of money, so I bought a phone for my brother and a phone for me. The first time he got it I told him to message me when he’s going to his friend’s house instead of going to the Diner. When he comes to the Diner, he asks his friend’s mother to drop him off.
I would do anything for my brother. He’s the only reason why I’m still alive. At this point I don’t care if I get beat, I just make sure my brothers always safe from him. I would take a bullet for my brother because he’s always my light in the darkness. Lucas has a bright future ahead of him, he’s one intelligent kid. He could probably get into any school when he applies for college in a few years or even gets a scholarship for basketball.
I will do anything to save my brother from this bad environment were living in. If I have to die in the process, well let it be, but I will never let my brother go down with me.
