Tragic Eyes (Part one)

Family means everything and now they're gone. Took the car and high-tailed it out of here. Now here I stand in a cell all by myself. I didn't know my actions would lead to such drastic measures. That by just one tiny, simple mistake my entire life could just end up spiraling downward. My mom's dissappointment, my dad's shame, my brother and sister's embarrasment all weighed down on me as if the earth was crushing me into nothing but a pile of dust. The cold cement floor beneath me sent shiver through my spine as I walked over to the cell door. I wrapped my fingers around the bars and peered out into the dim room before me. I could faintly here the snoring of another person next to me. Must be another fugitive. Another kid just like me who decided to mess up what all good they had going for them. Pity. Something felt different though, as if all hope wasn't gone. I needed to escape out of this cell. I needed to sneak past the guard and get out into the open. How this was going to happen I wasn't sure. I just knew it was suppose to.

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I woke up with a start that next morning. One of the guards had opened the cell door and came in pulling me out of my bed. Roughly he grabbed my upper arm and started pulling me toward the entrance.

"Breakfast time, kid." his raspy voice wasn't a pleasant 'good morning' I was wishing for.

I was pushed in the line of all the other kids my age as we filed into the cafeteria. I could feel several other eyes boaring into me eyeing me up and down seeing if I was a victim or bully. I suppose to these kids I'd look like the victim. Short, scrawny, stubbly black hair. Back at school I wasn't considered one of the more tougher, masculine dudes. In fact those kinds of guys were the ones that picked on me.

The lunch lady looked at me and her frown turned into a smirk, "Looks like we have ourselves a new troublemaker huh gertie?" she looked at the heavyset woman african woman next to her.

"haha, I give him a couple of weeks. He'll be crawling to the door."

Sure it made me uneasy that even the lunch ladies had doubted me but I knew that if I just kept my head held high that others would come to accept me. Or at least I had that pushed in the back of my head just so I wouldn't go insane. Because in all actuality these kids were in one of the worst Juvenile detention centers in america. They didn't care about others, they didn't care about how you felt, or if you felt accepted or not. They cared about making sure every day of your life in Hopelight detention facility was the equivalent to hell. That's all they cared for.

My turn came to collect the slop that I was forced to call breakfast. I turned with my tray and surveyed my scenery. Everyone had already seemed to state their spots and didn't seem like they were very welcome to newcomers. I travelled over to where it seemed to be a vacant spot. Quickly after a girl came over and sat across from me. She had about shoulder, length blonde hair and electric blue eyes. She was in fact very stunningly beautiful but she had a look of worry on her face.

"I really think that you should consider moving spots." She spoke to me in sort of a hushed tone. "It'll probably be for your safety so follow me." She started getting up and I decided to follow until I felt a hand grab down upon my right shoulder.

"Looks like our little new kid has some balls." I wasn't able to see the guys face but by just hearing his nefarious tone I knew he really wasn't anyone I had wanted to mess with on my first day.

"I'm really sorry, I didn't know it was taken," was what I managed to squeak about between gasps. His grip tightened on my and I felt myself fly to the floor.

"Next time you want to mess with me, don't. I'm not afraid of making sure life ends." That's all I needed to hear. I pulled myself up with as much dignity as I had left and walked as fast as I could away from the guy. I didn't even look at his face, nor did I look at the laughing faces around him. All I wanted was to get away from this guy before anymore trouble came flying my way.

"Follow me." The blonde girl from earlier had grabbed my hand and started pulling me over to a vacant table across the cafeteria. "You’re lucky he was in a good mood." She laughed to herself acting like the situation was funny.

"Yeah I’m the luckiest guy on earth." I looked down and hid my embarrasment.

"It’s cool, you don’t have to worry. Barry does that to all the new kids. I guess it’s a way of welcoming you to hell." she smiled at me. "My name is Marcia."

"I’m Van."

"So what’re you here for? Obviously not beating anyone up." I turned red at this comment. For such a pretty and sweet acting girl she was kind of a smartass.

"I just had a lot of issues at home. That’s all." Yeah it wasn’t the whole story but to a girl I had just met I really didn’t feel like expressing my entire lifestory to her.

"Well, I understand you don’t want to say but the quicker you open up to people the faster your stay here is going to be. Because let’s face it kid, to be here you obviously have issues and issues with the family doesn’t really cut it. But I suppose I’ll give you time. I mean it’s your personal business right?" She looked at me intensely. "I can tell there’s more to your story by just looking at you anyways. Someone who has experienced tragedy can always tell when someone else has dealt with the same things."