Chapter ONE

I looked up at the blanket of stars that stretched to infinity, the occasional barking of faraway dogs and the constant squeaking of my bicycle broke the silence of the night. There has been news of people going missing, others found mutilated and torn to pieces,but I'm not scared to be out at midnight. I'm honestly not scared of dyingA lady calls out to me and I wrap myself in a towel. A woman stood by the bed with a tray of food. "I peddled through the streets on my beat down bicycle that once belonged to my brother with the little strength I had left,just a little more and I'll be out of here. My brother left the moment he could. The only thing he left was a letter about how he resented our father. Our family was the dysfunctional one but the hope that there was something more out there kept me together, kept me from falling apart and giving into my demons. I reached out driveway and my dad's sedan was there,I don't hate my father I really don't even though he now spends his days drinking and spending time with cheap prostitutes ,he was not always like this ,I don't mind because he ignores me treats me like air and only looks for me when he needs money for buzz. He hates me because I look like her, growing up my brother raised me but even he left me in the end. I remember the night she left she combed her curly hair,did her makeup and put on her prettiest dress ,she kissed my forehead, grabbed her bags and got into the big black car that was waiting for her and ever since my father has never been the same. I looked at our house that had all it's windows nailed shut,my father has this obsession about wolves coming after him, my father was not always like this he was the sweetest and coolest dad he'd comb my hair and tell me stories about wolves, about how they existed and hide in plain sight, he'd take me and my brother out for ice cream and for walks in the park but nighttime was my favorite because I got to hear his stories now that I think about it,it was all a bunch of nonsense. I sighed and got into the house and found him on the couch with cans of beer spread around,the pungent smell of buzz and cigarettes dominated the air,this part of the house is always like this,I walk past the naked sleeping prostitute on the carpet and his also naked dirty friend that his always with obviously shared. Just a little bit longer, I'll be eighteen in a month and I'll be out of here. I make my way to the kitchen to look for something to eat and the only thing staring at me is an empty box of pizza,my stomach growls in hunger,he and his friends eat everything, even the cereal. I got a lot of tips today even though I'm reluctant I'll just order something to eat because I don't think I'll be able to wake up tomorrow morning with the hunger I'm feeling right now. I have to charge my phone so I make my way upstairs. We're always moving because he is always running away from his debts. The minute I opened the door to my room my stomach sank. The whole play was in a mess and everything was turned upside down. No! I rushed to turn my mattress and reached my hand into the hole I ripped and it was empty. He took my money,my only hope . I angrily stomped downstairs with tears streaming down my face "M*therf**ker,you stole my money",I yell and dump a bucket of water on him and all his buddies. "What the f**k!",he yells sitting up "are you out of your mind !". " Where is it!" " What?!", " My money,where is my money!", The woman started getting dressed and ran out ,he glared at me while he put on his pants. "You have some nerve hiding money from me",he says grabbing my hair and pushing me to the floor " little conniving b*tch!",he says kicking me in the stomach "see what you made me do!",he fills in his hair crying "why did you leave me! Because he had money?!"I know he is not talking to me now. I crawl back up the stairs and into my room,I hear him throwing and smashing things making another thing that I'll probably have to pay for. Why didn't Tyrone take me with him, even if it were under a bridge I'd still stay with him. I sat by the door crying,this is the first time he hit me. He is getting worse sometimes I can't even recognize him especially when he acts like a rabid dog,on some occasions he even growls at me,the drugs are what helps him. The sound of crushing jolts me up from my sleep,the sudden movement makes me wince in pain from where my father kicked me . The sound of my father's painful cry has me rushing down the stairs,the place is in a total mess and the living room is filled with men I've never seen before. "Please I'll pay up,I don't have the money right now I will soon I promise",my father sobs but all I hear is the crushing bone. I know I resent my father for the indifference and neglect but when I saw him pinned down with his arm twisted,I couldn't help but jump in to help. " Let go of him!"I screamed and hit the man with a bottle. "F**k the bulky man that was twisting my dad's hand says.Another man pins me to the ground pushing my face in the dirty smelly carpet. "Don't waste my time , where is he?",a husky voice says. " Who?",my father asks but only gets his hand twisted further. " Where's Cain?", " I don't know,I swear,I don't know!",my father pleads. " You were his business partner", " That son of a b*tch , betrayed me, I've not heard from him since!", What was going on,who the hell is Cain? They continued to beat down my father and I watched as he begged to spare him. "Take him to the house, I'll deal with him later",the voice said,he must be the boss of all these men. " What about the girl",the man I hit with a bottle says. "Take her with us ,her father owes $500 000 ,so of course she'll have to pay for it",he laughs. " I'm not paying for shit!"I scream from where I'm pinned, making them all laugh at $500 000? How in the world will I ever manage to pay back?I hope God will forgive me but they can kill my father for all I care. I'll have to work for the rest of my life to pay that amount back. " Got a lot of mouth there now don't we",all I see are the tips of his shoes as he walks in front of me . And then the most intoxicating scent hits me , I've never smelt anything like it ,it prevailed over the pungent smell of the carpet,it was the most delicious thing, before I realized it I was hungrily taking in more of the scent, I wanted the warmth and comfort it brought me but before I could busk in my new found bliss the man holding me down pinched my neck so hard I passed out.