I woke up surrounded by cops and my mom struggling on the ground in handcuffs yelling obscenities.
"Officer McCarter, she's waking up and stabilizing." A paramedic said.
"She's been hurt again. It's not as bad as before..." he trails off into a tape recorder.
"Thank god! I thought I killed you! Helang tell them it was just an accident! Nothing bad was intended!" My mom said desperation in her voice...she's trying to threaten me too.
My cheek was throbbing where she hit me...I feel pain in my abdomen and sides. She must've kept hitting me while I was passed out. I won't cover for you anymore mother!
My mother should've known what was coming for her.
Her eyes glimmer with realization and she struggles even more.
"Helang! You little bitch tell them!" She snarls out kicking and squirming under the officer.
"She hit me on purpose." I say going numb from fear.
My mom's eyes widen in shock when I spoke up.
I still have bruises on my ribs from the last time when I got hurt...now I have more...
My mother was dragged out of the house screaming and kicking; her Miranda rights were read to her.
"I'll find you you little whore! When I do; I'll kill you!" She screams out before the car door slams in her face.
I break down sobbing.
Am I finally free...?
"Helang...I know you don't want to hear this...but by law, we have to place you in foster care as you are still not of legal adult age." Mr. McCarter told me; I barely nod, tears streaming down my face.
Once the medic was done looking me over and deemed me good to go; I was given 15 minutes to gather what I could.
I walk into my bedroom already knowing the routine.
I grab my suitcases and walk out of the bedroom just as quickly as I went in.
I had already packed everything the night before; now I'm in the back of the car with Mr. McCarter.
"Let's get this show on the road!" He says clapping his hands together and rubbing them trying to ease the awkward tension.
"Yea. Ok." Comes my bleak response.
I was told I'd be going to a home with some relatives but I'm not sure who.
Why does life have to be this way?
I mean, if mother didn't even do this I wouldn't be going to another home.
"Um...Mr. McCarter? How do these people know me if I don't know them at all?" Yeesh what a stupid question!
He looks at me through the review mirror quizzically but answers nonetheless.
"Well, it was on your legal papers if anything were to happen you'd go stay with them till you're of age."
"Well, that was helpful." I grumble sarcastically under my breath.
We drive down winding roads towards what feels like the middle of nowhere; me and Mr. McCarter sit in silence.
"Please don't take me back to my mother when she's done serving time." I subconsciously say out loud.
He looks at me through the review mirror and then looks back at the road.
Mr. McCarter is roughly a 6'3 mixed black man. His skin looks beautiful; like milk chocolate. His eyes are two pools of a rare honey-colored yellow. His black hair is buzz cut with his beard and mustache neatly trimmed.
I've seen him so many times throughout my childhood and teen years. What am I even saying...I still am I teen.
I'm 15 years old. My height is a measly 5'0. I have shoulder-length rusty brown hair with dull hazel brown eyes. My body looks scrawny with various black, blue, and yellow bruises adorning it. I'm Caucasian so the bruises stand out horribly against my skin with how pale I look. Normally; I have a round chubby face with plump rosy lips and naturally arched eyebrows, but my left cheek is swollen with yellowish black bruises and a split lip. On top of that, my depression kicked in so I've been having a hard time eating without feeling literally sick to my stomach so I've lost a lot of weight.
I used to feel and look beautiful but I'm so self-conscious now; I feel like a walking skeleton. I can't even look in the mirror without shuddering at my reflection.
I shake my head to clear those horrid thoughts when a new thought pops up.
I don't want to go to foster care!
I frantically look around at my surroundings and with a renewed sense of adrenaline; I wait till we come to a stop at the stop sign up ahead, I open the door and bolt into the woods.
"Helang! Get back here!" Mr. McCarter yells with frustration from the car.
I keep running until I trip over a tree root and start rolling downhill.
Vines and various tree roots scratch up my arms, legs, and face. I start panicking and shrieking every now and then while falling; my head hit a tree root and I let out a short scream and a painful "AH!"
Finally, I stop rolling downhill and let out a groan curling up into a ball.
I let out a squeak when I try to move my body and instinctively curl back up.
"Helang!!!" I hear from afar.
"Where are you?!"
My vision starts going black as the world spins aggressively; I close my eyes and pass out.
***
Branches snap and I stir.
"I finally meet you again and you're passed out...shame." I hear as I'm picked up.
My head lulls and I groan in pain.
Stop moving world; I feel so nauseous!
"You're in so much trouble when you wake up young lady!" I hear from my subconscious.
…
I open my eyes and close them back again. The world is still spinning.
I groan with how bright it is but open them again regardless.
"Well, well, well! Look who's finally waking up!" I hear gruffly beside me.
I whimper when I feel a needle in my forearm and an angry Mr. McCarter beside me.
"You know Helang, I don't mind helping you. I really don't, but you're proving to make my job difficult." He says sounding tired and defeated.
"After that stunt you pulled, I think it's in your best interest to get comfortable here. You hurt yourself pretty bad and I have to go talk to the family who was going to let you stay with them." He stops talking and takes a long deep breath before continuing.
"They drove out and helped look for you in those woods; their son found you. Hopefully; after knowing the extent of your injuries, they won't reject the offer of letting you stay with them. " He says scraping his hand down his face.
I sit there in silence with my bottom lip puckered out crying and listening to him.
"Besides feeling butt hurt…are you ok now?" He says concern taking over.
I shake my head and stay quiet.
"In pain?" He badgers.
I nod and cast my eyes down.
"As you should be. I'd be hurting like hell too." He said stepping out of the room to get the nurse.
I angrily look at the needle in my arm and then my stomach flips as a groan escapes my lips.
I hate needles…