Categories > Original > Drama
Never Coming Home
0 reviewsShe was just a girl. A girl who had love. But, their love was to young; too premature. She had to have him. She risked her life. But, that life was useless when he didn't make it. He d...
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Mommy! I don't wanna go to school!" the young girl cried.
"Callie, kindergarten will be fun," her mother said becoming frustrated at her young daughter.
"No! No! No! No!" the girl cried and stamped her feet.
Her mother bent down and tied Callie's shoes quickly ignoring her crying."You'll have fun!" she said once again as she stood back up and wiped Callie's face with her hand. Callie shuttered at her mother's cold hands, but, she savored that touch more than the sweetest candy.
"Okay, Mommy," Callie said as she grabbed her Powderpuff Girls backpack off the kitchen counter.
"Ready to go?" Callie's mother asked as she secretly took her package of cigarettes from her purse so Callie couldn't see her horrible habit.
"Yeah," Callie said in her cute high pitched voice. She skipped off through the door and outside of their small house.
"Hold on, Honey!" her mother called from behind her.
"No!" she giggled and ran down the path to the crosswalk. She waited for her mother to come up behind her. She smelt her mother. "Mommy, why do you smell like fire?"
Her mother sighed. Her hand reflexively brushed back her daughter's hair."Honey, everything's okay. Don't worry your pretty little head about anything in the world. Mommy will take care of it." But, Callie's mom couldn't be any more wrong. On top of her daughter's medication, she was flooded with costs. Her small job as a receptionist could never pay for all of the expenses. Her husband had left her only three years before when Callie was only two years old.
"Mommy!" Callie called out to her mother loudly.
"Shh," her mother cooed as she grasped her hand tightly. She loved her little girl so much, but, she just wanted the best for her and the best was not under her supervision. That was why she was planning on leaving her daughter in the care of someone who actually knew how to take care of another living being. She was going to drop her off at the orphanage after her first day of school.
Chapter 2.
Her mother left her in a room with other young children.
"Have fun," she said and gave her daughter a kiss. The last kiss.
"I will. Don't worry, Mommy," she said and skipped away to her cubbie. Callie took her prized possesion from the bag. It was her prized Barbie doll. The special addition California one. She planned on bragging to the other girls. They didn't have what she had.
The doll. The last thing she had to brag about. Callie didn't know what her mother was planning as Callie played the day away. At that moment, her mother was signing the papers that legally gave her away. She did not want her. Callie didn't understand when the social worker walked into her classroom. The social worker talked in mumbled words to Callie's teacher. Callie could not read lips. Soon, she found herself walking down the hall with the social worker's hand in hers.
"Where are we going?" Callie whispered faintly.
"A new school," the social worker lied through gritted teeth. She was sick of the little children asking questions about things that they couldn't change. They didn't know.
"Oh," Callie mumbled.
"Talk with your mouth open," the social worker said and pushed open the door that led to Callie's new life. The orphanage. "We're here," the social worker said.
"I don't wanna go," Callie said.
"There's no other choice."
"My mommy would't want you do do this," Callie screamed.
"Your mother is gone! You're going to live here from now on!" she screamed and lost her patience.
Callie's eyes welled with tears. She breathed in sharply in and out to stop the sobs. "Okay."
The social worker dragged her into the room. Callie saw other kids; some younger than her, some older. They were playing around and they looked like they were having fun. The social worker talked to the woman behind the counter with a rushed tone. Callie felt the tears again. What did the social worker mean by her mother being gone? She wanted her mother. She needed her.
"Come," the social worker said and grabbed Callie's shivering hand again.
"No."
"What did you just say?!" the social worker grumbled angrily.
Callie quivered and flinched as the social worker tugged her into a room. She saw her Barbie luggage on the bed. Callie's eyes were brimming with tears and she was trying with all her might to hold them back. She didn't want the mean social worker to see her cry. She knew she would hurt her.
"This is where you'll live from now on," the social worker said.
"Oh-okay," Callie whispered. The mean social worker left and Callie finally let her tears fall. She jumped onto her bed and cried into the hard pillow. She sobbed and gently raised her bruised hand. She looked at the imprints of the social worker's fingernails in her skin. She picked at them until they bled. She needed a reason to cry.
Chapter 3
Callie's tears lullabyed her to sleep. She woke up to the loud screams of pain. She was too frightened to look up. She knew it was a boy. She heard quiet crying like it was trying to be hidden. She looked up from her pillow. A short boy was sitting on the ground with his head in his hands while a larger boy stood looming over him. He had a grin on his face and kicked the smaller boy. Callie winced and caught the larger boy's eye.
"What are you looking at?"
"Nothing," she muttered quietly and turned from him.
"Look at me," he commanded. Callie's lip quivered as she turned around on the blanket and faced him. She studied his dark brown eyes that seemed to be filled with hate and a slight hint of pain. "You little shit. Stop crying!" he screamed.
Callie didn't know what that word meant. But, she knew what two words meant. Stop. Crying. Her eyes burned and she closed them. A solo tear slid down her chubby face. The small boy stopped crying and stared up at her. His bright green eyes were bright red and blood was coming out of his upturned nose.
"Run while you can," he said quietly.
"Shut up!" the bigger boy screamed and smacked the smaller boy across the head.
"Ow, Zack!" the younger boy screamed."Stop punching me! I'm telling Sister Marge!"
"See if I care!" this boy 'Zack' screamed and kicked him in his side.
Callie jumped up from her bed and ran out the door. She ran down the hallway in her socks and slipped. Her face hit the hard floor when she slid and fell. She felt her face with her hand and pulled it back. It was stained red with blood. She hated blood. She looked away from her hand and accidentaly licked her lip that was covered with the blood. She screamed and spit onto the ground. She laid down agaist the wall and hid her face. She heard footsteps. Closer. Closer. Closer. It sounded like the person was wearing boots. Heavy boots. She opened her eyes and looked at the feet. They looked like snowboarding boots. She looked up the long, slender legs up to the face. It was him.
"Zack!" Callie cried and flinched when he leaned down. She blinked and saw that Zack wasn't doing anything. He offered her a hand. She took it and he pulled her up with one tug.
"You're shaking," he observed. "How old are you?"
"Five," Callie said offering him five fingers to show how old.
"I'm double your age," he said. "I'm ten. Did you have a bloody nose?" he asked.
She nodded her head and lied. She didn't want to admitt to her stupidity. "Yes."
"You took it better than stupid Matt," he grumbled.
Callie thought back to the young boy's crying. She saw Zack hit him multiple times. Zack raised his hand quickly and Callie flinched reflexively.
"I'm not gonna hit a girl," he said. "Just listen to everything I say."
Callie couldn't help but nod again. She would agree to anything that slid from Zack's lips. He was so large and intiminating. "I will."
"You're already one of my favorites," Zack smiled a toothy grin. I could see his two front teeth were absent from the front of his mouth. "But, not everything around her is fun and games."
"What happens?" Callie asked with her voice shaking.
Zack laughed. "Come 'ere," he said and led her to a large room with hundreds of little kids. He gestured to it."Playtime," he said. Callie gasped when she saw a girl fall to the ground at the feet of older boys. She didn't want that to be her.
"I'll do whatever you say," she said quietly.
"I thought so," Zack said with a smile.
Chapter 4
Callie was led into multiple rooms. All of them were full to bursting with small children. One room was dedicated to only young babies. They were crying and scurrying nuns were trying to quiet each of them. Callie looked back up to Zack. He was so tall compared to her. She reached up and grabbed his hand.
"What are you doing?" he said and yanked his hand away. The gentle touch.
"Nothing," Callie mumbled. She was going to break him if it was the last thing she did.
"Come here," Zack said and led her back to their small shared room. "Sit," he said pointing to the ground. Callie obeyed and kneeled, sitting back on her ankles. "I have a plan to get out of this place," he said.
"Why do you want to get out?" Callie whispered at the fear of being heard by the nuns.
"I showed you why. Are you an idiot?!" he yelled.
"No," Callie said and flinched at his raised voice.
"Okay. But, this plan involves skill and hard work. We're going to have to train you," he said.
"But-" Callie cut herself off. She couldn't argue with him if she didn't want to get hurt.
"Let's start now," he said.
---
Four years had passed and Callie was finally in fighting shape. Every morning, she observed her growing arm muscles and leg muscles. She smiled in the mirror. Zack had filled her brain with reasons and more reasons to break out of this place. She didn't know why he was so mean to her. She was older now and understood why he was like he was. He wanted his parents back as much as she stil wanted her mother. Zack was a teenager and Callie felt stupid compared to him. She wished that she was older. She finally understood the words he used, but, the words usually caused more pain to her.
"Callie," Zack said to her one day when they were still laying in their beds.
"Yeah?"
"Today is the day," he said.
"For what?" Callie asked stupidly. She knew what she had to do.
"Escaping, you retard," he said angrily.
"Sorry," Callie said. Her fear for Zack was still there.
"Just go get ready," he said."Two hours."
Callie sprung from her bed and grabbed her clothes from her bags. She took her hairbrush and ran it through her straight, sleek hair. The golden color shone in the light as she ran down the hallway to the bathroom. Callie got dressed quickly in the outfit that Zack had picked out for her. A pair of long black pants and a black sweatshirt. She brushed her teeth quickly and slid on her winter boots. She ran down the hall trying to not make a lot of noise and jumped into the room. Zack was already ready and waiting for her with the supplies they needed.
"Let's go," he said.
"But I thought you said two-"
"Let's GO," Zack growled and Callie gulped. She opened up the window and slid out after Zack expertly jumped out.
Chapter 5
Callie followed Zack down empty streets through dark allies and frightening neighborhoods. Callie was extremely scared as she shuffled through tight corners. Zack led her to a rope bridge. It was connected on one side to where they were standing and led across to the other side. It dangled over a large river many feet below the cliff.
"Um," Callie mumbled. She had started to like Zack in a way she couldn't describe. She felt feelings toward him that were full of fear, but, that fear only brought her closer to him. She was in love with Zack. "Zack, I don't think we should go this way."
"It's the only way to the place," he grumbled. "Just come here." Callie followed nervously and stepped on the weaved bridge. She gulped. She didn't think this was safe in the least. But, Zack ran quickly ahead of her and she had to keep up. Something happened and Zack's foot slipped through the rope. He lost his ballence and was dangling from the rope by this arms. "Callie, help me!" he screamed.
Callie ran to him. She held out her hand,but, she only ended up hurting herself even more. She fell though the rope. She was dangling by Zack's legs that were swinging dangerously. "Zack!" she cried.
"Climb up me!" he screamed out of fear.
"I, I can't!" Callie called back being suddenly paralyzed by the height she was dangling over. She felt her hands slipping from his legs.
"Hold on!" Zack yelled.
"I-" Callie's left arm fell from Zack's leg. She was now holding all of her body weight with one arm. She felt herself slipping again. "I'm gonna fall!" she called to Zack.
"I can't let you!" he cried and grabbed her other arm with his right arm. It was his stronger arm. He had sacrificed something then. He used his strength to pull her back up to the rope, but, he let go of the rope he was gripping onto and fell. "I love you, Callie!" he screamed as he descended into the cold, unforgiving water with rocks as his cusion.
"Noo!" Callie exclaimed as she stared down at the ground. He was gone. She could only guess that he had fallen to his death. She sat down on a safer piece of rope and cried. She stopped almost instantly. She couldn't waste her energy crying. She had to get back to the other side. She crawled on her hands and knees across the unsteady rope until she reached her starting point. She leaned up agaist a looming dark tree and breathed heavily. She thought about what Zack had said. I love you. Those words. They were said so easily, but, not by Zack. He was so full of anger. He was so full of hate. She couldn't stand this. Callie jumped up from the ground and dashed into the neighboring city. She walked along the street until she reached a abandoned street alley. She was tired and needed to just rest. She didn't know of any other place that would take her now. So, Callie laid down agaist the brick wall and tried to close her eyes. She squinted them closed and had nightmares the whole night.
---
Callie woke up with her stomach growling louder than she thought was possible. But, it was only reasonable seeing that she had only eaten the day before at breakfast. She reached into her pocket and fingered the hundred dollar bill Zack had stolen for her. He told her to only use it for an emergancy. Callie assumed this was the kind of emergancy he was talking about. She got up from the ground and walked down the street. She stopped in front of a large store and stared at the sign. She couldn't read it. No one had taught her to read in her short life. She had not been schooled since her first and last day of kindergarten. She touched the bill again and thought of what Zack had said.
"You need to steal the stuff you're going to eat. Don't waste all your money on the expensive stuff.
After that, he had explained how to shoplift without getting caught on the cameras and seen by the workers. Callie's stomach growled again. She pushed open the door.
Mommy! I don't wanna go to school!" the young girl cried.
"Callie, kindergarten will be fun," her mother said becoming frustrated at her young daughter.
"No! No! No! No!" the girl cried and stamped her feet.
Her mother bent down and tied Callie's shoes quickly ignoring her crying."You'll have fun!" she said once again as she stood back up and wiped Callie's face with her hand. Callie shuttered at her mother's cold hands, but, she savored that touch more than the sweetest candy.
"Okay, Mommy," Callie said as she grabbed her Powderpuff Girls backpack off the kitchen counter.
"Ready to go?" Callie's mother asked as she secretly took her package of cigarettes from her purse so Callie couldn't see her horrible habit.
"Yeah," Callie said in her cute high pitched voice. She skipped off through the door and outside of their small house.
"Hold on, Honey!" her mother called from behind her.
"No!" she giggled and ran down the path to the crosswalk. She waited for her mother to come up behind her. She smelt her mother. "Mommy, why do you smell like fire?"
Her mother sighed. Her hand reflexively brushed back her daughter's hair."Honey, everything's okay. Don't worry your pretty little head about anything in the world. Mommy will take care of it." But, Callie's mom couldn't be any more wrong. On top of her daughter's medication, she was flooded with costs. Her small job as a receptionist could never pay for all of the expenses. Her husband had left her only three years before when Callie was only two years old.
"Mommy!" Callie called out to her mother loudly.
"Shh," her mother cooed as she grasped her hand tightly. She loved her little girl so much, but, she just wanted the best for her and the best was not under her supervision. That was why she was planning on leaving her daughter in the care of someone who actually knew how to take care of another living being. She was going to drop her off at the orphanage after her first day of school.
Chapter 2.
Her mother left her in a room with other young children.
"Have fun," she said and gave her daughter a kiss. The last kiss.
"I will. Don't worry, Mommy," she said and skipped away to her cubbie. Callie took her prized possesion from the bag. It was her prized Barbie doll. The special addition California one. She planned on bragging to the other girls. They didn't have what she had.
The doll. The last thing she had to brag about. Callie didn't know what her mother was planning as Callie played the day away. At that moment, her mother was signing the papers that legally gave her away. She did not want her. Callie didn't understand when the social worker walked into her classroom. The social worker talked in mumbled words to Callie's teacher. Callie could not read lips. Soon, she found herself walking down the hall with the social worker's hand in hers.
"Where are we going?" Callie whispered faintly.
"A new school," the social worker lied through gritted teeth. She was sick of the little children asking questions about things that they couldn't change. They didn't know.
"Oh," Callie mumbled.
"Talk with your mouth open," the social worker said and pushed open the door that led to Callie's new life. The orphanage. "We're here," the social worker said.
"I don't wanna go," Callie said.
"There's no other choice."
"My mommy would't want you do do this," Callie screamed.
"Your mother is gone! You're going to live here from now on!" she screamed and lost her patience.
Callie's eyes welled with tears. She breathed in sharply in and out to stop the sobs. "Okay."
The social worker dragged her into the room. Callie saw other kids; some younger than her, some older. They were playing around and they looked like they were having fun. The social worker talked to the woman behind the counter with a rushed tone. Callie felt the tears again. What did the social worker mean by her mother being gone? She wanted her mother. She needed her.
"Come," the social worker said and grabbed Callie's shivering hand again.
"No."
"What did you just say?!" the social worker grumbled angrily.
Callie quivered and flinched as the social worker tugged her into a room. She saw her Barbie luggage on the bed. Callie's eyes were brimming with tears and she was trying with all her might to hold them back. She didn't want the mean social worker to see her cry. She knew she would hurt her.
"This is where you'll live from now on," the social worker said.
"Oh-okay," Callie whispered. The mean social worker left and Callie finally let her tears fall. She jumped onto her bed and cried into the hard pillow. She sobbed and gently raised her bruised hand. She looked at the imprints of the social worker's fingernails in her skin. She picked at them until they bled. She needed a reason to cry.
Chapter 3
Callie's tears lullabyed her to sleep. She woke up to the loud screams of pain. She was too frightened to look up. She knew it was a boy. She heard quiet crying like it was trying to be hidden. She looked up from her pillow. A short boy was sitting on the ground with his head in his hands while a larger boy stood looming over him. He had a grin on his face and kicked the smaller boy. Callie winced and caught the larger boy's eye.
"What are you looking at?"
"Nothing," she muttered quietly and turned from him.
"Look at me," he commanded. Callie's lip quivered as she turned around on the blanket and faced him. She studied his dark brown eyes that seemed to be filled with hate and a slight hint of pain."You little shit. Stop crying!" he screamed.
Callie didn't know what that word meant. But, she knew what two words meant. Stop. Crying. Her eyes burned and she closed them. A solo tear slid down her chubby face. The small boy stopped crying and stared up at her. His bright green eyes were bright red and blood was coming out of his upturned nose.
"Run while you can," he said quietly.
"Shut up!" the bigger boy screamed and smacked the smaller boy across the head.
"Ow, Zack!" the younger boy screamed."Stop punching me! I'm telling Sister Marge!"
"See if I care!" this boy 'Zack' screamed and kicked him in his side.
Callie jumped up from her bed and ran out the door. She ran down the hallway in her socks and slipped. Her face hit the hard floor when she slid and fell. She felt her face with her hand and pulled it back. It was stained red with blood. She hated blood. She looked away from her hand and accidentaly licked her lip that was covered with the blood. She screamed and spit onto the ground. She laid down agaist the wall and hid her face. She heard footsteps. Closer. Closer. Closer. It sounded like the person was wearing boots. Heavy boots. She opened her eyes and looked at the feet. They looked like snowboarding boots. She looked up the long, slender legs up to the face. It was him.
"Zack!" Callie cried and flinched when he leaned down. She blinked and saw that Zack wasn't doing anything. He offered her a hand. She took it and he pulled her up with one tug.
"You're shaking," he observed. "How old are you?"
"Five," Callie said offering him five fingers to show how old.
"I'm double your age," he said. "I'm ten. Did you have a bloody nose?" he asked.
She nodded her head and lied. She didn't want to admitt to her stupidity. "Yes."
"You took it better than stupid Matt," he grumbled.
Callie thought back to the young boy's crying. She saw Zack hit him multiple times. Zack raised his hand quickly and Callie flinched reflexively.
"I'm not gonna hit a girl," he said. "Just listen to everything I say."
Callie couldn't help but nod again. She would agree to anything that slid from Zack's lips. He was so large and intiminating. "I will."
"You're already one of my favorites," Zack smiled a toothy grin. I could see his two front teeth were absent from the front of his mouth. "But, not everything around her is fun and games."
"What happens?" Callie asked with her voice shaking.
Zack laughed. "Come 'ere," he said and led her to a large room with hundreds of little kids. He gestured to it."Playtime," he said. Callie gasped when she saw a girl fall to the ground at the feet of older boys. She didn't want that to be her.
"I'll do whatever you say," she said quietly.
"I thought so," Zack said with a smile.
Chapter 4
Callie was led into multiple rooms. All of them were full to bursting with small children. One room was dedicated to only young babies. They were crying and scurrying nuns were trying to quiet each of them. Callie looked back up to Zack. He was so tall compared to her. She reached up and grabbed his hand.
"What are you doing?" he said and yanked his hand away. The gentle touch.
"Nothing," Callie mumbled. She was going to break him if it was the last thing she did.
"Come here," Zack said and led her back to their small shared room. "Sit," he said pointing to the ground. Callie obeyed and kneeled, sitting back on her ankles. "I have a plan to get out of this place," he said.
"Why do you want to get out?" Callie whispered at the fear of being heard by the nuns.
"I showed you why. Are you an idiot?!" he yelled.
"No," Callie said and flinched at his raised voice.
"Okay. But, this plan involves skill and hard work. We're going to have to train you," he said.
"But-" Callie cut herself off. She couldn't argue with him if she didn't want to get hurt.
"Let's start now," he said.
---
Four years had passed and Callie was finally in fighting shape. Every morning, she observed her growing arm muscles and leg muscles. She smiled in the mirror. Zack had filled her brain with reasons and more reasons to break out of this place. She didn't know why he was so mean to her. She was older now and understood why he was like he was. He wanted his parents back as much as she stil wanted her mother. Zack was a teenager and Callie felt stupid compared to him. She wished that she was older. She finally understood the words he used, but, the words usually caused more pain to her.
"Callie," Zack said to her one day when they were still laying in their beds.
"Yeah?"
"Today is the day," he said.
"For what?" Callie asked stupidly. She knew what she had to do.
"Escaping, you retard," he said angrily.
"Sorry," Callie said. Her fear for Zack was still there.
"Just go get ready," he said."Two hours."
Callie sprung from her bed and grabbed her clothes from her bags. She took her hairbrush and ran it through her straight, sleek hair. The golden color shone in the light as she ran down the hallway to the bathroom. Callie got dressed quickly in the outfit that Zack had picked out for her. A pair of long black pants and a black sweatshirt. She brushed her teeth quickly and slid on her winter boots. She ran down the hall trying to not make a lot of noise and jumped into the room. Zack was already ready and waiting for her with the supplies they needed.
"Let's go," he said.
"But I thought you said two-"
"Let's GO," Zack growled and Callie gulped. She opened up the window and slid out after Zack expertly jumped out.
Chapter 5
Callie followed Zack down empty streets through dark allies and frightening neighborhoods. Callie was extremely scared as she shuffled through tight corners. Zack led her to a rope bridge. It was connected on one side to where they were standing and led across to the other side. It dangled over a large river many feet below the cliff.
"Um," Callie mumbled. She had started to like Zack in a way she couldn't describe. She felt feelings toward him that were full of fear, but, that fear only brought her closer to him. She was in love with Zack. "Zack, I don't think we should go this way."
"It's the only way to the place," he grumbled. "Just come here." Callie followed nervously and stepped on the weaved bridge. She gulped. She didn't think this was safe in the least. But, Zack ran quickly ahead of her and she had to keep up. Something happened and Zack's foot slipped through the rope. He lost his ballence and was dangling from the rope by this arms. "Callie, help me!" he screamed.
Callie ran to him. She held out her hand,but, she only ended up hurting herself even more. She fell though the rope. She was dangling by Zack's legs that were swinging dangerously. "Zack!"she cried.
"Climb up me!" he screamed out of fear.
"I, I can't!" Callie called back being suddenly paralyzed by the height she was dangling over. She felt her hands slipping from his legs.
"Hold on!" Zack yelled.
"I-" Callie's left arm fell from Zack's leg. She was now holding all of her body weight with one arm. She felt herself slipping again. "I'm gonna fall!" she called to Zack.
"I can't let you!" he cried and grabbed her other arm with his right arm. It was his stronger arm. He had sacrificed something then. He used his strength to pull her back up to the rope, but, he let go of the rope he was gripping onto and fell. "I love you, Callie!" he screamed as he descended into the cold, unforgiving water with rocks as his cusion.
"Noo!" Callie exclaimed as she stared down at the ground. He was gone. She could only guess that he had fallen to his death. She sat down on a safer piece of rope and cried. She stopped almost instantly. She couldn't waste her energy crying. She had to get back to the other side. She crawled on her hands and knees across the unsteady rope until she reached her starting point. She leaned up agaist a looming dark tree and breathed heavily. She thought about what Zack had said. I love you. Those words. They were said so easily, but, not by Zack. He was so full of anger. He was so full of hate. She couldn't stand this. Callie jumped up from the ground and dashed into the neighboring city. She walked along the street until she reached a abandoned street alley. She was tired and needed to just rest. She didn't know of any other place that would take her now. So, Callie laid down agaist the brick wall and tried to close her eyes. She squinted them closed and had nightmares the whole night.
---
Callie woke up with her stomach growling louder than she thought was possible. But, it was only reasonable seeing that she had only eaten the day before at breakfast. She reached into her pocket and fingered the hundred dollar bill Zack had stolen for her. He told her to only use it for an emergancy. Callie assumed this was the kind of emergancy he was talking about. She got up from the ground and walked down the street. She stopped in front of a large store and stared at the sign. She couldn't read it. No one had taught her to read in her short life. She had not been schooled since her first and last day of kindergarten. She touched the bill again and thought of what Zack had said.
"You need to steal the stuff you're going to eat. Don't waste all your money on the expensive stuff.
After that, he had explained how to shoplift without getting caught on the cameras and seen by the workers. Callie's stomach growled again. She pushed open the door.
"Callie, kindergarten will be fun," her mother said becoming frustrated at her young daughter.
"No! No! No! No!" the girl cried and stamped her feet.
Her mother bent down and tied Callie's shoes quickly ignoring her crying."You'll have fun!" she said once again as she stood back up and wiped Callie's face with her hand. Callie shuttered at her mother's cold hands, but, she savored that touch more than the sweetest candy.
"Okay, Mommy," Callie said as she grabbed her Powderpuff Girls backpack off the kitchen counter.
"Ready to go?" Callie's mother asked as she secretly took her package of cigarettes from her purse so Callie couldn't see her horrible habit.
"Yeah," Callie said in her cute high pitched voice. She skipped off through the door and outside of their small house.
"Hold on, Honey!" her mother called from behind her.
"No!" she giggled and ran down the path to the crosswalk. She waited for her mother to come up behind her. She smelt her mother. "Mommy, why do you smell like fire?"
Her mother sighed. Her hand reflexively brushed back her daughter's hair."Honey, everything's okay. Don't worry your pretty little head about anything in the world. Mommy will take care of it." But, Callie's mom couldn't be any more wrong. On top of her daughter's medication, she was flooded with costs. Her small job as a receptionist could never pay for all of the expenses. Her husband had left her only three years before when Callie was only two years old.
"Mommy!" Callie called out to her mother loudly.
"Shh," her mother cooed as she grasped her hand tightly. She loved her little girl so much, but, she just wanted the best for her and the best was not under her supervision. That was why she was planning on leaving her daughter in the care of someone who actually knew how to take care of another living being. She was going to drop her off at the orphanage after her first day of school.
Chapter 2.
Her mother left her in a room with other young children.
"Have fun," she said and gave her daughter a kiss. The last kiss.
"I will. Don't worry, Mommy," she said and skipped away to her cubbie. Callie took her prized possesion from the bag. It was her prized Barbie doll. The special addition California one. She planned on bragging to the other girls. They didn't have what she had.
The doll. The last thing she had to brag about. Callie didn't know what her mother was planning as Callie played the day away. At that moment, her mother was signing the papers that legally gave her away. She did not want her. Callie didn't understand when the social worker walked into her classroom. The social worker talked in mumbled words to Callie's teacher. Callie could not read lips. Soon, she found herself walking down the hall with the social worker's hand in hers.
"Where are we going?" Callie whispered faintly.
"A new school," the social worker lied through gritted teeth. She was sick of the little children asking questions about things that they couldn't change. They didn't know.
"Oh," Callie mumbled.
"Talk with your mouth open," the social worker said and pushed open the door that led to Callie's new life. The orphanage. "We're here," the social worker said.
"I don't wanna go," Callie said.
"There's no other choice."
"My mommy would't want you do do this," Callie screamed.
"Your mother is gone! You're going to live here from now on!" she screamed and lost her patience.
Callie's eyes welled with tears. She breathed in sharply in and out to stop the sobs. "Okay."
The social worker dragged her into the room. Callie saw other kids; some younger than her, some older. They were playing around and they looked like they were having fun. The social worker talked to the woman behind the counter with a rushed tone. Callie felt the tears again. What did the social worker mean by her mother being gone? She wanted her mother. She needed her.
"Come," the social worker said and grabbed Callie's shivering hand again.
"No."
"What did you just say?!" the social worker grumbled angrily.
Callie quivered and flinched as the social worker tugged her into a room. She saw her Barbie luggage on the bed. Callie's eyes were brimming with tears and she was trying with all her might to hold them back. She didn't want the mean social worker to see her cry. She knew she would hurt her.
"This is where you'll live from now on," the social worker said.
"Oh-okay," Callie whispered. The mean social worker left and Callie finally let her tears fall. She jumped onto her bed and cried into the hard pillow. She sobbed and gently raised her bruised hand. She looked at the imprints of the social worker's fingernails in her skin. She picked at them until they bled. She needed a reason to cry.
Chapter 3
Callie's tears lullabyed her to sleep. She woke up to the loud screams of pain. She was too frightened to look up. She knew it was a boy. She heard quiet crying like it was trying to be hidden. She looked up from her pillow. A short boy was sitting on the ground with his head in his hands while a larger boy stood looming over him. He had a grin on his face and kicked the smaller boy. Callie winced and caught the larger boy's eye.
"What are you looking at?"
"Nothing," she muttered quietly and turned from him.
"Look at me," he commanded. Callie's lip quivered as she turned around on the blanket and faced him. She studied his dark brown eyes that seemed to be filled with hate and a slight hint of pain. "You little shit. Stop crying!" he screamed.
Callie didn't know what that word meant. But, she knew what two words meant. Stop. Crying. Her eyes burned and she closed them. A solo tear slid down her chubby face. The small boy stopped crying and stared up at her. His bright green eyes were bright red and blood was coming out of his upturned nose.
"Run while you can," he said quietly.
"Shut up!" the bigger boy screamed and smacked the smaller boy across the head.
"Ow, Zack!" the younger boy screamed."Stop punching me! I'm telling Sister Marge!"
"See if I care!" this boy 'Zack' screamed and kicked him in his side.
Callie jumped up from her bed and ran out the door. She ran down the hallway in her socks and slipped. Her face hit the hard floor when she slid and fell. She felt her face with her hand and pulled it back. It was stained red with blood. She hated blood. She looked away from her hand and accidentaly licked her lip that was covered with the blood. She screamed and spit onto the ground. She laid down agaist the wall and hid her face. She heard footsteps. Closer. Closer. Closer. It sounded like the person was wearing boots. Heavy boots. She opened her eyes and looked at the feet. They looked like snowboarding boots. She looked up the long, slender legs up to the face. It was him.
"Zack!" Callie cried and flinched when he leaned down. She blinked and saw that Zack wasn't doing anything. He offered her a hand. She took it and he pulled her up with one tug.
"You're shaking," he observed. "How old are you?"
"Five," Callie said offering him five fingers to show how old.
"I'm double your age," he said. "I'm ten. Did you have a bloody nose?" he asked.
She nodded her head and lied. She didn't want to admitt to her stupidity. "Yes."
"You took it better than stupid Matt," he grumbled.
Callie thought back to the young boy's crying. She saw Zack hit him multiple times. Zack raised his hand quickly and Callie flinched reflexively.
"I'm not gonna hit a girl," he said. "Just listen to everything I say."
Callie couldn't help but nod again. She would agree to anything that slid from Zack's lips. He was so large and intiminating. "I will."
"You're already one of my favorites," Zack smiled a toothy grin. I could see his two front teeth were absent from the front of his mouth. "But, not everything around her is fun and games."
"What happens?" Callie asked with her voice shaking.
Zack laughed. "Come 'ere," he said and led her to a large room with hundreds of little kids. He gestured to it."Playtime," he said. Callie gasped when she saw a girl fall to the ground at the feet of older boys. She didn't want that to be her.
"I'll do whatever you say," she said quietly.
"I thought so," Zack said with a smile.
Chapter 4
Callie was led into multiple rooms. All of them were full to bursting with small children. One room was dedicated to only young babies. They were crying and scurrying nuns were trying to quiet each of them. Callie looked back up to Zack. He was so tall compared to her. She reached up and grabbed his hand.
"What are you doing?" he said and yanked his hand away. The gentle touch.
"Nothing," Callie mumbled. She was going to break him if it was the last thing she did.
"Come here," Zack said and led her back to their small shared room. "Sit," he said pointing to the ground. Callie obeyed and kneeled, sitting back on her ankles. "I have a plan to get out of this place," he said.
"Why do you want to get out?" Callie whispered at the fear of being heard by the nuns.
"I showed you why. Are you an idiot?!" he yelled.
"No," Callie said and flinched at his raised voice.
"Okay. But, this plan involves skill and hard work. We're going to have to train you," he said.
"But-" Callie cut herself off. She couldn't argue with him if she didn't want to get hurt.
"Let's start now," he said.
---
Four years had passed and Callie was finally in fighting shape. Every morning, she observed her growing arm muscles and leg muscles. She smiled in the mirror. Zack had filled her brain with reasons and more reasons to break out of this place. She didn't know why he was so mean to her. She was older now and understood why he was like he was. He wanted his parents back as much as she stil wanted her mother. Zack was a teenager and Callie felt stupid compared to him. She wished that she was older. She finally understood the words he used, but, the words usually caused more pain to her.
"Callie," Zack said to her one day when they were still laying in their beds.
"Yeah?"
"Today is the day," he said.
"For what?" Callie asked stupidly. She knew what she had to do.
"Escaping, you retard," he said angrily.
"Sorry," Callie said. Her fear for Zack was still there.
"Just go get ready," he said."Two hours."
Callie sprung from her bed and grabbed her clothes from her bags. She took her hairbrush and ran it through her straight, sleek hair. The golden color shone in the light as she ran down the hallway to the bathroom. Callie got dressed quickly in the outfit that Zack had picked out for her. A pair of long black pants and a black sweatshirt. She brushed her teeth quickly and slid on her winter boots. She ran down the hall trying to not make a lot of noise and jumped into the room. Zack was already ready and waiting for her with the supplies they needed.
"Let's go," he said.
"But I thought you said two-"
"Let's GO," Zack growled and Callie gulped. She opened up the window and slid out after Zack expertly jumped out.
Chapter 5
Callie followed Zack down empty streets through dark allies and frightening neighborhoods. Callie was extremely scared as she shuffled through tight corners. Zack led her to a rope bridge. It was connected on one side to where they were standing and led across to the other side. It dangled over a large river many feet below the cliff.
"Um," Callie mumbled. She had started to like Zack in a way she couldn't describe. She felt feelings toward him that were full of fear, but, that fear only brought her closer to him. She was in love with Zack. "Zack, I don't think we should go this way."
"It's the only way to the place," he grumbled. "Just come here." Callie followed nervously and stepped on the weaved bridge. She gulped. She didn't think this was safe in the least. But, Zack ran quickly ahead of her and she had to keep up. Something happened and Zack's foot slipped through the rope. He lost his ballence and was dangling from the rope by this arms. "Callie, help me!" he screamed.
Callie ran to him. She held out her hand,but, she only ended up hurting herself even more. She fell though the rope. She was dangling by Zack's legs that were swinging dangerously. "Zack!" she cried.
"Climb up me!" he screamed out of fear.
"I, I can't!" Callie called back being suddenly paralyzed by the height she was dangling over. She felt her hands slipping from his legs.
"Hold on!" Zack yelled.
"I-" Callie's left arm fell from Zack's leg. She was now holding all of her body weight with one arm. She felt herself slipping again. "I'm gonna fall!" she called to Zack.
"I can't let you!" he cried and grabbed her other arm with his right arm. It was his stronger arm. He had sacrificed something then. He used his strength to pull her back up to the rope, but, he let go of the rope he was gripping onto and fell. "I love you, Callie!" he screamed as he descended into the cold, unforgiving water with rocks as his cusion.
"Noo!" Callie exclaimed as she stared down at the ground. He was gone. She could only guess that he had fallen to his death. She sat down on a safer piece of rope and cried. She stopped almost instantly. She couldn't waste her energy crying. She had to get back to the other side. She crawled on her hands and knees across the unsteady rope until she reached her starting point. She leaned up agaist a looming dark tree and breathed heavily. She thought about what Zack had said. I love you. Those words. They were said so easily, but, not by Zack. He was so full of anger. He was so full of hate. She couldn't stand this. Callie jumped up from the ground and dashed into the neighboring city. She walked along the street until she reached a abandoned street alley. She was tired and needed to just rest. She didn't know of any other place that would take her now. So, Callie laid down agaist the brick wall and tried to close her eyes. She squinted them closed and had nightmares the whole night.
---
Callie woke up with her stomach growling louder than she thought was possible. But, it was only reasonable seeing that she had only eaten the day before at breakfast. She reached into her pocket and fingered the hundred dollar bill Zack had stolen for her. He told her to only use it for an emergancy. Callie assumed this was the kind of emergancy he was talking about. She got up from the ground and walked down the street. She stopped in front of a large store and stared at the sign. She couldn't read it. No one had taught her to read in her short life. She had not been schooled since her first and last day of kindergarten. She touched the bill again and thought of what Zack had said.
"You need to steal the stuff you're going to eat. Don't waste all your money on the expensive stuff.
After that, he had explained how to shoplift without getting caught on the cameras and seen by the workers. Callie's stomach growled again. She pushed open the door.
Mommy! I don't wanna go to school!" the young girl cried.
"Callie, kindergarten will be fun," her mother said becoming frustrated at her young daughter.
"No! No! No! No!" the girl cried and stamped her feet.
Her mother bent down and tied Callie's shoes quickly ignoring her crying."You'll have fun!" she said once again as she stood back up and wiped Callie's face with her hand. Callie shuttered at her mother's cold hands, but, she savored that touch more than the sweetest candy.
"Okay, Mommy," Callie said as she grabbed her Powderpuff Girls backpack off the kitchen counter.
"Ready to go?" Callie's mother asked as she secretly took her package of cigarettes from her purse so Callie couldn't see her horrible habit.
"Yeah," Callie said in her cute high pitched voice. She skipped off through the door and outside of their small house.
"Hold on, Honey!" her mother called from behind her.
"No!" she giggled and ran down the path to the crosswalk. She waited for her mother to come up behind her. She smelt her mother. "Mommy, why do you smell like fire?"
Her mother sighed. Her hand reflexively brushed back her daughter's hair."Honey, everything's okay. Don't worry your pretty little head about anything in the world. Mommy will take care of it." But, Callie's mom couldn't be any more wrong. On top of her daughter's medication, she was flooded with costs. Her small job as a receptionist could never pay for all of the expenses. Her husband had left her only three years before when Callie was only two years old.
"Mommy!" Callie called out to her mother loudly.
"Shh," her mother cooed as she grasped her hand tightly. She loved her little girl so much, but, she just wanted the best for her and the best was not under her supervision. That was why she was planning on leaving her daughter in the care of someone who actually knew how to take care of another living being. She was going to drop her off at the orphanage after her first day of school.
Chapter 2.
Her mother left her in a room with other young children.
"Have fun," she said and gave her daughter a kiss. The last kiss.
"I will. Don't worry, Mommy," she said and skipped away to her cubbie. Callie took her prized possesion from the bag. It was her prized Barbie doll. The special addition California one. She planned on bragging to the other girls. They didn't have what she had.
The doll. The last thing she had to brag about. Callie didn't know what her mother was planning as Callie played the day away. At that moment, her mother was signing the papers that legally gave her away. She did not want her. Callie didn't understand when the social worker walked into her classroom. The social worker talked in mumbled words to Callie's teacher. Callie could not read lips. Soon, she found herself walking down the hall with the social worker's hand in hers.
"Where are we going?" Callie whispered faintly.
"A new school," the social worker lied through gritted teeth. She was sick of the little children asking questions about things that they couldn't change. They didn't know.
"Oh," Callie mumbled.
"Talk with your mouth open," the social worker said and pushed open the door that led to Callie's new life. The orphanage. "We're here," the social worker said.
"I don't wanna go," Callie said.
"There's no other choice."
"My mommy would't want you do do this," Callie screamed.
"Your mother is gone! You're going to live here from now on!" she screamed and lost her patience.
Callie's eyes welled with tears. She breathed in sharply in and out to stop the sobs. "Okay."
The social worker dragged her into the room. Callie saw other kids; some younger than her, some older. They were playing around and they looked like they were having fun. The social worker talked to the woman behind the counter with a rushed tone. Callie felt the tears again. What did the social worker mean by her mother being gone? She wanted her mother. She needed her.
"Come," the social worker said and grabbed Callie's shivering hand again.
"No."
"What did you just say?!" the social worker grumbled angrily.
Callie quivered and flinched as the social worker tugged her into a room. She saw her Barbie luggage on the bed. Callie's eyes were brimming with tears and she was trying with all her might to hold them back. She didn't want the mean social worker to see her cry. She knew she would hurt her.
"This is where you'll live from now on," the social worker said.
"Oh-okay," Callie whispered. The mean social worker left and Callie finally let her tears fall. She jumped onto her bed and cried into the hard pillow. She sobbed and gently raised her bruised hand. She looked at the imprints of the social worker's fingernails in her skin. She picked at them until they bled. She needed a reason to cry.
Chapter 3
Callie's tears lullabyed her to sleep. She woke up to the loud screams of pain. She was too frightened to look up. She knew it was a boy. She heard quiet crying like it was trying to be hidden. She looked up from her pillow. A short boy was sitting on the ground with his head in his hands while a larger boy stood looming over him. He had a grin on his face and kicked the smaller boy. Callie winced and caught the larger boy's eye.
"What are you looking at?"
"Nothing," she muttered quietly and turned from him.
"Look at me," he commanded. Callie's lip quivered as she turned around on the blanket and faced him. She studied his dark brown eyes that seemed to be filled with hate and a slight hint of pain."You little shit. Stop crying!" he screamed.
Callie didn't know what that word meant. But, she knew what two words meant. Stop. Crying. Her eyes burned and she closed them. A solo tear slid down her chubby face. The small boy stopped crying and stared up at her. His bright green eyes were bright red and blood was coming out of his upturned nose.
"Run while you can," he said quietly.
"Shut up!" the bigger boy screamed and smacked the smaller boy across the head.
"Ow, Zack!" the younger boy screamed."Stop punching me! I'm telling Sister Marge!"
"See if I care!" this boy 'Zack' screamed and kicked him in his side.
Callie jumped up from her bed and ran out the door. She ran down the hallway in her socks and slipped. Her face hit the hard floor when she slid and fell. She felt her face with her hand and pulled it back. It was stained red with blood. She hated blood. She looked away from her hand and accidentaly licked her lip that was covered with the blood. She screamed and spit onto the ground. She laid down agaist the wall and hid her face. She heard footsteps. Closer. Closer. Closer. It sounded like the person was wearing boots. Heavy boots. She opened her eyes and looked at the feet. They looked like snowboarding boots. She looked up the long, slender legs up to the face. It was him.
"Zack!" Callie cried and flinched when he leaned down. She blinked and saw that Zack wasn't doing anything. He offered her a hand. She took it and he pulled her up with one tug.
"You're shaking," he observed. "How old are you?"
"Five," Callie said offering him five fingers to show how old.
"I'm double your age," he said. "I'm ten. Did you have a bloody nose?" he asked.
She nodded her head and lied. She didn't want to admitt to her stupidity. "Yes."
"You took it better than stupid Matt," he grumbled.
Callie thought back to the young boy's crying. She saw Zack hit him multiple times. Zack raised his hand quickly and Callie flinched reflexively.
"I'm not gonna hit a girl," he said. "Just listen to everything I say."
Callie couldn't help but nod again. She would agree to anything that slid from Zack's lips. He was so large and intiminating. "I will."
"You're already one of my favorites," Zack smiled a toothy grin. I could see his two front teeth were absent from the front of his mouth. "But, not everything around her is fun and games."
"What happens?" Callie asked with her voice shaking.
Zack laughed. "Come 'ere," he said and led her to a large room with hundreds of little kids. He gestured to it."Playtime," he said. Callie gasped when she saw a girl fall to the ground at the feet of older boys. She didn't want that to be her.
"I'll do whatever you say," she said quietly.
"I thought so," Zack said with a smile.
Chapter 4
Callie was led into multiple rooms. All of them were full to bursting with small children. One room was dedicated to only young babies. They were crying and scurrying nuns were trying to quiet each of them. Callie looked back up to Zack. He was so tall compared to her. She reached up and grabbed his hand.
"What are you doing?" he said and yanked his hand away. The gentle touch.
"Nothing," Callie mumbled. She was going to break him if it was the last thing she did.
"Come here," Zack said and led her back to their small shared room. "Sit," he said pointing to the ground. Callie obeyed and kneeled, sitting back on her ankles. "I have a plan to get out of this place," he said.
"Why do you want to get out?" Callie whispered at the fear of being heard by the nuns.
"I showed you why. Are you an idiot?!" he yelled.
"No," Callie said and flinched at his raised voice.
"Okay. But, this plan involves skill and hard work. We're going to have to train you," he said.
"But-" Callie cut herself off. She couldn't argue with him if she didn't want to get hurt.
"Let's start now," he said.
---
Four years had passed and Callie was finally in fighting shape. Every morning, she observed her growing arm muscles and leg muscles. She smiled in the mirror. Zack had filled her brain with reasons and more reasons to break out of this place. She didn't know why he was so mean to her. She was older now and understood why he was like he was. He wanted his parents back as much as she stil wanted her mother. Zack was a teenager and Callie felt stupid compared to him. She wished that she was older. She finally understood the words he used, but, the words usually caused more pain to her.
"Callie," Zack said to her one day when they were still laying in their beds.
"Yeah?"
"Today is the day," he said.
"For what?" Callie asked stupidly. She knew what she had to do.
"Escaping, you retard," he said angrily.
"Sorry," Callie said. Her fear for Zack was still there.
"Just go get ready," he said."Two hours."
Callie sprung from her bed and grabbed her clothes from her bags. She took her hairbrush and ran it through her straight, sleek hair. The golden color shone in the light as she ran down the hallway to the bathroom. Callie got dressed quickly in the outfit that Zack had picked out for her. A pair of long black pants and a black sweatshirt. She brushed her teeth quickly and slid on her winter boots. She ran down the hall trying to not make a lot of noise and jumped into the room. Zack was already ready and waiting for her with the supplies they needed.
"Let's go," he said.
"But I thought you said two-"
"Let's GO," Zack growled and Callie gulped. She opened up the window and slid out after Zack expertly jumped out.
Chapter 5
Callie followed Zack down empty streets through dark allies and frightening neighborhoods. Callie was extremely scared as she shuffled through tight corners. Zack led her to a rope bridge. It was connected on one side to where they were standing and led across to the other side. It dangled over a large river many feet below the cliff.
"Um," Callie mumbled. She had started to like Zack in a way she couldn't describe. She felt feelings toward him that were full of fear, but, that fear only brought her closer to him. She was in love with Zack. "Zack, I don't think we should go this way."
"It's the only way to the place," he grumbled. "Just come here." Callie followed nervously and stepped on the weaved bridge. She gulped. She didn't think this was safe in the least. But, Zack ran quickly ahead of her and she had to keep up. Something happened and Zack's foot slipped through the rope. He lost his ballence and was dangling from the rope by this arms. "Callie, help me!" he screamed.
Callie ran to him. She held out her hand,but, she only ended up hurting herself even more. She fell though the rope. She was dangling by Zack's legs that were swinging dangerously. "Zack!"she cried.
"Climb up me!" he screamed out of fear.
"I, I can't!" Callie called back being suddenly paralyzed by the height she was dangling over. She felt her hands slipping from his legs.
"Hold on!" Zack yelled.
"I-" Callie's left arm fell from Zack's leg. She was now holding all of her body weight with one arm. She felt herself slipping again. "I'm gonna fall!" she called to Zack.
"I can't let you!" he cried and grabbed her other arm with his right arm. It was his stronger arm. He had sacrificed something then. He used his strength to pull her back up to the rope, but, he let go of the rope he was gripping onto and fell. "I love you, Callie!" he screamed as he descended into the cold, unforgiving water with rocks as his cusion.
"Noo!" Callie exclaimed as she stared down at the ground. He was gone. She could only guess that he had fallen to his death. She sat down on a safer piece of rope and cried. She stopped almost instantly. She couldn't waste her energy crying. She had to get back to the other side. She crawled on her hands and knees across the unsteady rope until she reached her starting point. She leaned up agaist a looming dark tree and breathed heavily. She thought about what Zack had said. I love you. Those words. They were said so easily, but, not by Zack. He was so full of anger. He was so full of hate. She couldn't stand this. Callie jumped up from the ground and dashed into the neighboring city. She walked along the street until she reached a abandoned street alley. She was tired and needed to just rest. She didn't know of any other place that would take her now. So, Callie laid down agaist the brick wall and tried to close her eyes. She squinted them closed and had nightmares the whole night.
---
Callie woke up with her stomach growling louder than she thought was possible. But, it was only reasonable seeing that she had only eaten the day before at breakfast. She reached into her pocket and fingered the hundred dollar bill Zack had stolen for her. He told her to only use it for an emergancy. Callie assumed this was the kind of emergancy he was talking about. She got up from the ground and walked down the street. She stopped in front of a large store and stared at the sign. She couldn't read it. No one had taught her to read in her short life. She had not been schooled since her first and last day of kindergarten. She touched the bill again and thought of what Zack had said.
"You need to steal the stuff you're going to eat. Don't waste all your money on the expensive stuff.
After that, he had explained how to shoplift without getting caught on the cameras and seen by the workers. Callie's stomach growled again. She pushed open the door.
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