I Pray for Death

Chapter Seven

After Hope left saying she was going to the store, I sat down on the end of the bed and hugged my knees to my chest.  In reality, I was grateful for the help and support these people where offering but I also saw the downside.  My parents wouldn’t let me go just like that, they would want me under their thumb so they could keep me from going to the police and outing them for everything that happened in the past two years.  Not to mention the fact that my sister hadn’t died of an allergic reaction or natural causes.  Combine my neglect and abuse with Shadye’s death and that would be a long prison sentence that neither would want to serve.  If the chance came around, I would be dead and they would be out of town as fast as possible.  

Now that I had Grayson, Hope and Faith, I wanted my freedom from the world of hate and pain more than ever.  I felt the corner of my mouth lift as I thought of Faith and Hope.  Whoever named them must have been able to see the future; their names were perfect for their personalities.  Meeting them and realizing what they did for Grayson restored a little bit of faith and hope in the human race for me.  Not all people were cruel or uncaring.  

Every time Grayson touched me I felt a minuscule part of my heart stitch itself back together.  Knowing he had went through the same thing only years longer and came out on the other side a well adjusted, strong and caring person gave me the courage that I could do the same.  It might be years down the road before I was able to really let anyone into my life but I was willing to try.  

I must have been sitting there thinking for a long time.  The sun was fading from view and the room became darker and darker.  A knock on the door had me turning toward it and waiting for someone to barge in.  

A minute later I heard Faith’s voice through the door.  “Memory can I come in?  Hope got you some things.”  I stood and opened the door.  Faith stood in the doorway with two plastic bags full of things.  “I hope you like it all and that everything fits.”  I nodded at a loss for what to say and stepped back so she could enter.  She sat the bags on the bed and started unloading things.  Socks, underwear, bras, soap, shampoo, conditioner, face wash, hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, and there was even a few bottles of nail polish.  It was all more than I had had in a long time.  I picked up a bottle of pink nail polish and held it reverently.  

“Thank you, both of you.  I don’t know how I’m ever going to repay you.”  I whispered and sat the nail polish down to admire the rest of the stuff.  

“Oh sweetie, you don’t need to repay us, we’re glad to help you.”  Faith became quiet after that statement and she studied my face.  “Have you thought about going to the police?”  She asked gently and sat down on one side of the bed.  My shoulders slumped and I sat down on the other side.

“I…I’m afraid.  What if they take me right back to my parents?  What if they don’t believe me?”  My lower lip was trembling and my eyes felt moist.  I hadn’t felt like crying this much in a long time.  

“Memory, they will believe you, all they will have to do is look at you.  How long has it been going on?”  

I sighed and covered my face, ashamed of what my life had become.  “Two years, it all started when my sister died.”  It was all I could manage to choke out and we sat in silence while Faith processed my answer.  

“Please go to the police.  We will be with you the entire time, and Hope and I will ask for temporary custody of you so they don’t take you into child protective services.  Your parents need to be punished for everything they have done to you and your sister.”  By the end of her speech Faith was pleading with me.  I hadn’t said anything about my parents being involved with my sister’s death but of course Faith would guess that they had been involved.