Spark of Joy

3

Zoe arrived at her house and ran upstairs, skipping steps, to get to her room. She looked at the clock that was ten minutes ahead.

4:45

"Fuck," she murmured under her breath. She threw down her bag onto her bed, and walked over to her closet. After opening the door and sitting down in the corner, she covered her mouth with the inside of her elbow. She let out a strangled cry and kicked the laundry basket. "Damnit!"

She pulled out her phone and saw a text from her dad. It was her plane ticket, her flight was at 5:15 am. She chuckled and tossed her phone into her room while muttering under her breath.

There was a knock on her door. She waited a moment.

"Zo, it's dinner," it was her mom. Zoe felt bad for her, her poor mother got stuck with a daughter who was fucked up all over the place.

"I'll be there in just a second," she pulled herself up and walked out of her room.

"How was your day?" Great. A full hour of talking about how amazing school is.

"It was fine," an empty response came from the empty girl. After setting the table, and herding her two younger siblings to the table, her stepdad said grace.

"Dear Heavenly Father,
We're so thankful for the wonderful food, and the roof over our head put there by you. We thank you for your blessings and gifts. Now let this food nourish our bodies to do your work, amen."

Wonderful, blessings, gifts, it was all too much for Zoe. Her dad didn't want her, her stepdad was tired of her crap, her mom was clueless, Maria was on her last nerves.

"I can't do this!" She stormed out of the dining room and out of the house. She didn't glance back, not once. She tuned out all the noises. Her mom yelling, the birds chirping, cars in the distance.

"Urggah!" She picked up a rock and threw it into the pond at the edge of her enormous neighborhood. She had been running, trying to get away. "No! I'm sorry! I just... I-I can't.. it's too much!"

"Dear, what's too much?"