Is anyone out there to take my side… [insilent_rain]
An image appears - blurry and without color, the edges fuzzy like a TV with bad reception - and settled upon a little girl crying. Sarah’s chin is visibly trembling and her eyes are red. She holds the camera in her hands, her thumb peaking from the left corner as she grips it with her small hands, trying to keep it together and not break the tape that holds the battery in. The ceiling fan turns slowly above her bed, making her hair move softly with the breeze.
“I don’t…understand…w-why…” her voice breaks between hiccups. “All I wanted ‘ta do is spend time with momma and see how she works ‘n stuff.” Her voice changes as she talks, a hint of her fathers voice coming out more the more she gets upset. “I love my daddy and I like goin’ to his work. His desk lady - secretary - is real nice and she even lets me use the stapler! But I don’t get why I can’t go and see mamma at work and doin’ work stuff’s.”
Her face crumples again as she cries, feeling sad from the inside. Voices could be heard in the distance from the other room. “They’re talkin’ ‘bout me again. I knows it.” The camera shakes again and the only image that can be seen is the light stripped pattern of the bed, fumbling can be heard and there’s a long silence.
The tape fuzzes in and out, the image still black and white, edging either way at the littlest movement. The picture going black for a moment before being over sharpened with white.
There is noise in the room and even with the bad picture half the lenses viewable to the rest of the room. Sarah can be seen on the other side of her bed, taking her braids out and pulling her hair back and way from her face in one motion. She disappears behind the bed and comes up with a small bag, shrugging on her jacket and slipping something shiny into her bag before zipping it up.
Sarah moves closer and picks up the camera again, her voice hushed and the determination clear in her eyes. “Daddy always said, when there’s somethin’ you can change and fix that you do it. Mamma’s upset. I’m gonna fix it.” She presses her finger to her lips, making a ‘ssssh’ing sound.
As the camera battery dies, dimming to black as the image of Sarah slipping out the window fills the lenses.
I nervously bit my lip as I tighten the straps to my backpack, stepping onto the balcony and looking around, the sun is setting on the skyline and I can faintly see the outline of the tower through the fog. I’ve looked at it for so long growing up I can see it as clear as day, even when it’s dark out.
My eyes dart around and I glance back into my bedroom, seeing it empty and noticing that they didn’t hear when I slid the window open. They both hate when I open this window, something about Daddy being afraid I was gonna fall of the balcony or something. I’ll be fine; I’m a big girl.
I’m a Morgan.
I brush a stray strand of hair from my face and use both hands to climb over the railing of the balcony to get onto Madam Miller’s balcony. “Don’t look down…don’t look down…” I whisper to myself, not looking through the gap that looks down many - many - stories below. Swallowing hard I move my leg over onto the other ledge and pull myself over.
With a heavy sigh, I make it over and fix myself, pulling down my skirt and wondering if I should have put on a pair of jeans that Daddy got me and we hid from Mommy.
Pulling the zipper to my jacket closed, I fix my backpack, pulling it tighter around me before I slip the key to the Miller’s balcony door from my pocket. Daddy and I look after the plants and her kitten when they’re away so we always have a key. Never thought I’d have to use it to sneak out for something important like this, only ever slipped out to surprise Daddy with breakfast from the café on his birthday this past year.
I quietly make my way through the apartment, heading over to the desk to pull open the laptop to do a bit of searching. I might be six but I’m smart for my age. Not many kids at school know all the stuff’s I know. Daddy always says I’m a cookie...
With a bit of effort - I don’t know how to type well yet - I finally get what I need and print it out, shifting my backpack on and slipping out of the front door. I poke my head out first and make sure my parents haven’t noticed that I slipped out.
Nervously I bite my lip again and hurry down the hall, hitting the button for the elevator several times. “C’mon, let’s go,” I urge the machine, smiling as it opens up. Everything looks good so far. I know I can do this.
I’m a Morgan.
My stomach twists in knots as I stand in front of the address I found off the computer. Brushing a strand of hair from my face as the wind picks up I look down at my clothes and hope that this idea works.
“May I help you mademoiselle?” the doorman greeted me, tipping his hat and smiling.
“Hi, I’m selling girl scout cookies in the neighborhood. I have a delivery for Sir Ramos.” I smile at him as he opens the door for me, letting me into the building.
“I don’t…understand…w-why…” her voice breaks between hiccups. “All I wanted ‘ta do is spend time with momma and see how she works ‘n stuff.” Her voice changes as she talks, a hint of her fathers voice coming out more the more she gets upset. “I love my daddy and I like goin’ to his work. His desk lady - secretary - is real nice and she even lets me use the stapler! But I don’t get why I can’t go and see mamma at work and doin’ work stuff’s.”
Her face crumples again as she cries, feeling sad from the inside. Voices could be heard in the distance from the other room. “They’re talkin’ ‘bout me again. I knows it.” The camera shakes again and the only image that can be seen is the light stripped pattern of the bed, fumbling can be heard and there’s a long silence.
The tape fuzzes in and out, the image still black and white, edging either way at the littlest movement. The picture going black for a moment before being over sharpened with white.
There is noise in the room and even with the bad picture half the lenses viewable to the rest of the room. Sarah can be seen on the other side of her bed, taking her braids out and pulling her hair back and way from her face in one motion. She disappears behind the bed and comes up with a small bag, shrugging on her jacket and slipping something shiny into her bag before zipping it up.
Sarah moves closer and picks up the camera again, her voice hushed and the determination clear in her eyes. “Daddy always said, when there’s somethin’ you can change and fix that you do it. Mamma’s upset. I’m gonna fix it.” She presses her finger to her lips, making a ‘ssssh’ing sound.
As the camera battery dies, dimming to black as the image of Sarah slipping out the window fills the lenses.
I nervously bit my lip as I tighten the straps to my backpack, stepping onto the balcony and looking around, the sun is setting on the skyline and I can faintly see the outline of the tower through the fog. I’ve looked at it for so long growing up I can see it as clear as day, even when it’s dark out.
My eyes dart around and I glance back into my bedroom, seeing it empty and noticing that they didn’t hear when I slid the window open. They both hate when I open this window, something about Daddy being afraid I was gonna fall of the balcony or something. I’ll be fine; I’m a big girl.
I’m a Morgan.
I brush a stray strand of hair from my face and use both hands to climb over the railing of the balcony to get onto Madam Miller’s balcony. “Don’t look down…don’t look down…” I whisper to myself, not looking through the gap that looks down many - many - stories below. Swallowing hard I move my leg over onto the other ledge and pull myself over.
With a heavy sigh, I make it over and fix myself, pulling down my skirt and wondering if I should have put on a pair of jeans that Daddy got me and we hid from Mommy.
Pulling the zipper to my jacket closed, I fix my backpack, pulling it tighter around me before I slip the key to the Miller’s balcony door from my pocket. Daddy and I look after the plants and her kitten when they’re away so we always have a key. Never thought I’d have to use it to sneak out for something important like this, only ever slipped out to surprise Daddy with breakfast from the café on his birthday this past year.
I quietly make my way through the apartment, heading over to the desk to pull open the laptop to do a bit of searching. I might be six but I’m smart for my age. Not many kids at school know all the stuff’s I know. Daddy always says I’m a cookie...
With a bit of effort - I don’t know how to type well yet - I finally get what I need and print it out, shifting my backpack on and slipping out of the front door. I poke my head out first and make sure my parents haven’t noticed that I slipped out.
Nervously I bite my lip again and hurry down the hall, hitting the button for the elevator several times. “C’mon, let’s go,” I urge the machine, smiling as it opens up. Everything looks good so far. I know I can do this.
I’m a Morgan.
My stomach twists in knots as I stand in front of the address I found off the computer. Brushing a strand of hair from my face as the wind picks up I look down at my clothes and hope that this idea works.
“May I help you mademoiselle?” the doorman greeted me, tipping his hat and smiling.
“Hi, I’m selling girl scout cookies in the neighborhood. I have a delivery for Sir Ramos.” I smile at him as he opens the door for me, letting me into the building.