Susan couldn’t follow her sister this time. Missy wouldn’t allow it. As it turned out, it was a worse environment than home. She had run away thinking anything was better, but she was wrong. Where Missy was, involved an extremely violent man and an alcoholic family.
So, Susan buried herself in even more bad decisions. The alcoholic family wouldn’t have been an unknown thing to her. She drank all day, every day. She still spent time with Missy. They were as close as ever. Their friends were all the same people. Even the abusive husband pretended to behave around everyone.
Men came and went in Susan’s life. It helped fill the void their mother and family created. The absence of affection could be filled for a second. Her choice in men seemed to be the same as her sister. Mean, violent, abusive. But someone wanted her and that was all she thought about.
As expected, depression set in. Darkness surrounded Susan in all ways. Music was a release, but she quickly realized she yearned for the ultimate escape. Living no longer interested her. Self-harm helped a little. It calmed the demons, lessened the rage.
Missy’s leaving seemed to help with their mother’s torment a bit. Nothing stopped it. Susan spent most of her time either at friends’ houses or with her sister. Missy was always on guard when she was there. Keeping her husband at bay.
At night, everyone gathered at Susan’s house after her mom left for work. They ran the streets or went to parties. Susan’s secret desire was for something to happen, anything, that would let her leave this world.
Then something changed everything. Susan found out she was pregnant. It didn’t matter she was only sixteen. Now she had someone who would love her unconditionally. It filled her with love, a feeling she never thought would be there. Susan had a reason to live.
Not a single drop of alcohol passed her lips after she found out. A smile spread across her lips more often than not. That is, until her mother found out…
