Heather rang to doorbell to the shelter. She was shivering from the cold and shaking from the trauma she just experienced. Tears fell from her eyes in rivers. Sobbing she waited for someone to open the door. I was walking by when I hear the door and went to answer.
Heather looked at me then lowered her eyes. Her face was scratched, and her clothes were torn at the knees and elbows. Heather came in and followed me to the day room. Several other kids were in there, watching TV and playing the Nintendo. A mixture of Eminem and Megadeth played from two boomboxes.
I sat a moment with her before bringing her to the nurse to be looked over. Asking her what happened, Heather said her father threw her out of the house because she didn’t get along with his new girlfriend. She picked at the sores on her hand which appeared raw and new. Not completely understanding what she just said, I asked her how she got the cuts and bruises.
“You don’t understand. My dad threw me out of the house.” Heather saw me still not realizing the gravity of her description, she said He LITERALLY THREW ME OUT OF THE HOUSE ONTO THE STREET! with a volume enough to call the attention of others in the shelter. My heart sank as I fought back my own tears.
The Journey of a thousand miles 