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chapter one ━ the lost

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POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNINGS ARE IN THIS BOOK! READ WITH CAUTION!

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❝ but when i scream, can you hear me? ❞

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Dear Jerome,

You'll probably never find these. But if you do, you're invading my privacy. Oh well. You're my brother and I love you. You're the one person who understands me and takes care of me,who loves me.

You always share your food with me, take the hits I should get, hold me after I've had a bad dream, tell me everyday things will get better. You are everything to me.

But I'm scared. I'm scared because I'm afraid that you'll leave me. I'm afraid that you won't love me. I'm afraid that you'll hate me. Or worse, we'll be separated but still love each other just the same. And it hurts. It hurts me so much that I can barely even breathe.

You're the only person who makes it better; who makes life worth living. I don't know what I would do without you because...

Without you, I'm lost. I'm alone.

A tear slipped onto the letter as Jerome held it in his hands. His hands started shaking violently and he felt more tears slip down his cheeks.

She was gone, given away by his pathetic excuse for a mother and he was just now finding this. She was scared and now she was gone. Just gone.

His sadness then turned to rage. Rage towards Lila. His mother was probably drinking her way through another bottle and he knew for a fact she didn't care about him or Skylar. So that's when he made the decision.

Jerome sat up, letting the letter slipped out of his hands. He walked towards the door and out into the small kitchen. He looked to the side to see a hatchet sitting in the corner of the room, from his having to cut some wood earlier that day. The tears went away and he stepped towards the hatchet. His fingers ran across the sharp edge and he picked it up.

"She will pay Sky. She will pay for what she did to you."

---

Years ago

"You'll never catch me," Skylar bragged, stick her tongue out.

Jerome grinned and ran after her. She giggled in response and ran away from him. He heard it and smiled wider. "Oh I will," he replied. He caught up with her and picked her up, twirling her around. "And I did."

Skylar laughed and squirmed in his grip, whining, "Jerome let me go."

The older sibling let her go and the younger one pushed him with a pout. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from Jerome, walking away.

"Sky!" Jerome groaned, following his little sister. "Sky!" Skylar didn't turn until Jerome ran in front of her. She looked up at him and smiled. Jerome saw and rolled his eyes. "You did that on purpose didn't you?"

"Mhmm."

A crashing sound filled their ears and they turned to see Lila storming toward them. Jerome moved in front of Skylar and she held his hand, already shaking in fear. Lila got to them and slapped Jerome, but not enough to knock him to the ground.

"I thought I told you to do the dishes," she hissed.

"I did," Jerome replied with clenched teeth.

"Like hell you did!"

Lila slapped him again and Jerome pushed Skylar behind him even more. Their mother turned around and walked back into the trailer, slamming the door closed. The little girl was trembling by that point, clutching onto him desperately. What had they done to deserve this fate?

---

The picture was still vivid in her head. She saw it happening and her eyes filled with tears. She brought her knees up to her chest, trying to stifle her sobs. Jerome was sleeping in the bed next to her and she didn't wish to wake him. She knew he always stayed up at night with her until she fell asleep - just in case she had a nightmare. And yet there she was, in the aftermath of one. Her brown hair fell on her shoulders and tickled her cheeks as she cried, biting her lip to keep quiet.

It didn't work though because Jerome stirred and flipped on his side, facing her, almost as if he knew. Skylar covered her mouth, hoping he didn't wake. But Jerome opened his eyes and he quickly got up and went over to her, bringing her head to his chest. "Hey, shhh. It's ok Sky. It's ok."

Skylar held onto his arm, sobbing again. "She's going to give me away, J. She's going to give me away."

Jerome shook his head. "I won't let her Sky."

"She will. She'll take me away just like she did with-"

Her words fell short because they both knew who she spoke of. The red-headed brother knew she was right, Lila would separate them. But he couldn't just let her; he had to fight for his sister just like he had for years now. Although, he got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, like fighting for her wouldn't be enough. It would only delay the inevitable.

His lips went dry and he hugged Skylar tighter. "Even if she takes you away, I will find you again. And I'll never let anyone take you away ever again."

---

"Mommy please!" Skylar yelled, trying to push the older women off of her.

"No! You must leave!"

Jerome ran into the room, looking wide-eyed. He ran over to them but Lila turned and slapped him, causing the teen to fall. Before he could get up, a man came out and grabbed him, landing several punches to his face.

"No, Jerome!" Skylar yelled, sobbing, watching as blood leaked out of his nose.

Their trailer was far away from where everyone else was, so screaming and yelling wouldn't help. Skylar knew that but she kept praying that someone would hear. She prayed that someone would listen. Lila grabbed the little girl by her arm and dragged her out of the house, throwing her into a car.

A man Lila was "with", ran out of the trailer and got into the car, starting it and driving off. He held Skylar down as she kicked and screamed in the back of the car. Lila slapped her and yelled at her to be quiet. By the time Jerome came to his senses, they were gone.

The adoption center was close but Skylar knew as soon as they left her, the Circus was leaving, meaning she would never see Jerome again. Lila got out of the car, threw Skylar out along with a small bag of her clothes, and got back into the car. The car drove off fast and before the little girl knew it, they were gone.

Skylar started sobbing loudly and the adoption center door opened and out stepped an older woman. Her eyes went wide and she gasped, hurrying down the steps. "Oh goodness. Dear, are you alright?"

She continued to cry, staring after the car. "My mommy took me away from him. He's gone."

The older woman smiled sadly and crouched down, wrapping a blanket she had on her shoulder around the little girl. "Well don't you worry. Someone will come along and they will love you like your mother never did. Now come inside, honey, it's late."

---

Two years later

It had been four years since that night. Four years in the adoption center and Skylar hated it. Everyone was extremely kind it was just that she missed her best friend. She missed her brother. She missed Jerome.

All of the ladies that worked at the center were nice and the other kids were nice too. But none of them knew of the things Lila had done to her. And so Skylar didn't have anyone. She didn't have anyone there to comfort her after the nightmares passed. The little girl didn't know that that was about to change.

"Skylar darling," one of the ladies, Caroline, said, knocking on the door.

Skylar got up from her spot on the window seat and opened the door. "Hello, Miss. Caroline." The girl tried her best to smile at the older women, though it proved difficult seeing as she never felt happy.

Caroline smiled and crouched down in front of the girl. "There are some people downstairs who would like to meet you."

Her eyes lit up and she smiled genuinely. "Really!?"

The woman nodded and grabbed the girl's hand, leading her to the office where a man and a woman were sitting. They both turned around to see her and Skylar smiled shyly.

"This is Skylar. She's been here for two years and she's a very sweet girl. I think she's the best choice for the two of you," Caroline told them.

The blonde female smiled at Skylar. "Hello there honey, I'm Barbara and this is my fiancee James."

Skylar looked up at them and shifted her feet. "Hi."

The three adults chuckled and James wrapped one arm around Barbara's waist. "She's perfect. Barbara, why don't you go upstairs with Skylar and get her bags ready. I'll fill out the paperwork."

Barbara pecked his lips and went over to Skylar, grabbing her hand with a smile, walking out of the room with her.

"So you'll be my new mommy?" Skylar asked, looking up at her.

Barbara looked down at her and crouched down. "Yes, I'm going to be your new mommy." She kissed the top of Skylar's head. "Now why don't we go and pack your things."

---

1 year later; Present

"Skylar honey just tell us what's wrong," Jim spoke softly, standing beside his fiancee.

"Nothing's wrong," Skylar lied. The thirteen-year-old couldn't bring herself to tell her parents the nightmare she had. It was too much for her: to see what things her brother went through while she was gone; the beatings he received. Even though it wasn't real, it felt real.

"Skylar, it's fine. We won't get mad," Barbara replied in a gentle voice, trying to reach out to her daughter.

Skylar flinched and put her hands up, her eyes filling with tears. "Just don't please. Just leave me alone." The now teenage girl turned on her heel and ran out of the room and up to her room, ignoring the yells of her parents. Once she made it, she fell to the ground and sobbed, wrapping her arms around herself. The nightmare flashed in her mind again and she pulled on her hair, crying in agony.

Never did she think that in just an hour, her life would change forever.

---

I'm really excited about this book, tbh. What do you think is going to happen to Skylar? I hope you guys have a great day/night and don't forget to vote on this chapter, comment your thoughts, and follow me for updates!