All I could think about as was how I could get out of here. I’ve been trapped in this apartment for years, not allowed to see or talk to anyone except for Toby and Marissa. Everything is familiar. Chipped, peeling yellow paint. Squeaky, breaking floorboards. Stained tattered carpet. Ripped, wobbly furniture. Everything is always the same, and it never would change. Toby was the kind of person who hated change, even if it was for the better. To be honest with you, I hate it here. It’s a living nightmare. I should probably tell you who I am shouldn’t I? Well I’m Kendra. I was forced to go live with my uncle and his crazy wife when someone killed my parents. They say they don’t know what happened to them, but they don’t what I saw that terrible summer.

It all happened on a warm summer night about 5 years ago. My mom, dad, Aunt Marissa, Uncle Toby, and I went on vacation to Norman’s Lake. The lake was beautiful. Sunshine everyday, rolling fields of wild flowers surrounding the lake, and the lake water was crystal blue. The whole time we were there, we either were fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, or playing on the beach. On the last night of our trip, my uncle decided it would be fun to go into town for dinner. We went to dinner and it was really delicious.

When we got back to the cabin all the adults decided to go for a late night swim. I was sitting on the couch reading a book. The only lighting was a small lamp sitting on the side table. Getting drowsy, I found a good place to stop in my book and started to walk up the stairs. But, as a slowly climbed the stairs I heard the screams of my mom outside. I sprinted over to the nearest window that looked over the lake. When I looked out, I saw my uncle drowning my mom! My dad was trying to stop him, but my aunt had restrained him. Let’s just say my aunt isn’t the smallest person and that’s her only way she could have stopped my dad. My uncle succeeded in killing my mom. All I could do was drop to the ground sobbing. I couldn’t believe what I had seen. In my gut I knew my dad was next. I ran into my room, barely able to see anything through my tears. I grabbed my suitcase and put everything I thought I would need into it. On panic mode, I ran out the front door, and to my surprise my aunt was just opening the door. We collided and a tornado of my things flew from the suitcase. “Where do you think ya’ll are goin’ Kendra? Come back in the house. I have some bad news to tell ya’ sweetheart,” she hissed in her snake like voice. “While we were out swimmin’, your mommy drowned. Your daddy went down after her to save her, and he never came back up. We tried everything to save them but they were already gone. I’m sorry honey.” She told the lie right to my face. Then, I thought to myself, she truly has no idea what I’m going to do…

And here I am. Stuck in this rotting old apartment. My plan is going to happen soon. It all starts tonight. My plan is that while my aunt and uncle are sleeping, I’m going to sneak out of the window and go down the emergency fire escape. The only problem is, the window is in their bedroom. I’m hoping my uncle’s snores are loud enough so no one can hear me open and close the window. But once I’m out, I’m never coming back. The first thing I’m going to do is go to the police station and tell them about the murder. Hopefully they’ll believe me. My hope is that my uncle and aunt go to jail for as long as I live.

As soon as the stars come out, I wait in my room until I hear the snores. It’s around 12 o’clock when they finally start. I grab my backpack and start to open my door. I tiptoe to their room. Inside it is pitch black. I walk slowly to the window and try to push it up. It’s creak shatters the silence in the room.. I stand as still as I can, waiting for my uncle to snore again. He starts to snore again almost instantly. I push the window up, inch by inch, until I think I can squeeze out. I put my right leg through and reach it down for the fire escape. I stick my head out next, dragging the rest of my body behind it. I was about to pull my left leg out when a cold hand grabs my foot. I turn around and see my Uncle Toby standing over me. There’s a look of pure anger on his face. He pulls me back in the window. I fight and scream as hard as I can, but his grip is as strong as iron. He slams the window shut. Looks towards me and grabs a gun from the bed-side drawer. My aunt just sits in the bed like a potato. She doesn’t even react to what my uncle is about to do. He stands over me and puts the gun to my head. He swings the butt of the gun into my head making everything go black…. And I never wake up.