Just Another Foster

I never knew until the day she died that my sister was sick. The day that she died. Mama never told me she was either, of course that was seven years ago when she passed. It all started at school on a Friday when Layla and me were in English class with Mrs. Miller. Layla was walking out of class and she clasped to the ground and didn't get back up. Mrs. Miller called an ambulance and they picked her up. I rode with her to the hospital. Then when we got there I watched them carry her limp body in as they told me to wait in the waiting room. I waited for 8 hours while she was in a coma. Only to wait and hear the doctors say she was dead.

"Is there anyone we could call, your mom or dad." The Dr. asked me, but I didn't answer.I just continued to stare at the floor, trying to hold back the flow of tears.

"Sadie, can you answer me please, I need to know who to contact." He asked me again

"My..my mamas dead, and my Daddy left us a month ago. Layla was the only one I had."

"But you two were in the same grade weren't you?" He asked, "She would have to be 18 in order to take custody over you."

" I know. We didn't tell anyone daddy left and we had no one. We stayed in the house and found money here and there. We were in a mixed class I'm a sophomore she's a senior."I explained.

"Do you know were your dad went or his phone number?"

"No I have no clue. Although I have a theory he's out of North America."

"I'll try and contact someone for you, but for now why don't you come with me." He lead me through the back and into the lounge room while he tried to get a hold of someone. He came back to the table were I was eating the snack he bought me.

"I tried contacting all of your family members and your dad they no one answered."

"Figures." I say

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asks

"Nobody cares, they just don't want me." I explain. "I never met any of my family accept for my grandparents and they died years ago. Daddy was a different story. He couldn't get over the fact that mama had died and he thought leaving us would help with the pain. So he did he left us to fend for ourselves. Through 50 bucks on the table with a note and slammed the door. We never saw his face again."

"Since no one answered our phone calls you are going to have to go into foster care." My head shot straight up.

"No, no I will not go into foster care. I can live on my own if it means that I don't have to go there." I got up and kicked the chair against the wall. The tears I'd been holding back flooded out and I threw myself into the corner.

"Sadie."

"Leave me alone." And he did, he left me alone for hours just sitting in there crying my heart out. He slipped a note under the door for me to read. I glared at it for a while then got up to read it.

It said:


Dear Sadie,

I'm sorry for your lose of your sister. I hope everything goes well. I called foster care they said you have to go. I'm sorry Sadie. I have to drop you off there in an hour. Tomorrow you'll pick up some stuff from your house to take with you. Any animals you have will be sent to the shelter. I'm coming in to get you and 9:30. They close at 10:15 so we have to hurry up. I hope you read this Sadie and it's not unexpected.

Sincerely

Dr. Harvard

I read it over again until Dr. Harvard came in at 9:30. I glared at him but no matter how nasty I looked he smiled at me.

"It's time to go Sadie." I stayed in place and stared at the floor.

"Up Sadie." He said lifting me. I kicked at him but missed. He held his tight grip on my arm as we walked out and into his car.

"You'll like it here Sadie. I tried to find the nicest place for you to stay and this was it" He said pointing at a sign that said Meadow Creek Foster Care.
He pulled the car to a stop in a parking spot. He got out and opened the door for me but I didn't budge. He pulled me out of the car and up to the door. He knocked with his free hand. The other was tightly wedged under my arm. A lady in her late 20's opened the door.

"Hi, I'm Cassie welcome to Meadow Creek Foster Care. You must be Sadie." She addressed me holding out her hand for me to shake. I ignored it and looked down.

"No, okay then come on in." Dr. Harvard released hid grip on my arm. Realizing this was my one and only chance to run I took it and burst into the parking lot at a sprint.

"Sadie!" They yelled while chasing close behind me. I could hear their footsteps closing in as I turned the corner then ran to the end of the street. Lucky for me there were no cars so I ran across only to met one halfway through. It smacked against me throwing me off balance and onto the ground face down. Cassie and Dr. Harvard rushed over. The guy got out of the car and explained what happened as they pushed me over.

"Sadie. Sadie. " He waved his hand over my eyes. I groaned "Sadie are you okay." Cassie was worried I could tell.

I rolled back on my stomach not wanting to look at anything but my eyelids but pain swept over me. I groaned deeply, It felt like I broke a rib bone.

"John, do you think somethings wrong with her." Cassie asked him.

"I don't know, but I could see." He pick me up and I screamed in pain.

"What's wrong, Sadie?"

"It hurts." I cried out

"What hurts Sadie tell me what hurts."

"My rib cage."I exhaled and the pain came back. He carried me back up to Meadow Creek Foster Care and took me in. I couldn't fight back against it so I just let him. He laid me on a table and ran out to his car.

"Sadie." Cassie said." you don't need to be afraid of this place. everything's going to be alright."

"That's what they said when mama was in the hospital "Everything will be alright." and you know what, the next day she died. So don't tell me it's going to be alright." As soon as it was out of my mouth I regretted it dearly. I could see the hurt in Cassie's eyes. That's when the tears all came out.

"I'm sorry." I said trying to take it back. And with that I passed out from all the drama from the day in my head.



I woke up in the morning in a small room. I sat up to look around and the pain came back. I pulled up my shirt. There was a bandage around my rid cage. I examined the room. It had a window in the corner and a dresser against the wall, a mirror and my bed. But something else caught my eye. I was alone normally they made you share rooms. There was a tiny bell in the corner behind the door. It rang it's loud screeching ring. I didn't know what to do when it did so I just sat there. I had a feeling it meant time for breakfast but I wasn't hungry. I heard footsteps coming up down the hallway to my room.

Knock,knock,knock. "Sadie, are you up." Cassie called through the door.

I stared at the door. It slid open ever so slightly.

"Sadie. It's alright not to come out now but we have to go get your stuff from your house in an hour." She said leaving me be.
I got up and looked around at my room. I opened all of the drawers and under my bed for anything that could have been left behind. I looked behind the dresser and found something on the ground. Pushing the dresser away from the wall I saw what it was. A twenty dollar bill. I quickly stuffed it in my sweatshirt pocket. And continued to search the room. I found an old earring, a penny, and a pair of socks. Cassie knocked on my door and I quickly jumped on my bed and pretended to lay down. The door opened all the way and she tapped me.

"What?"

"We have to go get your stuff." she said. I stood up and followed Cassie outside to her old truck. I hoped in the passenger side and she asked me for my address.

"9417 88th street." I replied. As we drove along I looked at the window at the streets and stores While Cassie chattered away. When The car finally stopped I hoped out and went around the back to go through the door. I went up to my room and Cassie followed me.

"You can only fill up a bag so chose carefully."

"Do you mind leaving me alone for a bit?" I asked and she left to wait downstairs. I quickly stuffed my bag with clothes, a couple books, and necessary stuff. Then I went to my secret stash of money and took it all out. There was about $200 in there. Then I ran out to Layla's room and grabbed her $500 and our picture book and stuffed deep in my bag. Then I grabbed my cell phone and charger and double checked my room for anything else I might need. Then I seen it. Our family photo that was taken the day before mom died. I grabbed it and sank to the ground. I started to sob and I couldn't stop. The tears ran down my cheeks spilling on my jeans. The door slowly opened and a white little figure came through.

"Angel." The old cat cuddled up close. I hugged her for what felt like forever.

"Sadie." Cassie came and sat next to me. She looked at the picture I was holding and then at Angel.

"We got her for Mama when she was in the hospital. She stayed with her till the end. She was only a kitten then. That was seven years ago. She's the part that keeps me close to her now. We named her Angel, while hoping she would call an angel down upon her and make her well again." I said through my sobs. "Does she have to go to the shelter now?" I looked up at her with my watery eyes.

"She would, but. If she means that much to you you can sneak her in."

"Really. Thanks Cassie." I reached over and hugged her. "But how? Won't they notice."

"I'll sneak her in tonight but she'll have to stay in my truck. Come on we have to go now. Do you have everything?" I nodded.

I grabbed Angel and my bag and hoped in her truck. I was starting to feel better now because I would get to have Angel with me.

"So... what do you do. I mean other than work at a foster care?" I asked her

"I have a farm and I raise horses there and compete every now and then. I have a few dogs for herding the sheep and some cows to sell milk to the neighbors."

"Cool, I love horses, but I rarely ever ride anymore."

"Oh. I also have a son, Josh he's about your age."

We chatted until we got there and I brought my stuff inside after saying goodbye to Angel. I through my bag in the corner and took the money out. I would have to do something with it. I decided to stuff it all in the pocket of the bag in an envelope. I finally decided to go out for lunch. I opened the door and tried to find my way back down. I took a left and a right and went up some stairs and down but could not find the way.

"What do you think your doing down here young lady?" An old lady came over to me and stared me right in the eye.

"Sorry I was looking for the way down. I'm new and don't know my way."

"The runaway." she muttered.

"I'm sorry what?" How could she dare say that.

"Nothing. come now." She grabbed my hand and dragged me down the stairs.

There were at least 30 kids scattered around the room eating pizza. In the box there was one piece left. A girl that looked about 14 picked it up.

"Oops, sorry none left." She said with a snotty look. I stuck my tongue out at her when she turned, but on if the adults noticed. It was the old lady that dragged me down the stairs. She glared at me and grabbed my hand and dragged me up to my room.

"What? What did I do now?" I yelled at her.

"You either be nice or extra privileges."

"Eating is not a privilege. It's a right. It was her second piece I haven't eaten since yesterday morning."

"Well remember that next time." She stomped out of the room and I stuck my tongue out at her behind her back. She must have noticed because she stomped right back took my hand and slapped it then ran off.

"I'm not a puppy you know." I called after the witch.

"Pretty close." She called back. She just called me a dog.

"Witch." I mumbled. Then remembering the snacks the Dr. bought for me that I stuffed in my bag I ran to it. I was starving and would eat just about anything. There was a bag of sun chips and a half eaten bag of cookies. I gulped down the chips and decided to save the cookies in case I decided to stick my tongue out at someone again. I was thirsty and I wanted to go find a water fountain to get a drink. I slowly opened the door and walked out. I heard whispers further down the hall.

"Cassie, the girl's a rude runaway. She stuck her tongue out at Sarah today for taking the last peace of pizza." I could her that it was the witch again.

"No she is not. Martha don't get all worked up she's actually nice." I overheard Cassie say. I hid behind the wall post. Then ran back to my room.

When night came I stayed up and gazed out the window. There was a knock on my door around midnight. I opened it and let Cassie in.

"I got food for her and a litter box that you can put in your closet. For now She'll have to stay in your closet until we figure something out. " And with that she left me for the night. I cuddled Angel close thinking about Mama. Tears welling up in my pale blue eyes.

Author's Note

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