my neck as I make my way out

bother stopping a cab, deciding to walk. Better this way. Now I ca

ng depen

home. A two room apartment that is close to falling apart due to the wood

from the kitchen and it is my o

because he promised to make everything ea

t to be very

out the door when I hear his voice, still s

ink you are going?" He says,

d as it always looked

ng you around the house a

ity for our family. When mother

pulsed, tried to talk her out of

the d

would help

oking and bringing women into

ible mistak

er lik

t there now, I only came to c

iff, trying to get out of t

me, staring d

a while, have some te

tion. There was no

lking into the room I share wit

caused me to be

ken with big eye bags and slouched shoulders as she lay on the couch. Her

ng good happened today at wo

this

eside her. "Everything went well. There w

ve her

to know of the situatio

cheek before resting h

il she hears my stepfather's mo

aced underneath the counter. Ple

er says

to be my stepfather, enjoying the bene

? You can always make more, you

lain about eve

s voice growi

uses me

rself. What use are you to us in this house?" I don't care that I'm

going into my sister's tr

t yourself and

? She's dead beat. Why do you

to die?

o not comprehend my thoughts unt

zing wit

just said. You are the one who

if you get out

a wro

d in the next second, he is

wards where I lay to pick me up but he is faster. He

and your pathetic mother are

you have to do is put food on the

But I am not about to let him go scot-free after what he said to my mother. I follow him."Why are you so s

has done everything f

m to do more." "Get back inside, you st

s as he

m not ready to

come we make, draining it. You selfish, irresponsible old man. I never liked you from the start but I w

hrows me to

black till he rounds up o

tupid

d scowl o

o me like that?"

ders. " The third slap did not land on my face. I manage to look up with my one swollen eye to see som