(Disclaimer: This chapter contains slight gore and disturbing scenarios. I've tried not to be too descriptive in order to make it less upsetting.)

When I reopened my eyes, the room was so blurry I could barely make out my surroundings. I forced myself to sit up.

I was still disoriented. I looked around the room trying to get my bearings. Only one of my eyes seemed to be working.

My good eye connected with a small limp body resting on the ground.

I could hear my baby brother crying from the bedroom, but no sound came from my other brother.

I crawled over to him as I couldn't get myself to stand. My legs were too limp to even hold myself.

The sharp metallic smell of iron permeated my nose.

My hands shook as I reached out to him.

He's still alive.

I sighed in relief. But my heart quickened when I saw the state he was in.

I clenched my jaw. He needs a hospital. In a panic, I looked around the room. Noticing my mother wasn't there, I knew I had to do something drastic.

My mother always forbid us to go to the doctor. She said they were nothing but money hungry bastards.

But I didn't have a choice. I could barely even make out my brother's face.

If my mother gets angry, I will just have to deal with it. I won't let my brother die.

I ran back to my bedroom and wrapped my brother up and tied him to my back.

He could sense my anxiety and continued to cry. I ignored it and ran back into the living room. I grabbed my middle brother into my arms.

"You're going to be fine brother. Sister's got you."

I rushed to the door and flung it open. I didn't have time to hesitate. The nearest hospital was a few miles down the road.

I paused and looked at the gas station.

That man should be working today.

No. He would probably turn my mother in. I couldn't allow that to happen. My mother would only get angrier.

It happened before. It'll happen again.

My mother's silver tongue could even fool a social worker.

I broke out into a sprint towards the hospital. Although I rarely got to leave my house, I knew exactly where everything was in the neighborhood.

I ran with all my strength.

I ran ignoring the burning of my lungs.

I ran ignoring the hunger pain.

I ran harder, ignoring the feeling of exhaustion in my legs.

I had to save my brother.

"Sister..." He whispered in my arms weakly.

I gritted my teeth and huffed, "Don't speak. You're going to be okay."

I felt my eyes stinging with tears. But I wouldn't let myself cry. I had to be strong for him.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered, "You looked so tired... I didn't want to bother you..."

My chest felt as though it was being torn into shreds. I didn't know if it was due to me sprinting, or his crushing words.

"Don't worry now. We are almost there."

I didn't know if those words were to reassure me or him.

Finally, after what felt like forever, the hospital came into view.

I ran inside the emergency doors and shouted, "Please help my brother!"

They ran over on reflex. They took him from my arms and put him on a stretcher skillfully as they had encountered similar situations before.

I ran along with them in a panic. They pushed the stretcher into a room off limits for visitors. I attempted to follow, but was held back by a nurse.

"Let me go! I have to stay with my brother!"

"I'm sorry, but you can't come back here."

I struggled in her arms with ferocity. She struggled against me, "You're his older sister right? If you want him to get better, you need to let the doctors do their job. You want him to get better, right?"

I stopped struggling. I knew she was right, but I couldn't admit it. I wanted to hold my brother's hand and tell him it would be alright. I held my shaking hands. My baby brother still cried on my back.

She looked at me, "You need to see a doctor too. Let me take the baby-"

"NO!"

I snarled and jumped back protectively. She attempted to grab me, but I was too quick.

The nurse sighed too worried to force me, "Can you at least explain the situation? How did this happen?"

I only growled at her in response. It would be better for everyone if they didn't know.

I wanted them to just fix my brother and let us go.

Couldn't they do that?

A nearby nurse heard the commotion and stepped out. She looked at the nurses behind the desk, "What's going on?"

The desk nurse had a frown full of pity, "That small girl just brought in her little brother. He was covered in blood and beat up pretty bad. The other nurses want to treat her wounds, but she won't let anyone near. They are trying to find out her information but she won't even talk."

The nurse looked over. Her face dropped in horror as she saw the little girl. She was covered in bruises and looked filthy. Her eye had a large cut that was dripping blood onto the ground.

Yet, the girl didn't even notice the pain. She stared at everyone with sharp, distrustful eyes. If anyone got too close, she would act like a wild animal that had been cornered.

The nurse's face stiffened in pain, "I recognize her. She's one of my neighbor's. I had called social services on her mother before, but nothing ever happened. I just assumed there was nothing wrong. I barely saw her after that, so I wasn't able to check up on her. I didn't think her mother was still hurting her."

She couldn't help but chide herself for not noticing sooner.

The other nurse sighed, "I guess we will have to call social services and the police. There's no way we can let them go home."

"Do you think her brother will make it?"

The desk nurse looked down glumly, "His wounds were... Severe."

The nurse sighed. She understood that look all too well. She nodded, "Tell Sarah to cover my rooms. I will handle this."

She walked over, "Leia?"

I turned to the familiar voice. My glare softened slightly, but I was still on edge.

She smiled and bent down, "Do you remember me?"

I gave a slight nod.

This was the neighbor who had always been kind to me. She gave me books to learn math and science. When my first brother was born, she helped me by teaching me how to care for a baby.

She looked at my brother who was still crying, "Do you think you could let this nice nurse take your baby brother for a moment?"

I stared at her with hostility at the suggestion.

She smiled warmly, unperturbed by my rudeness. "He looks tired and hungry. They just want to take care of him. Don't worry, he will just be in that room there."

She pointed down the hall and I hesitantly followed her gaze.

"We also need to fix that eye of yours. It's badly injured."

Now that she mentioned it, my eye was throbbing slightly.

"Don't worry. I will take care of you. I just need you to trust me. Do you think you could do that?"

I stared at her with uncertainty. It's true that she has only ever helped me. Even though she had a son she had to take care of all by herself, she still had found the time to help me.

Yes. I could trust this woman.

"I promise he will be safe and you will get to stay with him."

I nodded, "Okay..."

She smiled warmly and I reluctantly handed my brother over. I watched him as he was carried away into the room. I only looked away after I felt her grab my hand.

I looked down at it in confusion.

It's so.. Warm.

"Come on. Let's go get that eye fixed."

I followed her hesitantly. I couldn't shake the unsettling feeling in my stomach.

She led me to a white room. As I sat on the bench, the overwhelming smell of cleaning solutions assualted my nose.

She gave me a calming smile and she cleaned my face. I winced at the stinging pain.

She chuckled, "Most kids are usually crying, but you're so brave. Does it hurt?"

I spoke quietly, "I've been through worse."

Her face had a momentary flash of sadness across it. "Ah. Well, it sure is a nasty cut. You will need stitches."

"Stitches?"

She nodded, "Yes. It's deep and won't heal up on it's own. It will get infected if you leave it alone. It might even take away your sight from that eye. Will you let me give you stitches?"

I hesitated for a moment before giving a slight nod. She started threading the strange material after numbing my skin around the cut. It felt so strange.

My eyes never left her. She smiled, "There. It's pretty nasty. It'll probably leave a scar."

I frowned. I've had many cuts and bruises on my face before. But a scar made me feel ugly.

She noticed my unhappiness and chuckled, "Don't make that face. Scars are cool."

I glanced up at her, "They are?"

She nodded, "That's right. It makes you look tough. No one will mess with you now."

I smiled slightly at this. I did like the thought of that.

She bent down next to me, "Do you think you can tell me what happened?"

I squeezed my lips shut in a frown. She reached out and held my hand. I looked down at it.

Warm.

"You can trust me."

I was soothed by her calming tone. I felt as though what she said was true.

"It was your mother, wasn't it? She hurt your brother and you?"

I nodded, "My mother... Hit him. I tried to stop her, but she hit me too."

I began to recount my story from beginning to end. She held my hands throughout it. When I finished, she had tears in her eyes.

I've never had anyone cry over me before. It felt... Weird.

I cleared my throat, "Can I see my baby brother now?"

She nodded and blinked away her tears, "Sure. Let's go."

We walked into the other room and I saw my brother sleeping peacefully in the crib. The neighbor never left my side. I began to feel myself relax.

Maybe if she's by my side, it will be alright.

The doctor walked into the room with a somber face. He looked at me, "You're Leia, the older sister right?"

I nodded. I stared at him with anxious eyes, "Is my brother alright?"

He looked down at me with a painful expression, "He suffered many internal injuries as a result from the trauma. I'm sorry but... He... didn't... it..."

I blinked at him. I couldn't make out the last part. I mumbled in a dull tone, "What?"

His voice echoed in my ears, "He didn't make it."

I felt my entire world crashing down on me. It felt as though cement blocks were dropped upon my chest. My legs gave out and I fell onto a chair.

I wanted to cry.

I wanted to scream.

But I couldn't do a thing.

My body felt numb.

My brother can't be dead.

He can't be.

I'm sure he will walk through that door with that large smile of his.

My breath caught in my throat.

Please... Please give me my brother back... I'll do anything. I'll even take his place!

I don't care what happens to me!! I just want my brother to be safe...

I recalled the last thing he said to me, "You looked so tired... I didn't want to bother you..."

Suddenly, I was hit by overwhelming guilt.

Why did I fall asleep?! How could I be so weak that I let my little brother worry about me?!

Why...

Why?!

WHY!

Why did I let him go out of the room?! I should have protected him!

I'm his older sister! I made him a promise that I would always protect him!

But I let him get hurt....

It was all my fault...

I shouldn't have been so irritated with him. I should have been nicer.

Please God! Please give me my brother back! I will do anything!

As I pleaded in my mind, I didn't notice a nurse walk in.

"They're here to take the children. I heard they already found parents to adopt the baby."

My neighbor looked at her, "And the girl?"

"Don't worry. There's an orphanage that will take her in."

She frowned, "So they'll be separated?"

She nodded, "Yes. But it's for the best."

The neighbor looked at me with a complicated expression, "Yes... It is for the best."

She walked over to me and held my hand, "I'm so sorry, darling. But... This nice lady needs you to go with her."

I mumbled, "My... Brother... I need... To see... My brother."

She frowned painfully. Although she dealt with this kind of thing daily, it never got easier.

She forced a smile, "Do you think you could hold your baby brother for me?"

I nodded and she put my little brother in my arms. I looked down at him with dull eyes. He was fast asleep, completely unaware.

I followed them out of the hospital. I didn't feel like fighting anymore.

There was a stern looking lady waiting next to an officer. She grabbed my brother from my hands.

I reacted immediately, "Give my brother back!"

She nodded to the officer. He grabbed onto my arm firmly. I struggled in his grip and reached for my brother. "STOP! WHERE ARE YOU TAKING HIM!?"

She gave me a reassuring smile that didn't have any warmth behind it, "Don't worry. Your brother's going to a good home."

My eyes widened in horror, "What?! Then take me too! What are you doing?!"

The officer pulled me to his car. He didn't want to be rough, but there was nothing he could do. Some situations were like this.

I looked to my neighbor in a panic, "HELP ME! DON'T LET THEM TAKE MY BROTHER FROM ME!"

She averted her eyes out of shame. When I noticed this gaze, I felt my soul shatter.

The officer opened the door.

I screamed at her, "I TRUSTED YOU! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?! YOU PROMISED ME!!! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!!!"

I watched as a tear dropped down her cheek.

Why is SHE crying?!

I clenched my jaw, "YOU... YOU B*TCH! MOTHERF*CKING C*NT! F*CKING A**HOLE MOTHERF*CKER!"

Suddenly curse words poured out of my mouth relentlessly. I had barely swore before, but now it felt so natural.

The officer put me in the back of his car and shut the door. I tried the handle, but it was locked.

I pounded my hands on the window, "YOU B*TCH! I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU! YOU RUINED MY LIFE!"

He pulled away as I screamed while I kicked the window. But all I succeeded in was tiring myself out.

I collapsed onto the back seat with empty sobs.

The officer looked at me with pity in his eyes, "I know it seems bad... I know. But it will get better." He tried to speak cheerfully, "The orphanage is a good place. It's run by the church and the nun's are really nice. There's lots of kids there around your age. It will be fun for you."

That day I lost many things.

I lost my only two brothers.

And I lost the small bit of love and trust that I ever had.