My world has always been dark. Since birth I was a burden to my family. They didn’t have enough money to keep me alive, the only option to keep me alive is giving me up for adoption.

So of course they went ahead and gave me up, why was there a need for me to stay in a home that wouldn’t care for me?

That exact reason is what lead me to being in the dark. The only light I could see is the dim light coming from the tiny crack from the old broken door. The door looked weak from it being so old and because of the fact that no one was able to replace it with a new door for years. Even though it looked weak, it was still sturdy enough to keep a 7 year old trapped in it.

This closet was my home.

My new family was something special. They treated me as if I were a dog to them, some sort of pet they could abuse and toy around with. With all of the abuse I get you can say I’m numb to the pain. I lost my sense of emotions. All of them but one, fear.

Fear is what kept me from escaping this place and becoming homeless.

Fear of what could happen to my innocent little 4 year old brother. The sweet boy who would hide behind my weak back when fights broke out in the house isn’t actually my blood brother. He was also up for adoption.

Once he arrived to this miserable chaotic home, he saw me as his hero, his savior. Why? Because I would stand up for him and protect him as much as I could. I would do anything to keep him as safe as possible.

I’m the one who’d take his beatings, I’m the one who would give him my food rations, I’m the one who’d keep him out of trouble.

In return he’d be the comfort I would seek when I broke down. Hence why I can’t abandon him.