2

10 years ago...

I was just an 8-year-old kid living the normal life in a simple house with a happy family that everyone seems to envy.

Everything was so perfect and so neutral..

..until it was not.

My Mother and Father both got fired from their jobs causing them to fight every night and day and it was all eventful from there.

Financial Problems.

Something everyone outside each family or household wouldn't really see, thinking we're still a sweet happy family.

Normally, when it comes to money. As an eight-year-old kid. That's just some important-looking paper being handed out to our parents in exchange for their hard work and services.

But, then i realized that it was not.

It was not just some paper.

It was something that broke us apart.

From there, i was always in my room being locked but little did they know.. I was hearing everything.

Everything an eight-year-old child wouldn't and shouldn't be hearing, but she had to, for her own good.

Everything was loud and clear, it was the only sound i can hear.

Until My Father left for 3 days, he never showed up and we don't have any clue on where and how he is on those three passed days.

From there, my mother was.. not like my mother anymore, at first..

..she kept crying..

and crying..

and crying..

until she started drinking.. smoking.. injecting herself between the fingers of her toes..

In that short time that My Father was not with us. It felt like decades for us not having him by our side.

Three weeks passed but there was still not even a hint of sign of my Father, my Mother found a part-time job, at least to feed me three times a day and comes home late and drunk.

As an eight-year-old child i am, one night i asked where my Father was.. she threw a beer bottle at me, it was not 'a night' anymore..

It was The Night, the night i despised, the night i regret waking up to.

I dodged and ran up to my room as i locked myself in. I was scared for my life. I was scared of my own Mother, how ironic..

From there she became violent.. she became scary.. i'd always avoid her but of course, i was fed up well, she would leave leftovers on the fridge but i would still eat and stay in my room.

For me, my room was the safest place in the world.

Until it rained bullets..

We were under attack by black-suited men that looked like gangsters. My Mother barged inside my room as she dragged me down the floor and covered us both securely.

I panicked and started crying. I didn't know what was going on.. I was only an eight-year-old child but i did know that our lives were at risk.

After what felt like minutes.

We heard the front door opened, My mother's breath hitched as she whipped her head on the broken door. It was damaged due to the bullets that fired inside my room.

We heard every door of the rooms inside the house being kicked open as we heard a pair of footsteps running inside my room, I cried and cried as well as my mom as she stood up and shoved me inside my closet.

"Just stay there and be quiet okay? Mommy will be back, let's play hide and seek like we always used to, okay?" Mom smiled and wiped my tears as she closed the closet door. I sat down and covered my mouth.

'Don't make noise or i will be caught..' I kept repeating that over and over again as i sat there peeking at the small gap of the closet.

"Where is Mr. Freyja?!" A guy yelled as a bunch of men entered the room and pointed guns at my mother. I silently gasped as she raised her palms. My whole petite body trembled as i couldn't seem to look away.

"W-Why?" Mom stammered. The men looked at each other then back at Mom.

"He has a debt consisting of 50$ million dollars and we're here to collect it. He said he would pay this week! Now, where is he?!" One of the men screamed threateningly.

"I-I don't know! I-I haven't s-seen him for w-weeks! I n-now live alone! P-Please i-i-i don't know anything ab-about this!" Mom started crying as she begs for her life and shook her head aggressively.

The men looked at each other again as some of them left the room, the other men nods and looked back at my mother.

"Search all the rooms! Boys, you know what to do." One of the big guys said as they shoved Mom to the bed.

I watched in horror as they strip and did the unthinkable to her, I could hear her scream in pain with each door banging on the rooms searching for my father.

Oh, how i wished i could have stepped out of that closet and tell them i was doing the same too.

I wanted to run and protect my Mom but i was glued to the floor, i couldn't move. i was in shock to see something like that at a very young age. I was scared to get caught. I was just crying. I was weak. I was fragile.

Until cops came as the men panicked, they ran outside as i was still there hiding on the closet as i silently sobbed while i covered my mouth, my mother stared at the closet door with tears in her eyes.

But, i know she was staring at me saying i did a good job hiding.

After a few minutes i realized..

She passed away..

==================

The bus stopped as i snapped out of my thoughts, i looked outside the window to see such a view of the city. My mouth went agape as i excitedly stood up and took my bags as i stepped outside the bus.

"I should look for a place to stay for the night at least.." I whispered to myself as i unlocked my phone, opening the map app. "A small room in a hostel would be great at least tonight.." I murmured.

It was getting dark as i hurriedly walked towards a hostel i found nearby. A tall golden-looking building welcomed my eyes as it sparkled the same way the building did.

I adjusted the bags on my shoulders as i entered the nice looking building, the staffs came and welcomed me.

"Hello ma'am, are you here to stay the night?" They asked as i smiled softly and nodded.

"Yes, can i get a room for one, please?" I asked as they nodded and led me towards the reception.

"Here's your key and how many days?" The receptionist asked, giving me a small key.

"Just for tonight." I smiled once again as the receptionist nodded. The staff then insisted to carry my bags upstairs.

I gasped in awe as soon as i stepped inside the room i'm staying in, a neat looking room with a single bed and a bathroom greeted me in my first night.

I unpacked some of my things as i then unlocked my phone once again, only to be met by a message notification.

;Hey! Do you have a place to stay?!

;You better reply fast, Missy!

;Grandma is worried, you monkey!

The messages reads as i forced my fingers to reply, my heavy eyelids were almost dropping and it will anytime now.

;I just saw your text amethyst, i'm sorry but yes i'm safely in a hostel right now to stay the night! I'm exhausted though so goodnight! Miss you! Love lots! <333

I smiled as i pressed the sent button, i tossed my phone on the bedside table as i rolled over and finally drifted off to sleep.

Hope i'll not wake up like those cliche first day of school mornings in books.. this is my own book and i promised to write it with my own pen..