The Soul of Brass

Chapter 1

Almost three years had passed since her mother had died. Now, having just turned twelve, Asha couldn't help but think back to happier times as she swept the entryway clear of dust. Happier times that didn't consist of her cleaning her Uncle's house and being separated from her older brother and father. Here Asha was alone with a family that wasn't her own.

Uncle Carl was a family friend of her Papa's. Her actual family members were away in different parts of the world. Papa was investigating the sudden increase of siren populations in Peru. Quiller was part of the summer long Elementals' Expedition in Sweden. Asha couldn't help but sigh as realization hit her that another three months would pass before she would be reunited with her real family.

Setting the broom back into the tool shed Asha looked towards the horizon. Dusk had settled in and the last of the sun's rays were fading into darkness. Closing the shed door Asha made her way back into the house to warm herself leftovers for dinner. As she entered the kitchen she was met with a surprise. Her Uncle was slouched at the wooden dining table, his eyes unfocused and staring down, mind a million miles away. His left hand was on the table, clutching a black plastic bag. As Asha came closer to the table, his dark blue eyes refocused and slowly made their way to Asha's. Uncle Carl's face showed no emotion as he stared at Asha and silence overcame the two figures. It would be Asha who broke the silence.

"Uncle?" said Asha as she looked away from his stare and at the garbage bag in his hand.

Closing his eyes he said "I'm not your uncle," then lazily tossed the garbage bag at Asha.

Catching the bag, Asha looked at her "uncle" in confusion. "I already took out the trash," said Asha.

"It's not for the trash," said Carl with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Then what is it for?" asked Asha.

"It's for your clothes- you're leaving" said Carl as he stood up and headed for the fridge.

"Where are we going?" asked Asha, eyes following Carl.

Grabbing a bottle of beer, Carl returned to his seat at the table. "Not 'we'," he said, popping the cap off and pointing his bottle at Asha, "you," then took a sip of his drink.

"What?" said Asha.

"You heard me," said Carl, "You're not gonna be living here anymore."

Asha looked at the man in disbelief. "What?" she said. Carl sipped his beer and slouched further down, giving Asha a look of indifference. Silence overtook the two again. It would be Carl that broke the silence this time.

"Look," he said rising and leaning forward, "The only reason I even agreed to take you in was because your father saved me from getting kicked out of college. However, that degree was in English. Look where we are!" Carl spread his arms wide, "Farming land! I grow crops for a living, you don't need an English degree- or really any sort of degree for that matter, to work on a farm! Honestly, I took you in out of the kindness of my heart, yet what do I get? A kid that isn't mine living with me and my family. You make everything all... awkward."

Asha gave him a hard stare and said, "You're kicking me out... because I make things awkward."

Carl pinched his nose, "Truth is I just don't want to deal with you," he said as he rose from his chair and walked towards the hallway, "I want things to go back to how they were. You aren't my kid so I don't have to take care of you."

"You can't just do this!" said Asha as she followed Carl through the hallway.

"I can and I did!" he said. "I already called CPS and explained your situation. They're going to be here within the next two hours to pick you up." Carl gestured to the open door at the end of the hall. "Now go pack your shit then wait outside on the porch for them." Carl then returned to the kitchen, leaving Asha alone in the hallway. Slowly she made her way into the room.

In it she found Ashley, Carl's eldest child, seated on the bed and painting her nails. Ashley was as generous as her father. She gave exactly one pillow and a blanket for Asha to use while Asha slept on her floor for the summer. Not giving Asha a second look, Ashley said "My dad told CPS that he found you squatting in our shed," blowing on her nails she looked up at Asha, "not exactly the sharpest tool in there eh?" smiling at her own joke Ashley went back to painting her nails. Asha frowned, grabbed the three small objects that belonged to her off the dresser(deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrush), then made her way to the closet and began packing. Twelve shirts, three pairs of jeans, one pair of shorts, and nine underclothes, later(Papa had told her to only pack the necessities) Ashely's room was void of all things Asha. All in less than five minutes. All in one garbage bag. It was like Asha never existed.

With a heavy heart Asha looked at the bag that held her things, wishing she had packed a keepsake or two. A picture of her family, her favorite book, or even a stuffed animal. Anything that gave her personality and showed the world that she was a person, not some object that could be thrown away. As she looked up from her bag she caught her reflection in the mirror. She never looked so innocent. She never looked so fragile. She never looked so small.

"Ya know," said Ashley, bringing Asha back into the real world, "I wonder how your father is going to find you."

"What do you mean?" asked Asha, tearing herself away from her reflection and looking at Ashely.

"Like, you're going to be in some random foster home that we won't know. What happens if you get lost in the system?"

"There aren't many kids with my name,"

"Then like, they're going to question your father about why he abandoned you and your brother."

"He didn't abandon us,"

"Well, whatever happens to you your'e father's going to be documented and we all know that'll be good for him."

Asha stayed silent. Ashley smiled. Asha grabbed her bag full of belongings and left the room. "Have fun," called Ashely.

Asha stormed her way through the house and through the front door. Sitting on the porch steps she set her bag behind her and took a deep breath. "I don't want to go to foster care," she said. Looking out to the distance Asha could see the lights of the nearby town Then don't go. Town was seventeen miles away. Slowly she stood up and clutched her bag. Asha had no money, no family, and nothing to lose. She took a tentative step towards the lights. Town or Foster Care? She sprinted into the night.