All Four Of Me

Chapter 1

KENZIE

My mind is numb and my fingers aren't far behind.

Despite being shoved into the deepest recess of my jacket pockets, the cozy fabric does little to warm my fingers as the cold winter breeze bites at any remaining morsel of skin still exposed to the elements, causing a permanent shiver to rake through my body.

I had been kicked out of the house hours ago but distinctly remember being warned not to leave the front verandah. The people inside may not want me in their living space, but they can't afford to let me disappear. At least not before the social workers get here. I can only assume that they are trying to cover their own asses because as soon as the social workers get here I am no longer their responsibility.

I can't find it in me to care about the situation. This isn't the first time I have been thrown out of a foster home and if I'm being honest it probably won't be the last. The government will place me with another foster family and when those people get bored of me or dig a little too deep into my background, they will send me back again.

Muffled shouting can be heard from inside the house but I don't bother trying to listen to what is being said. The occasional sentence here and there is louder than the others so I end up catching snippets anyway. I just remain seated on the front steps with my head rested against the roof support, backpack at my feet waiting for the social worker to arrive.

Another twenty minutes passes before a neat silver sedan pulls up to the curb outside the house. I don't bother waiting for the social worker to get out of the car, I sling my backpack over one shoulder and begin walking towards the first sign of warmth I have seen in almost three hours.

The social worker has stepped out of the car by now and just as he begins the short trek up the footpath he suddenly stops in his tracks as he notices me walking towards him, bag over my shoulder, packed and ready to go. The surprised look on his face quickly turns to one of concern as I bypass him completely and make my way towards the passenger side of the vehicle.

Yanking the handle open, a burst of warm air surrounds me as I climb into the seat. Slamming the door behind me to keep the heat inside the car I shove my backpack onto the floor between my legs and lean back into the chair, savouring the way the cushioned fabric melts into my back.

The sound of knuckles tapping against the window pulls me out of my brief moment of bliss and only after taking a couple of deep breaths do I turn my face towards the glass.

"Mackenzie! Can you please come out here for a moment?" The social worker asks in a calm voice.

A part of me wants to tell him to get lost, but I can't find the energy to care. Instead, I reach for the central lock on the door and flick the tab to the locked position. The sound of the locks engaging echoes through the car and I know the sound can be heard from outside.

Turning my head so that I am facing the front window, I proceed to ignore the man standing outside in the cold. Hopefully he will get the message and leave me alone.

I am not going back into that house and I am not leaving the warmth of this car. If he really needs to talk to me he can wait until we are leaving or he can open the car and get inside. He has the keys.

I don't know how long I stay sitting here, but it has been long enough that the warmth that had been in here when I first got in has now disappeared and the bitterness from outside has began to creep inside. Despite feeling disappointed by the loss of heat, I am just glad that the interior of the car is providing me protection from the howling wind outside.

Suddenly a flash of colour comes into my peripheral vision and I relax when I turn my head towards the movement and see that it is just the social worker. He is standing outside on his phone, his free hand shoved into his coat pocket in attempt to shield it from the bitter cold. He talks for a few minutes before shoving his phone into his pants pocket while simultaneously pulling out his car keys.