I slammed the door in my mothers face and flung myself head on onto my dark bed. I clapped my hands and my lights faded from my vision submering my room into complete darkness. Tears spilled from my eyes as I rubbed the arm she had punched so many times. My black and blue hair fell into my face and stuck there as if they were tempted by the water running down my cheeks. I tried my hardest not to sob. If I sobbed and my parents heard me, I would be smacked more, and there was nothing more that could be worse. I grabbed my blanket and wiped my face, smearing my makeup everywhere. I couldn't take the pain and hatred anymore. Parents were supposed to love their children, not hurt them. I forced myself not to cry anymore and got up, making my way over to my mirror. I re-did my makeup, making it dark and scary and then began stuffing clothes and food from my mini fridge into my backpack. I was running away. If my parents hated me so much then they wouldn't miss me if I ran.

   
    "You're a horrible child!" My mother screamed at me from the other side of the door. "When you come down you're getting a beating! No child of mine will ever fail high school!"

    I wiped stray tears from my cheeks and zipped up my bag, grabbing my trench coat and doing my hair up into a sloppy ponytail. I made my way to the window, closing my eyes and remembering the times my parents had actually liked me. That was until my father started cheating on my mom and drinking and coming home late. Then to cope my mother began to drink and take drugs, and soon enough she had led herself to a horrible life, and to make her feel better, she beat me. Great life isn't it? Beside my window my electric '95 guitar sat plugged into the amp. I unplugged it, sending a screeching noise to fill my ears for a fraction of a second, and then swung the strap around my neck. My guitar hung limply against my front as I pushed open the window being greeted by ice cold air. I couldn't believe I was really running away, after all I had been through I was just beginning to think straight? I put my right leg out, and then my other so that I was sitting on my window sill. I heard someone knock on my door.

    "Go away!" I screamed, looking down and hoping that jumping from the third floor and hitting solid ground wasn't going to kill me.

    "It's Jack," came a hurt and small voice.

    I immediately felt sad and I turned to look at my closed door. Jack was my little 5 year old brother. He got beaten too, but not as much. He would be hurt more as he got older, but I didn't have the heart to tell him that. He's the only one that ever cared about me, and I only cared about him.

    "Come in Jack," I barely whispered. The door swung open and I saw my little brother holding an envelope and a small bear in his hand. His left eye was black around the edges, and his green eyes that I so loved stared at me through tears. He made his way over to me and as he did, his bottom lip trembled.

    "Where are you going?" he asked sadly as he saw me about to jump.

    "I don't know," I said putting my hand on his face. "Maybe I'll go to a friends house."

    "But you have no friends."

    I laughed. "What, are you going to start being mean to me now?" I saw him give a weak smile and I embraced him in a tight hug. "Oh I'll find a place to live," I said seriously. "I just can't stay here."

    "Don't leave me!" he cried out. I motioned for him to be quiet and he immediately shut his mouth. "I don't want to be stuck here all alone."

    "You won't be. I'll come visit some times, but only when mom and dad are gone."

    "But I hate the pain," he mumbled, clinging on to me and hoping I wouldn't let go.

    "I know, and I do to. But I promise it will all get better in the end. But I can't take you with me. No matter how bad mom and dad are they still take care of you. If you get sick out there, or if we make no money, then you'll be in so much more pain."

    Jack nodded. "Ok. But take these with you to remember me." He handed me the envelope and his teddy bear.

    I felt a tear slip under my defense. "Oh Jack I'll never forget you."

    "Don't open the envelope until you leave," he whispered tears now falling from his face like a waterfall.

    I embraced him one last time and kissed him on the head. "I love you, and don't forget me. If you want, you can sleep in my room."

    He nodded and then let go. "By Ebony."

    "By Jack." Then I jumped, praying silently that I wouldn't splat onto the pavement. I ended up landing on the lawn just to the side of my house, and smiled. I hadn't splatted. That was a good sign. I looked up to see Jack had vanished, the window still open. "Goodbye," I whispered one last time before I grabbed my bike and rode off down the street away from my horrible past, and into my new future.

    My guitar kept getting in my way as I rode on towards downtown. I had brought all my savings and knew that I had at least enough money to buy a one way ticket to New York. My eyes traveled across kids playing basketball, and heard their moms call them in for a snack. Why does God pick on me? I asked myself (and partially to God). I'd done nothing wrong in my life, and still bad things happened to me. I reached up and undid the pontytail, letting my hair fall over my shoulders and partially into my face. But the wind pushed my hair back, and felt suddenly as free as a bird. I still felt guilty for leaving Jack there to suffer for my decisions, but he would get through it. He was strong, I knew he was.

*   *   *

    That night it rained; horribly. Thunder and lightening lashed out across the sky. The whole world felt like it was having one bad stomach ache. I laid on my backpack, protecting my guitar underneath myself and my trenchcoat. I spent half my life saving for this thing, and I wasn't going to let it get ruined. Plus, it was my only of possibly ever getting more money. Times square was like one big open playground, with food shacks and clothing stores. It was like Pike Place in Seattle, but way better. A giant statue rose in the middle. The dark masks flashed brightly in the darkness, and I swore they were all looking at me. I huddled beneath my only shelter and closed my eyes. If only someone had made a mistake and not closed their shack, possibly I could have had a nice room to stay in for the night. I tried my hardest to concentrate on sleep, but there was no way I was ever going to get some in this pouring rain. I reached into my inside pocket and pulled out the envelope Jack had given to me before I left. I ripped it open to find a gift card for anything for $200. I laughed. He must have stolen it for mom. He was so brave, and he was like an older brother. He looked out for me, just like I looked out for him. I then saw a thin sheet of paper and took it out to find it was a picture of Jack. It was a new picture too, and I smiled. He was so cute...I held it close. I would never forget him. Never. I closed my eyes and thought of him, only to fall into a deep sleep.