Something about being in the rain… I love it. how it is so calming but can be dangerous. so unpredictable. unpredictable is a good way. it washes away all of the stress of life. and it leaves making the world feel clean and fresh. so that is why I am sitting in my secret tree in the middle of a HUGE rainstorm. even though I am soaked I feel better than I have in weeks.
too much happens in my life. too much to handle. so when everything seems like it is going to boil over… I escape. I run and don’t look back until I have reached Grover Forest. then I creep through the towering oak trees, turn left when I see poison ivy, walk around the well and then I am at my tree. MY tree. the tree where I let all my feelings go because I know I cant show them to my siblings. or my… guardian. this is where I have gone ever since our mom was taken. this tree is who I talk to, who listens, who gets me, who loves me. I sound crazy, I know, but if you were in my situation you would know that having one place to be yourself is all that keeps you going.
so now I am nestled between two thick branches about 15 feet in the air. letting the rain clear out all of my feelings: my hate, my fear, my anger. I wait as the rain fills me up with comfort and peace and confidence. I need to be in a better mood when I get home. I cant let my struggles fall on to my three younger siblings shoulders. first because Jessie would probably “run away”…again. and we would be all dying of worry only to find out she has been hiding somewhere in the house. Jayden would work his hardest to help me out but every time he does that I see pain in his eyes, because my troubles are too much for him. and Jordan would just cry and mope and act like a brat. which wouldn’t work out well with Cynthia, our guardian.
I am the oldest of four. my name is Jane. I am 16, Jayden is 14, Jessie is 10, and Jordan is 9. when I was 11 our mom was taken. taken by some psycho and killed. after that we were sent to our only aunt and uncle. when they had enough of us they sent us to our grandparents. our grandparents claimed to be too old to take care of such troubled kids so they sent us off to the orphanage. great life, huh? after only two weeks at the orphanage they wanted us out so we got to stay with a foster family. Ms. Cynthia Milbrooks. otherwise known as the evil child abuser. we have been with Ms. Cynthia for nine months, the longest we have stayed anywhere since our mother died. we only stay because Cynthia claims she wants us. I know she only says that because she needs something to take her anger out on, we do anything she wants, and her current boyfriend loves us. well he loves to make us his servants as well.
I sit in the rain for five more minutes and then I make my way home. hurrying because I said I would be home with groceries in an hour and I was sitting in the tree for at least thirty minutes. I race up to the local market, grab some bread, eggs, milk, and two boxes of Mac and Cheese and then get home as fast as I can. I quietly slip through the door and put away the groceries. as I am putting away the milk I hear Jayden’s scream and I know that he was just hit. I throw the milk in the fridge and race to the living room… empty. I sprint upstairs when I hear another scream, this time is was Jessie. I burst into our room to see Cynthia leaning over Jayden smacking him over and over. Jessie is in the corner, blood flowing from her arm. poor Jordan is sitting on the bed his eyes glazed over but I see so much hurt in them. he has seen this happen so many times.
“CYNTHIA!!!!! STOP!” I command.
Cynthia slowly turns around to face me. ” who are you.. to tell me… when to STOP!” she whips her hand up and pounds it against my stomach. I fall to the ground but keep my glare on her.
“do not hurt them.. you swore you wouldn’t hurt them while I was gone.”I say, my voice trembling.
“Well sweets I guess you just learned that I don’t keep promises. oh! and while we’re talking I don’t want you to ever talk to me like that again. okay?” she says with an evil grin on her face.
“yeah.. sure.” I mumble.
Cynthia struts out of the room. after I hear her heels click all the way downstairs, I look at my siblings. I get some ice for Jayden, I bandage up Jessie’s arm, and then we all sit on the bed. we crawl under the covers of our bed and snuggle close to each other. then the sobbing begins. all three of them start bawling at once and I just hold them close and whisper “it will be okay” over and over. once they quiet down we sit in silence for a long time and then finally i speak up.
“I am sorry I wasn’t here… are you all alright?”
“it wasn’t your fault and yes I am okay except my face hurts.” Jayden whispers
“I am fine. I really wish mom was still here.” Jessie says.
“I hate Cynthia..” Jordan mumbles.
“I just want you to know I love you guys. I love you so much. and soon we are getting out of here.”
