Skye had overheard that a new boy would be coming to the foster home for a few nights. She didn't quite catch his name but he was 14 and had just been removed from his home. He was going to be picked up by his uncle in a few days or so.

She eagerly awaited his arrival. The days had gotten long and Skye desperately needed a new friend around there.

The night he arrived, Skye hadn't got to meet him. It was 9:55pm when child services brought him by and way past her bed time. The locks were set and all children were to be in bed by 9pm.

*
The next morning she awoke before everyone, as usual. Slipping on her slippers, Skye walked down to the kitchen only to see him siting at the table looking at his hands; which she could see were covered in cuts.

"Hi," she greeted.

The boy was caught off guard. "Hey," he replied, turning to face the young girl with long, dark hair.

She walked to the counter and pulled the cupboard open. Her small hand reached in for the box of cereals and she placed it on the counter.

He watched as she took precaution to step perfectly in the free spaces on the shelves until she reached the ceramic bowls on the top shelf.

Skye pulled the drawer open and reached for a couple of spoons. Retrieving all the items, Skye placed them on the table, grabbed the milk from the fridge, and sat across from him.

She slid a bowl to him and he caught it with a smile. Skye sat on her knees and leaned across the table to hand him a spoon.

"You're up early," he said. His dark hair ruffled from his pillow.

"So are you," she answered, pouring the captain crunch in her bowl. She slid the box to him and filled her bowl with milked.

"Good point," he admitted.

Grabbing her spoon like a shovel, she asked, "So what's your name?" Skye scooped the spoonful of cereal in her mouth.

"Why isn't the table set?!" The man walking by the lazy-boy stopped in his tracks as he entered the kitchen.

Skye hopped off the chair and began pulling four bowls out of the cupboard.

"And where are my eggs? What, are you slacking off this morning?" He yelled from behind her.

The man walked over to the fridge and pulled out a six-pack. Walking back out to the living room, he plotted himself in the single-seated couch and opened his first can of the day.

The boy watched the man's every move and then rose to his feet. He grabbed the pan from the dish rack and put it on the stove. He walked to the fridge and pulled out the carton of eggs, bringing it to the countertop.

Skye turned to look at him as he opened the carton and picked up a couple of eggs.

"Two?" He mouthed to her.

She lifted three fingers and showed them to him as a smile of gratitude crossed her face.

*
It was 7am. Frank had been feed and the others were awake and getting ready for school.

One by one, they came down to grab their breakfast before heading out to catch the public bus to school.

"Don't eat too much or you'll have to go and buy more with your own money." Frank called from the living room.

Skye waited for each of them to finish their bowls and leave for the bus stop before cleaning up after them.

Danny had been the first to leave.

Being the oldest, he begun leaving before the other to meet with a few friends before heading to school.

Once he was out of the washroom, David took his turning using up all the hot water and stomped his way downstairs for breakfast.

Lizzie and Matt had seated themselves at the table and began pouring their bowls as the teenager of the group made his racket of the morning, stomping his feet, tossing his hackie sack in the air and catching it just before it knocked something down.

He dropped his ball to the ground and kicked it at Skye. The ball hit her square in the back, leaving a stinging feeling in her skin.

The seven year-old took the hit as David laughed and sat down beside Lizzie. Skye turned and gently tapped the ball out from in front of her feet.

The boy stared him down as David ate his cereal and elbowed Lizzie in the shoulder. He tightened his fingers into a first and winced at the pain of his cuts.

In moments, David was finished and out the door.

Taking her last bite, Lizzie grabbed his bowl and glass of milk to the sink.

Taking the dishes from the little girl, Skye thanked her and put them in the sink.

She took the little girl's hand and walked her to the door. The seven year-old bent on one knee, tying the girl's shoe. Pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, Skye tapped her foot and rose to her feet, "all set," she said, "Matt, she's ready."

Matt took his bowl to the counter and slipped on his shoes. Taking Lizzie's hand, the twelve year-old boy led them out the door.

Skye finished off the last of the dishes and pulled her backpack to her shoulder, "see you after school," she said to him as she tossed the empty beer can in the recycling and pulled the door closed behind her.

The boy smiled at her as he stood alone at the counter.

"What are you standing around for? Go get your crap ready. Your uncle's coming to get you in an hour," Frank said in a fit of coughs as he changed the channel.

"Today?" The boy asked in confusion, "I thought the lawyer said he was coming to see me first."

"Well, he's not. Get your crap."

"I have to see the lawyer first, the judge said so."

"'The judge said so,'" he mimicked, " what do you know, you're 14 years old."

*
Frank picked the phone up just before its final ring, "what?" He answered. Looking toward the young boy siting at the table with his bag at his side.

"What do you mean?" He asked loudly, "he was supposed to be here at 10! I better be getting paid for this extra time!" Frank shouted as he slammed the phone down.

Picking at a cut on his pinky, the boy looked up at Frank.

"Go put your shit away, he's not coming today." The man shut the tv and pulled two more beers from the fridge. He opened the front door and closed it behind him.

Grant picked up his bag and walked up the stairs. Setting his bag down beside the empty bed, he picked up a journal from the floor.

An elbow collided with his rib cage and Grant fell forward holding his side. Picking up the journal, which had fallen as the boy did, David stepped over him, "what do you think you're doing in my room?"

"Frank told me we're sharing until my uncle comes to get me," Grant answered in defence as he rose to his feet. "That doesn't exactly look like it belongs to you." He said, pointing at the light purple journal in the seventeen year-olds hand.

"It's none of your business." He warned.

Grant left the room. He walked down the stairs as Lizzie and Matt walked in the front door, Skye following shortly behind.

Lizzie rushed over to Grant and hugged him, "you're still here!" The four year-old exclaimed as she pressed her check to his stomach and went up to her room.

Skye stepped in, looking him in the eye and smiling.

The two of them spent the rest of the day in her room. She pulled out a pack of cards and he showed her a few magic tricks.

Baffled by his tricks, Skye watched him in amazement. The boy who had come to stay with them for only a day had already occupied a big part of her heart.

Skye walked into the living room and picked up an empty bag of chips off the floor. Carrying it to the garbage, she turned the tv on and put on a channel for Lizzie.

Lizzie cuddled up under a blanket and pulled a pillow beneath her head as Grant walked in the room.

"Is he always like that?" He asked, following her into the kitchen.

"Is who always like what?" She replied, opening the garbage and dropping the bag in.

"Frank," he said, "is he always so… Useless and cold?"

"Yes." She replied, climbing the chair to stand on the countertop.

"Here, let me." He said as he walked over to her. Grant placed his hand on her back as she climbed back down and pulled the chair out of his way. He opened the cupboard and pulled out the peanut butter. Grant handed it to her and watched as she smeared it on a slice of toast.

Skye put the toast on a napkin and brought it to Lizzie on the couch. Returning to the kitchen, she began smearing another slice, "do you want one?"

"No thanks," he smiled to her as the front door swung open and slammed into the wall behind it.

Grant jumped and turned toward the front door.

"You!" Frank yelled, pointing a finger at Skye as he entered the house.

Lizzie hopped off the couch and shut the tv before running to her 'big sister'.

Frank stomped his way into the kitchen and ordered the other to their rooms.

With a moments hesitation, Lizzie walked to the stairs and stood at the bottom.

Grant looked from Frank to Skye and made his way to Lizzie at the stairs. The two of them walked up the stairs and Grant looked back at her with a worried look.

*
Grant didn't see her at all the rest of the night. He knocked on her door after she missed supper but she hadn't answered.

"She won't come out tonight," said the little girl to his left.

Grant looked at her, "why not?"

"Because Frank yelled at her."

"And when Frank yells at her she stays in her room?" He asked the four year-old, prying for answers.

"Only when he tells the rest of us to go to our rooms."

Grant looked back at the white door in front of him. The outside lock, unhinged.

Lizzie walked to her room, leaving him at Skye's bedroom door.

The next morning, Grant sat waiting in front of her door.

At 5:30am, her door opened and Grant looked up at her. His face, washed over by rage, staring squarely at hers. He slowly rose to his feet before her.

Staring back at him, ashamed, Skye stepped aside and opened the door for him.

Closing the door behind him, Skye walked to her bed and sat on it.

"How long has this been going on?" He asked her sternly.

Skye looked up at him, "not long," she answered. "And it doesn't matter, I'll be out of here soon, I always am."

"What does that mean?" He asked, taking a seat on her chair.

"It means that I'll be going back to the orphanage soon. I never stay with one family longer than a few weeks." The seven year-old explained.

"Why don't you tell anyone?" He asks her, "you could make it stop. All you have to do it tell your social worker."

"No one would believe me."

"I'm pretty sure those cuts on your lip would convince them," Grant said.

"I'll be fine." She said to him.

"And what about the lock on your door? I'm guessing that's not there for your safety."

"Frank likes to be in control. When things get out of his control he loses it and the locks help him control us."

"You're pretty smart for your age." He admitted.

"For my age?" Skye asked, cracking somewhat of a smile.

Frank's voice called from the bottom of the stairs. "Kid, come down here," Frank never bothered learning his name.

Skye smiled at him, "don't worry about me," she reassured him.

Grant got up and walked out her room. Standing at the railing, he looked down at Frank.

"Grab your stuff. Your uncle's on his way." He said, slowly walking up the stairs.

Grant walked, stoned-faced to David's room to gather his things. He walked in and shut the door behind him.

Taking his clothes off the counter, he slid them into a bag and zipped it shut.

Frank opened the door and took a step in, "you ready?" He asked.

David walked past the man at the door and slumped onto his bed. Pulling out the journal from under his bed, David began turning the pages and reading it content.

Grant looked away from the boy with the purple journal and back to adult at the door, "yeah, I'm all packed."

Grant didn't know why he was going to let it go. She was in trouble. The first person to be friendly to him since his older brother made him do terrible, inexplicable things to his brother, a young seven year-old girl who stood in the same position as he did.

But he was only a 14 year old boy. He couldn't help her any more than he could himself.

Maybe once he got to his uncle's he could talk him into adopting her and getting her out of the situation she was in.

Maybe.

At least that would be an option if it was his mothers brother who came to pick him up.

If his fathers twin was coming for him, he wouldn't be in any more of a better situation than she is.

"Good. Get downstairs."
Grant got to his feet and started for the door. Staring coldly at the man as he passed, Grant walked out the door and down the stairs.

Frank walked over to the boy on his bed and pulled the journal out of his hands, "anything good this week?" He asked David.

"Nah, just some boring stuff about school and her computers class." David responded as the man handed him the journal back and made his way back down.

A knock at the front door caught Frank's attention and he answered it.

"Hey, I believe you have something of mine," the man on the other side of the door joked.

"You must be Garrett. Yes, he's all ready to go." Frank opened the door wider and the man stepped forward to place a hand on Grant's shoulder.

"Come on, son, let's go home." Garrett said, leading him out the door.

Once the front door was shut behind them, Garrett let him go.

Grant slowly walked to the car door, looking back at the house as Skye watched from her bedroom window.

Opening the car door, Garrett got into the driver's seat and started the car.

Grant shut the back door and looked back at the broken little girl in the window looking back at him as he left her.