Volume 1: Safe...For Now

"When are you going to bring your grades up?!"Yelled my mom as she stood there with a belt in her hand and my report card in the other.

"I'm trying," I whisper while making sure not to elevate my tone as that would result in a worse beating.

"I try my hardest to put a roof over your head, and this is the best you can do?!" She bellows as she strikes me with the belt.

This was my life; my mom who raised me herself abuses me every day and because I'm constantly bullied at school it's hard to even make a -D. I wish things were different, but I gave up on trying to change my situation years ago, I know how to divert the situation so that she doesn't leave me limping to school but I don't know how long I can last before committing.

The only time I can rest is when I'm sleeping...but why am I in a forest now? Around me are children around my age and they're all as confused as I am.

'What is this? Have the years of abuse finally start to have an effect on my mental state? I know this isn't a dream because the voices of the kids around me damaged my ears, so what now?

A faction? Like a group? Can I just go solo?

I pick solo since every time I try to socialize I always get picked on because I'm weak.

~Hello, I am your guide Sia and I will help you survive outside of the peace zone.~

Well...I guess it's time to leave the safe zone and enter the danger zone.