ra's
Empty bottles were scattered across the living room, and broken glass was on the floor where he'd thrown something in one
ached all over, and I could already tell that there was dried blood in my hair from the injury last night. But I hadn't had the
best of my abilities. My hands trembled, my whole body felt nu
f course. He always did. I had been saving up to buy food for the rest of the week, to make sure we
my pocket. I would have to come up with some way to make
full breakfast anyway. I'd stretch whatever I could, but with one single slice of bread
tiny jar and poured the last of the milk into a glass for him. He wo
g his pillow to his chest while another remained on top of his ears. The sight made my l
least if I locked him up in his room, then he would remain
throat to make my voice seem
his bed. "Aurora?" His voice was muffle
et up, honey. It'
't know what was happening outside his door. Maybe it because he knew if he asked, I wouldn
lips trembling a bit, as if h
. But the only thing I knew was that I couldn't break. Not now, not in front of him.
en though there was only a single toast and the milk hardly reached half the glass; and I couldn't help
ing at the otherwise empty table, his lit
re my smile stayed as sincere as possible.
y father hadn't bothered with this time. It wasn't much, but it would have to do. "Here," I sa
softened. "Th
forehead, taking his hand a
ped on my shoes that were
e heading down the cracked stone path to the front yard. The lawn was now filled with weeds and overgrown, a
f my body dragging me down every step of the way. I
s friends by the bus. This part of childhood that was suppos
leave. I lingered at the entrance for just a moment, watching him through
ng settling into my bones. My body ached from the strain of what had happened last night, and my stom
ed through the air, tearing me out of my thoughts. The noise was jarring, unnatural, li
ou stupi
ht in my throat. I stumbled, trying to get out of the way, but my body refused to obey. I felt the ground beneath me shift as my knees buckled. T
hen-s
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