Sanctuary

o'be'di'ent
adj. def.
1.One who follows orders
2. One who allows themselves to be guided by
3. Casey Allen in a difficult situation

Sanctuary it really is a beautiful song. In a way it makes me feel... safe. Which is kinda the point because a sanctuary is a safe place. I would maybe consider my room to be my current sanctuary. It has a TV,plenty of books, and enough Twizzlers to last me a lifetime. I really wish I had a safer snctuary though, because right now, I'm in desperate need.

I'm walking home from school alone. My nonexistent friends and family didn't help the fact that I was lonely. No biggie. It's just another one of those things I would have to suck up and deal with. My I-pod is the closest thing I have. Sad isn't it? As I drew closer to my house, I could hear the screams coming from inside already. I sighed and blasted the music in my ear, trying to push all the pain away. I was sailing.

I live at home with my mom and her 5th (or was it 6th?) boyfriend Harry (Billy? Let's call him Barry). I really hated the guy. He was never kind to anyone and I felt like he used my mom. Ever since my dad died of cancer when I was eleven, she has done nothing but screw up. I miss my dad terribly. He always knew what to do, no matter in what situation. He was a lot more fun too. More than Barry.

As I put the key in the door, the yelling stopped. Strange, they don't usually stop fighting just because I came home. I shrugged and opened the door, walking in. It was now dead silent in here. What gives? I put my bag on the floor and rummaged around until I felt my Twizzlers. I pulled one out and started sucking on it like a lollipop. I swear I could have a full on debate on why Twizzlers are better than anything else. I walked through the kitchen. I wanted to say hi to my mom before I trapped myself in my room for the rest of the day. If I had known what was awaiting me in there, I would have never came home.

My mom was standing there, a horrified look on her face, staring at Barry, who was pointing a gun at her face. My heart skipped a beat, my stomach had butterflies, and I wanted to cry.
Barry noticed me first.

"Well, well, well. Look who decided to come home at the perfectly wrong time." He says smirking at me. I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. Not a sound.

"Casey sweetie." My mom says quietly, and motions for me to come over to her. She hugs me. At this point my brain is not functioning. What am I supposed to say? So I remained silent. She lets go and turns toward Barry. "Let her go, and you can have whatever."

Excuse me? I wasn't going to leave my mom. I gave her a hard look, but she paid me no mind. She seemed to have for gotten that my friends and family are nonexistent! Where in the world was I going to go? I was too scared to speak. I watched Barry, ponder this offer. After what seemed like eternity, he finally spoke.

"Well okay. She can go. Casey, pack a bag. Do not, do NOT, come back here. Understood?" He asked gesturing to me with his gun making me jump. I couldn't even answere because my mom was pushing me towards the stairs. She wanted me to go? Realitly crossed my mind, I had to go.

I thought hard as I began to pack. I certainly wasn't going to go and ask a stranger for help. It was rude and in my mind I promised myself I wouldn't do it. I didn't know where any of my family lived, if I had any. The last resort I would turn to was a foster home. I really did not want to go there. But the more I thought, the shorter my list of options became. As I was thinking I was packing. I now realise that all those assignments on what you would take with you if you had to go out into the world alone, weren't such stupid assignments after all. Jeez, we must think we're immortal or something. I packed a change of clothes, some money I saved for a rainy day (which happened to be in the forecast for today), my stash of Twizzlers, and other necessities. When I finished, I sat there crying until Barry, called me downstairs. I cannot believe this is happening. They were still in the same position I left them in. Barry waving that gun around and my mom just standing there.

"Do you have everything Casey?" Barry asked. Like he cared. I nodded and rolled my eyes at my mom. God knows how she managed a smile. She pulled me towards her and hugged me again. I felt her slip something in my back pocket. Money.

"I'm sorry things didn't turn out so well Casey." She apoligized. I couldn't just say, "Yeah you really screwed up."

"Me too." I answered. I heard her breathing getting heavier and I knew she was crying. She pulled away.

"Be strong for me Casey." Ok? I just nodded and walked out of the room. "I love you." She called.

"Love you too." I replied smiling to myself.

Just like that I was off. Off into this unfair world, alone as usual. I was about to put my I-pod in my ears when I heard it. BOOM! The shot rang in my ears. I knew my mom was gone. The ringing seemed to say, "Haha your mom is dead and you didn't do anything." I felt the tears in my eyes as I kept walking. My walk broke into a run. I was running away from my past. I wanted to scream. Scream at my mom. Scream at Barry. Scream at the world. Scream at myself. I ran. I promised that I would forget my past and start anew. And find my sanctuary without any more trouble. I hope.