Fiction Friday... Alyssa

Disclaimer: The characters and events in my writings are 100% fictional and in no way depict real people, scenarios, or events. If you see yourself in my writing I had no intention of putting you there.
Additional Disclaimer: This story is extremely sad and although it does not depict anyone in real life, these events occur way too often in our society. If you have a hard time with sad stories about children, you may not want to read this one!

Just to help dispel some of the potential confusion. Each of these prequels focuses on a separate area of the girls' childhood. These are to help define the girls' character's and explain in a brief way, why they are the way they are.  

 

Alyssa

 

   Alyssa could hear her baby sister crying, but there was nothing she could do about it. She was afraid, if they heard her crying it would be bad. Alyssa groped around the black room trying to find a way out. She tripped on the shoes that lined the floor of the small room. Clothes hit her in the face as she reached for the walls. Three walls inspected it had to be the other one. As she reached for what she hoped was the door knob, the door swung open. Alyssa froze.

   "I told you to be quiet in here." The angry man yelled in her face. "Here keep her quiet or I will." The man tossed the two-year old at Alyssa, knocking them both over.

   Three-year old Alyssa sat rocking her baby sister, singing softly in her ear. Seara hushed and soon fell asleep. Alyssa's eyes adjusted to the darkness. She could hear the loud music coming from the other rooms. A strange smell was coming from under the door. She didn't understand why they were here. Alyssa fell asleep clinging to her baby sister. She would do everything she could to protect her.

   Alyssa awoke to silence. She was hungry and thirsty. Seara began to stir. Alyssa quickly hushed her and told her to stay put. Reaching up, Alyssa found the door knob. As slowly and quietly as she could Alyssa turned the knob. The door began to creak loudly, the sound echoing around the small space. Alyssa's heart stopped. If they knew what she was doing it would be bad. Alyssa moved ever so slowly, the door was opened enough that she could peek out. She could see the couch. A man, not the same man, was lying there asleep, an arm and leg hanging off the couch, a glass bottle tipped on it's side beneath his fingers. Alyssa opened the door some more, the man didn't move. Finally able to peek her whole head out, Alyssa looked around. There were stairs in the living room, straight ahead was the kitchen, and next to that was the bathroom.

   Seara made some noises that Alyssa knew meant she was thirsty. Alyssa told her sister to sit and she would be right back. Seara waited. She had learned early on that she needed to do what her sister said. Alyssa tiptoed to the kitchen, the counters were too high to reach any of the cups in the cupboard and if she tried to climb up, she'd learned from the past, would make too much noise and wake someone up. Alyssa found a plastic cup lying on the floor next to the garbage can. She took the cup to the bathroom, ever so quietly Alyssa dipped the cup in the toilet. Tiptoeing back to the closet Alyssa brought the cup to her sister. Her stomach grumbled. Looking around she decided she needed to get them some food. On the small table next to the man on the couch was a bag of chips. Maybe if she was quiet no one would hear her.

   Just as she reached the chips she heard someone on the stairs. Mom. Alyssa's eyes grew large like a deer in the headlights. At first her mother didn't see her. Alyssa stood still hoping she wouldn't get in trouble. Then her mother's eyes focused on her and the sneer that ran across her face caused Alyssa's heart to stop. In moments her mother had grabbed her and began shaking her, screaming that she was a little thief.
   The man on the couch stirred and rescued Alyssa. Yanking Alyssa from her mother's grasp, Alyssa screamed as she heard a pop. Both adults froze. Alyssa's right arm hung limply by her side.

   Alyssa awoke in a cold sweat. Her heart pounding. She looked around the room, the lamp on her night-stand casting a faint glow in the room. She was safe. It had been three years since that had happened, Alyssa could still hear the pop in her shoulder. It had taken days before her mother had finally taken her to the hospital. From there it was a whirlwind. Alyssa and Seara were whisked away and plopped with the Lee's. Alyssa had broken memories from that time. The doctors and police officers had said things the three-year old just couldn't understand. Alyssa had spent the first few days in a state of shock.
   Alyssa snuck out of her room to peek in on her sister. They had shared a room until recently. Everyday this week Alyssa had awoken and went to check on her sister. Seara was curled up around her favorite teddy bear. Alyssa slipped into the bed next to her sister. She wasn't ready for it to be morning. They would be going to court in the morning. Alyssa would finally be free of the ghosts that haunt her. Her one consolation was that her sister didn't remember. Alyssa had done her best to protect her. Tomorrow they'd have a real mom and dad. Alyssa sighed knowing they really did love them.
   Alyssa awoke to her sister crawling out of the bed, Elizabeth Lee standing in the doorway. When Seara went past Elizabeth came and sat on the bed.
   "Did you have another nightmare, sweetheart?" Elizabeth had been the one the girls had been sent to. It had taken three years, but finally the girls would live with them forever. Seara had called them mom and dad from the time she finally began talking, Alyssa waited. "Are you okay?" Elizabeth asked rubbing Alyssa's back.
   "Are you really going to be my mommy today?" Alyssa asked.
   Tears gathered in Elizabeth's eyes as she nodded. "Yes. Today I'm going to become your mommy. And Richard will be your daddy. Are you okay with that?"
   Alyssa sighed contentedly. Soon she'd be safe. With Elizabeth and Richard she knew it was going to be okay.