My Heart is on my Sleeve

( “ Thank you for taking me out. you didn’t have to” leaning forward and giving both my parents a kiss on the cheek. “ no problem raven. you deserve it. your 18 now” My dad smiled connecting his eyes with mine through the rearview mirror. “ Gary lookout!’ Mom screamed, gripping her seat and door with her hands. the car jerked to the left trying to avoid the semi coming at us. dad lost control of the steering wheel. a white light blinding him. everything then became slow motion. mom and dad screaming, my body going into shock. staring ahead at the lights. as if someone pressed pause on a remote then play. My head hit the window. a huge crushing sound of metal clashing with metal. all i could feel was pain. my body stuck in place. dazed. confused. slowly my senses came back to me. I smelled it. it was strong…. gasoline.)

Raven’s Pov

My shoulder shoved, warmth from my small clothed blanket gone. “ Everyone wake up! time to leave!” someone shouted. I groaned and curled into a ball. I didn’t want to leave. this felt like a home now. well my only home. “Come one Raven it’s time to go” whispered Daisy the leader of the shelter. she knew my situation. if i was younger she could have helped but since i was older. there was nothing she could do. I’m adult now and have to take care of myself. mumbling okay. I stretched and grabbed my backpack. throwing it over my shoulder, I walked to the exit.

My job today was newspaper. it didn’t pay much, but it was better than nothing. standing on the corner of a business street selling the news. you would think that you would make alot more, but since everyone has smart phones. why spend money on a pack of paper. this city has changed, people have changed. technology has developed. its the age of the machines. people go missing every week and no one notices. being a homeless person with day to day jobs. you notice alot things that go on. just standing here selling newspaper. you notice the same people everyday walking past you doing the same routine. wearing the same clothes. then one day they just stop walking past you. this job was from sunrise to sunset. the shelter closed an hour after sunset. usually enough time for me to go get paid for the days work and find food. but today felt different. something was off. shrugging it off. i quickly took the papers that didn’t sell back to the company. walking fast to the large building i seen a sign on the gates.

‘Foreclosure’ it read.

“Are you kidding me?!’ I yelled throwing my head back towards the sky. they couldn’t have given me a warning? now i have no money to buy my meal for the day. i guess its scraps tonight. oh yum. can’t you hear the sarcasm in my voice.