Different

It was a late Friday night during the beginning of fall the breeze gently blew leaves down the streets of Hazardville. It was a small peaceful town where there was barely any crime and everybody knew everyone. The towns people also knew, on the outskirts of town was a not so likeable area they called “Bluff Landing” and this is where our story begins. In this neighborhood was a well known family but they were not known for anything good... The Smith family home was known for being a drug den. There was a lot of traffic that would come in and out through out the day and night. You could hear classic rock and roll playing so loud you could hear it four blocks down.   The house was a single story country style home. The front of the house had a large covered porch in which the roof sagged. The rails were rotting from years of neglect. The white paint that once use to be decent was now cracking and peeling showing the bare siding. There were ac units that hung out the windows with two by four’s propping them into place. There was a old tattered blue tarp atop the roof covering sections of missing shingles and roof damage. The mother whose name was Linda, loved to party. She focused on drugs and alcohol and never even took the time to think of her three children. For her happiness was far more important then caring for her own children. Linda was only thirty-four years old and stood about five foot six inches weighting one hundred and forty pounds. She had fine golden blonde hair that flowed down to the middle of her back. Her eyes were as green as emeralds. Her face was broken out and showed the years of drug and alcohol abuse. Linda worked as a waitress at Glenda’s Family Diner; it was a restaurant just down the street from George Washington High School. Linda’s husband was named William. At thirty six years old he was skinny as a rail with a beard so distinct that he could not be mistaken. His hair was a chocolate brown that just barely reached the tip of his shoulders. He stood six foot and weighed one hundred and twenty pounds. His eyes were bright hazel. William is a truck driver and his career would keep him gone for week’s… sometimes even months. However, his family did not mind because he had a temper of a warthog with a hernia. Their oldest daughter was named Milley who was only thirteen, with eyes as blue as a clear summer sky. She always had big dreams and plans of where she wanted to be one day. However, she kept quiet of her thoughts and dreams, so she wouldn't upset her father. She was an average girl with decent muscle definition you could see it in her arms and legs. She gained the muscle working in the yard because that was the most common punishment her father gave. Milley had long blonde hair that flowed right passed her waist. Her mother has always forbade her to cut if off for she always said…“Your hair is your crown and glory and should never be tampered with”. The middle child Daniel was nine years of age. He had short brown hair and light green eyes. He was a timid boy. Daniel’s face was scarred; from a time their mother was passed out drunk. He grabbed a pot of boiling water from the stove top spilling it on himself when he was three years old. He is mentally scarred from the abuse and neglect. The youngest child Lucy was only five years old. Her hair was dirty blonde. When she was only four years old her mother left the kids home alone. Lucy snuck in her room and got the scissors cutting all of her hair off. Now her hair was cut and styled to frame her face to enhance the bright hazel green eyes that she has. She was a social butterfly with lots of energy. Everyone in the neighborhood was nestled in their beds fast asleep. The air was crisp and cool as the breeze made leaves dance across the street softly rustling on their journey. The neighborhood was so dark that the only thing you could make out was the silhouette’s of the trees blowing in the wind. The crescent moon shined softly in the night. At the end of the road where the Smith family lived, every light was on like a beacon for their associates.   The neighborhood doesn't stay quite for long…. For Linda and William who shot up meth just a few days before, was starting to come down from their high. It’s  a little after three in the morning when the whole neighborhood is quickly awakened!  Police sirens blare into the darkness of the night as they head for the Smith family home. You could hear screaming and cussing , as things where being thrashed against the walls and echoing though the house. When the police finally arrive they took the parents into custody, then they began searching the house. As they went through the house, the officers could hear faint sounds coming from the back bedroom. As they approached the bedroom the sound became more clear, as the officers grew concerned of what they would find. As they opened the bedroom door… there they found three children all huddled together. The first thing they see is Milley; then they notice her clinging to her younger siblings as she tries to keep them safe and quiet. For they feared their father would find them and take his anger out on them.   For the safety of the children they escorted them outside. The children sat in the yard as one of the officer’s played and talked with them, while another officer contacted Child Protective Services. The children were now worried that they would be separated.  As Milley sits there with Daniel and Lucy trying to calm them down. She thinks to her self “On no...I wonder what is going to happen to us this time”. While they wait for Child Protective Services to come and figure out what to do with the children their neighbor Jenny from across the street comes up to see if she could help in any way. As Jenny talks to Officer Burke the children talk to Officer Birch one at a time about the events leading up to the call. After an hour a Maroon Ford Expedition pulls up and a lady with short brown hair steps out and walks to Officer Burke “My name is Emma I am with Child Protective Services.” She agrees to talk to Jenny. As they step away back to her vehicle to talk; the children sit there staring into the darkness of the early morning. Officer Burke walks to his car and gets something out of it, then walks back to the children. He gives them each a can of soda, bag of chips, and a Teddy bear. “What’s your name?” Asked Emma. “My name is Jenny Bowins I live across the street here.” Jenny replied as she pointed to her house. Emma proceeding to write on a clipboard what she was informed. “How do you know the children?” Asked Emma as she looked around Jenny to see the children. “They play with my daughter Sam.” she replied. “I see” said Emma as she nodded her head. “Milley can stay with me for awhile if she needs to.” said Jenny. Emma looked up at Jenny “That would be great let me check with my supervisor if he clears it I will inspect your home.” replied Emma. Emma steps away to call her supervisor still in eyesight of Jenny. A few minutes later Emma comes back to Jenny “Lets check your house if everything is good she can stay with you.” said Emma as she motions towards Jenny's house. They walk over to Jenny's house and go inside. Emma starts the inspection… After Emma completes the inspection and clears Milley to stay. As they exited Jenny’s home the sun was just breaking the horizon. Emma and Jenny walk back over towards the kids. As they approach the children Emma asks “Milley can you come here for a second?” Milley stood up and walked over to Emma’s car. “Milley you can go stay with Jenny for a little while; however your brother and sister are going to have to come with me” said Emma.   Milley runs back to her siblings embracing them in a hug as she starts to cry. She then says goodbye. Daniel and Lucy are then shuffled into the car as Milley stands there in shock, with tears streaming down her face as she watches the vehicle pull away. In the rear window the only thing you could see is Daniel and Lucy crying and pressing their hands against the window as if they were trying to reach out for their big sister. With tears streaming down all their face’s you could see the pain in their eyes for they truly only had one another to lean on. As Milley stands there, Jenny walks over to her and places her arm around her shoulders… “It will be OK… I promise, you will get to see them soon”. Then Jenny and Milley walk over to Jenny’s home. Jenny does her best to console the girl; but she is crying and in shock from being separated from her younger siblings. “I hope I get to see them soon”… “I hope they are going to be OK”… “I wonder where they are taking them” Milley thought.