Look into my eyes

Happy birthday?

Most 5th birthdays are a celebration as school is round the corner and the world is getting just a tiny bit bigger but not for Verbena. She wakes up in her cold wooden empty room which only contains a small old bed who huffs and puffs every time Verbena steps in it and a small candle which glows sadly in the corner. She creeps into the spare room where her mother has stayed all night without a second of sleep. She looks into Verbenas eyes and that's when the young child notices something the colour has drained out of her mothers eyes."Who are you?" The question makes Verbenas heart hurt. Her mother rubs her eyes than yawns loudly as she says "sorry I'm tired," Verbena wonders into the kitchen sits there then draws pictures in the dust until her dad leaves without saying a word. Her mother comes into the kitchen with a sad smile and pulls out a couple of slices of bread and smears it in jam. "Happy birthday breakfast," The words should of been happy but the tone is wrong and sadness lingered between the two.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The large concrete building towered above the pair menacingly. It looked less like a place where curiosity roams and nurturing takes place and more like a prison where the inmates are tortured. The thunder screamed while the grey clouds danced around the school. A lady met them at the large metal gates. She was a larger lady who wore a pinafore that was a bit on the small side and her cheeks were a bright rosy red. "I'm taking that you are Miriam Tremaine?" Verbenas mother replied "Yes," As she said this she dropped a large sack of coins in the ladies hands. Miriam rubbed her temples, she had slaved day and night so her daughter could receive an education she deserves. The lady smiled and flashed her pearly white teeth. She lent down to be level height with Verbena and said her voice thick and sweet "You will love it here sweetie!" She outstretched her hand and Verbena took a hold of it. The last thing she saw was her mother waving goodbye.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first thing Verbena did was cry at the top of her lungs. She laid of the floor and just cried. Waterfalls poured at her face and onto the concrete stairs. The kind lady lifted her up and just managed to carry her up the stairs. She looked Verbena in the eyes and said "try your hardest ok?" She flashed Verbena a smile as she walked down the stairs. A cold hand pulled Verbena into a small room. This hand belonged to lady who towered above Verbena and looked town upon her as if she was a fly. Her voice was sharp like a dagger and grating plus obnoxious all at once. "Did your mother not pay attention!" She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "The mothers of you brats need parenting lessons!" Verbena wiped the tears away as her knees shook. "Don't make fun of my mother!" She had to say this as no one had ever made fun of her mother and her mother was the centre of the universe. The ladies pinched face almost showed a glimpse of emotion as she said "You will get used to all of this," Verbena saw half of her beautiful caramel hair fall to the floor.