Keep On Fighting

Abandoned Gas Station

Sophie and Luka began to run around the parking lot. They played tag along with hide and seek. As they were doing that, I made sure the two of them didn't run into the street or get hurt.

While the both of them are busy I thought about what we're going to do. I have to somehow find a way to make money. I can't get a job because who's going to watch Luka and Sophie?

I looked around and managed to find a cardboard box, but I don't have a marker! I threw the box as hard as I could, in frustration.

If I don't have money then how are we going to eat?! There's a pizza shop a block away from us, hopefully they throw out some pizzas or something.

Another gas station is right up the street, they cook and throw out food all the time. I took a deep breath in, I started to relax with the thought that we'll at least have food.

I was dragged out of my thoughts to the sound of crying.

"Sissy!" Luka screamed. I saw Sophie on the ground crying and Luka staring at me, not knowing what to do. I jogged over to them.

"What happened?" I panicked.

"Sophie, fell and scraped her leg off the ground," Luka explained. I noticed a nasty scrape on Sophie's knee.

I picked Sophie off the concrete and gave her a hug. I moved my hips side to side, trying to stop Sophie's crying.

"Shhh, it's okay," I lied. Sophie needs a band aid and I can't give her one. The wound isn't bleeding; meanwhile the skins peeled and I'd hate to see it get infected.

"She needs a band aid," Luka explained.

"Well, we don't have any," I responded.

"We can just go to Pappie's house and get some band aids," Luka clarified.

"Luka, we can never go back."

"Why, not?" Luka questioned. This is all my fault! If I would have just kept my mouth shut maybe then we would still have a home. How could I be so stupid and so careless?!

"Please, just go play or something," I demanded. I had nothing else to say. I didn't know what to say. Luka walked off and began to play with some rocks.

Tomorrow, I can already see it. Luka's going to complain that he's bored because he won't be able to watch TV and Sophie's going to be a handful because she won't have any toys.

"Sissy, I'm hungry," Sophie said. Oh, no this was one of the things I dreaded the most. Normally, almost as soon as Sophie wakes up from a nap she'll ask for food. I prayed that today would be different but it's not.

"Ummm...we'll go get some food," I expounded. I walked over to Luka and asked if he was hungry. He said yes so we walked up the street to the other gas station.

The three of us walked to the back of the gas station. I put Sophie down and I told them to hide beside the dumpster away from the road.

I looked at my surroundings, making sure no one was looking. I took a deep breath before leaning onto the dumpster.

My brown legs that are covered in a pair of grey sweatpants dangle above the ground

I found five chicken wings just laying in the dumpster. I thought there would be more but I'm assuming another animal got them before us.

I grabbed them and got off the garbage bin, releasing the air I held in.

"Here's lunch," I presented. I dreaded giving them this food; however this is our only option. I rather eat something out of the garbage then nothing at all.

I handed Luka a chicken leg. I picked Sophie up with one hand, having the food in the other. We walked as quickly as possible away from the dumpster.

We then made it to the abandoned gas station. We sat at the side and began to eat. I ripped pieces of my chicken leg to Sophie.

I glanced from Luka to Sophie, making sure neither of them choked.

Saving two chicken wings, we ate the rest. There's no way I could know when we'll eat our last meal.

It could take days or weeks until we eat our next meal so I would like to conserve as much food as I can.

It disgusts me the fact that we are homeless, that we don't have a place to go.

Luka has to miss school solely because he doesn't have a backpack or any school supplies.

I hate the thought that Luka won't be able to play with other children because of my mistake. I regret everything about this; meanwhile I know I have to stay strong for my siblings. I understand they dislike this as much as I do.

Once, all of us were done eating, I pondered on something we could do. In the back of my mind, I knew we were going to need money but when I brought it up, dear Luka shut it down. I guess we'll worry about that tomorrow.

Today hasn't been one of the greatest days. The three of us got kicked out of our home, had to find a place to stay, and dug through a garbage can.

I just want this day to end. I want to go back home and everything will be back to normal.

I mean I don't like the fact that I couldn't be a normal teen but I hate it even more that I don't have a house to live in.

The rest of the day, I talked with Sophie and Luka.

"What is your favorite animal?" I questioned.

"Dog!" Sophie yelled.

"A shark," Luka answered. I questioned the two of them mostly on things I already knew. We had many laughs and giggles.

What I tried to do was speed up time by distraction ourselves.

It worked and shortly it was seven. The sun was still shining bright but it's Sophie's bed time. I sat Sophie on my lap. She had her brown head on my black t-shirt

"It's time for bed, Luka," I explained.

"But, it's not late," Luka justified.

"I know but I'm tired and it's time for bed," I clarified. Luka laid his head on my shoulder. I watched as he closed his dark brown eyes.

Sophie was already asleep so I closed my eyes and was in my own mind.

"Goodnight, to the world I know now, to the place I need to get used to," I thought to myself.