The monster who saved me

Annie l wake up to the first rays of the sun washing these in shades of burnt orange, violet and sunflower yellow. Some would comment on the beauty of a sunrise, how it greets the new day with blushing colours. For me it is just another day, another morning waking up from little sleep, to trudge into another day of what seems to endless work. I live in a small town in the middle of no where, surrounded by farms and mountains. I have no plan to leave becuase l can't but I desperately want to go anywhere that is outside Blueville and the total time warp that feels like this town is in. l slowly get out of bed, letting my feet hit the cold floor boards as l shuffle to the bathroom to shower. I exam the face that looks back at me in the mirror, long sleepless nights are taking their toll and I am looking worn out. Definitely not the vitality of yourh that most 20 year olds feel. I huff and greet the day day " f**k it" I quickly shower before starting my day. l go around collecting dirty clothes, putting them on to wash, tidy up mums wine bottles, put out the trash and start on school lunches. A bare fridge means lunches will be creative today. l have enough food for Sammy and Mason then some soft carrot sticks and questionable cheese for me. I mix up a batter for pancakes with the last 2 eggs and milk, Then go wake my brothers for school. Mason is 7 and Sammy is 8. Mason has a head of brown uncontrolled curls that have a life of their own. He is like a bean pole and constantly growing. He will surpass my 5"5 height in a year or 2. His Blue grey eyes always sparkle with mischief. "Go away Annie! It's too early" He grumbles as he fights me for his blanket. "Fine but no pancakes for yoy then" "I'm up!" He yelps and rushes out of bed into the bathroom. Sammy sits up and stares out the window lost in thought already. His green eyes are faraway. Dark almost black hair hides his pale complexion. Small and slight, he is quiet and regularly daydreams his days away looking out the window. l have asked mum to talk to the doctor about it but she just brushes it off saying he is fine. "Hey Buddy, Saaammmyyy, earth to Sammy come in my galaxy traveller. time for school. He slowly turns to me smiling as he touches my cheek then runs his fingers through my bright firey locks and says "Today. Today it all starts" I shake my head and ask "what starts?" He goes back to staring out the window. He regularly says things like this that make no sense. Mason comes back I at that moment jumping onto his brother's bed saying "pancakes Sammy come on! Then drags his brother out of bed to the chair where I have laid out their clothes. I love these two more than life it self. They are the reason I have not left. I am not related to them by blood, but that does not mean that they are not family. I smile as I walk back to the kitchen and dish up the pancakes. I weave my red curls up into a tight bun and try to straighten my threadbare flannelette shirt. It's warm and hides how thin I am. My sneakers and jeans are worn as well. I do some calculations in my head from my wages at the dinner and I maybe able to swing some new clothes from the second hand store if I am thrifty. I see Mason walk out and notic that his pants are looking tight. On second thought maybe I can go to the church clothes bin and get somethings and buy him some new clothes again. As we finish up breakfast, the backroom door opens and mum walks out. Blairy eyed and hung over as usual. She has her uniform on ready for work but that doesn't mean anything lately. "Hey mum, I need some money for groceries and rent is due at then end of the week" I quietly murmured as she walks straight to the coffee pot and pores a large mug of black ooze. When she does not answer I say again: "Mum? She grunts walks over to her wallet and takes out some cash and hands it over. " I want two packs of cigarettes and a box of red. Then you can use the rest. " She then wanders back to her room and shuts the door. l count the money. She has barely given me enough for rent and food. l guess all our clothes are coming from the church bin. I sigh, then plaster a smile on my face and rush my two munchkins out the door to wait for the school bus. School is my get away. I am on scholarship here at the local college. I have always had good grades, love English, Math, History. My teachers I high school helped me apply for a community grant to fund my college education. It covers my class fees and that's all I need for now. I will hopefully graduate in a year, if I can keep up my grade average. Sleepless nights and looking after a drunk parent while playing parent makes it very challenging. I fall into the work as a way of coping. one lesson blurs into another and hours pass by in a flash. Or they normally do. Today, feels different. By Second period I start to get this wearied feeling like l am waiting for something. It naws at my gut. Then infourth period a new face appears in my English class. "Everyone, this is Alexi. His family just moved here to Blueville from New York. Please take a seat next to Annie, she has excellent notes and can get you up to speed. I stare as the 6'3 Adonis walks towards me. He has silver eyes, jet black hair and a face and body built for modelling. He sits down in the seat next to mine. When l go to introduce my self He sniffs the air abd makes a face like he just smelt 10 year old gym socks. l am shocked and curl into myself trying to sniff my under arm without anyone seeing. I don't think I smell. feeling a deep cutting hurt like he back handed my I try to focus on class to no avail and then decide to skip the rest as l wallow I humiliation when stops mid conversation with one of the cheerleaders and snears at me again. To which the cheer leaders laugh like a pack of hyenas. Showing up at home before school finishes will only get me inteouble with mum. So l go to the diner to see if l can pick up some extra hours. lts an old ma and pa joint called Jo Jo's that has been in Blueville for years. like Blueville it is small and stuck in the past. Red vinyl seats with metallic and white table tops. All have seen better days, holes, scratches, faded patches with lumpy padding. The uniforms top it off with white dresses and pink aprons. Jo Jo or as everyone in town calls her Mama Jo has run the joint for 55 years. She has a soft spot for those down on their luck and as a result always needs works because someone always flakes. I have a 3 shifts every week but if I need money she will always make room for me. I work the afternoon, chatting to truckers and tourists allowing the monotonous work to calm my nerves and dull my feelings. I hate the job becuase it's boring but the routine soothes me. Like clock work my brothers cone in at 3:50 after school and give Mama Jo hugs. She makes them hot chocolate and they sit and do home work. At 6pm Lucy drops a plate of pizza on their table and winks at me saying Fred stuffed up an order. They all know what home is like for us. At 8pm Mama Jo says L am finished as the boys need baths and bed. she places a box in my hands that has s burger and fries for me and some sandwiches and cakes for tomorrow. When I try to pay she shoves me away with a laugh. " Go home and rest". We race home as quickly as we can. as we pass the old Hendersons house that was for sale we notice a movers truck out the front and a guy with shoulder length Blonde hair wearing a Metallica band shirt lounging against a midnight blue Cadillac. "Hey cutie" he says as he exhales the cigarette he has in his fingers. I smile say a shy hi and move the boys on quickly. We need to get home for bed routines and to make sure mum hasn't burnt anything in a drunken stupor.