The cold morning air awakens me. I pray to God that somehow today could be different, but doubts still run through my mind. As I slowly rise up from my stiff bed, I make sure to be very quiet, and not wake Grandfather. After slipping my backpack onto my bony shoulders, I quickly but quietly open the door and leave. On my way to school I can see the lofty glances of kids as they walk past me. I hang my head knowing that today will be the same as all the other days. Opening the school doors, I could already hear insults flying through the hallway.

“Oh, there she is again.”

“Gross, she smells!”

“What is she wearing?”

I know that I’m different from everybody else; my clothes aren’t new or fancy, neither are my shoes. My brown hair is long and straggly, and my eyes are sore and blotchy red from last night. As I try to ignore the piercing stares, I repeat to myself that it’s all going to be over with soon.

After enduring the criticizing, and everything else that came with it, the school day finally came to an end.. I walked silently home, praying that grandfather would still be there. As I got up to driveway, a sick feeling came over me, for I noticed that the car was gone. I rushed to my room, and locked the door. The day was not over yet. Grandfather sometimes goes out to the local bar and drinks.When he returns home, he usually goes up to my room, and beats me. I know that he is hurting because his wife died one year ago, and sometimes I think that when he goes out to drink, he is reminded of that horrible day. On his arrival home, he usually takes the suffering, and pain out on me. I try to endure it the best as I can, but sometimes, I just feel like sitting their, and hoping that he hits me hard enough, to the point of death, then all my misery and heartache will be gone…gone forever. But than a voice tells me to just “hold on” just for a little while longer, but I’m not sure I can. As I waited for his return, fear seemed to take over my body. My heart cried out sanctuary, but I knew it could never come. And then I heard it, the footsteps of my grandfather coming up stairs to my room. My body couldn’t seem to move. As I saw the door slam open, I could smell the strong whisky pouring out of his mouth. Then as I looked up at his angry face, I tried to find that old loving grandfather that I once knew and loved, but he was no longer their. I could tell by his eyes, that the old grandfather was replaced by a terrifying creature. That moment, I could see an object fly through the air. I felt a knife stab into my stomach, I tried to tell myself to “hold on”, but I could slowly feel myself slipping away. A sharp pain woke me up and I felt a warm sensation flow through my t-shirt. I tried to stop the blood flow with my shaking hands, but it was no use. I slipped back into unconsciousness once again.

“Dr., Is she going to be alright?”

“Yes, thanks to you.”

I slowly opened my eyes. “Where am I?”

“She’s awake!” a voice joyfully said.

“Miss, how do you feel?” The doctor asked.

“Terrible, but where am I?”

“You’re at the hospital; this young girl saved your life!”

“Hello Carter, I’m so glad you’re alive!” the gentle voice said.

“How do you know my name, and who are you?”

“I know a lot about you. We go to school together.”

“We do, how come I never saw you?”

“Well, I tried to talk to you, but you never seemed to notice me. On your way home, I saw you drop a book, so I decided to give it to you the next day. I never saw you, so I thought that I’d bring it to your house instead. I noticed that your bedroom light was on. No one else was home, so I decided to go in. I found you on the floor unconscious, and blood was everywhere. Not knowing what to do, I called 911, and an ambulance came. Luckily, you were still breathing, but barely. You were holding on to life by the thinnest thread.”

Worry creased my brow when my thought turned back to Grandfather, but my new friend tenderly took my hand and rubbed her thumb across it to calm me down.

“Don’t worry Carter, everything will be different know. The police found your grandfather and a bloody knife in his pocket. For now you’ll be living with me and my family, hopefully even after you’ve healed. I know that were going to be great friends Carter!”

Tears started running down my pale cheeks, because that day I knew that someone cared!