She's a fifteen-year-old girl who killed her "father" in self-defense and lied about it to the police. She thinks she has no other family members and now she has nowhere to live but the police tell her she was kidnapped from her real family when sh...
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ATHENA RUSSO:
I didn't sleep. I couldn't sleep.
The sun rises as I sit on my bed staring out the window.
I don't know what time it is. I've never had a phone. And I threw my watch away. My "mother" gave it to me. But once I found out she took me from my real family I threw it away.
I didn't want to have something that reminded me of them. Even when I've defended them my whole life.
But why was I taken? They pretended to be my real parents but why? Why would anyone do that? You don't just take a kid from their family and go to London just to pretend you are the kid's real parents. I mean there are plots like that in books and movies. But this? This is insane. It's psychotic.
I hear footsteps outside my door.
Normally I would know who was walking around in my old home. Yes, I only lived with my father but he had friends over and I could tell what his footsteps sounded like. But this isn't my house. It's theirs. They might be my brothers but they're strangers. I don't know them. I don't trust them.
I look at my bed. I haven't been under the covers. It doesn't feel right. I get off the bed and walk to my bathroom. I need to take a shower.
I look in the mirror and the concealer has faded away. I quickly look away. I don't want to look at the bruises. They're disgusting. I take my clothes off and I accidentally look in the mirror. Bruises are scattered all over my body. I don't look away this time.
I look sick. I look pale. I look fragile. I look broken.
I can't look away. I take a step forward and look closely at my face. My cheekbones are prominent. My eyes are dull. I sigh and turn around. I go into the shower and turn it on.
If only I could wash these bruises, nightmares, and secrets away.
