A Destroyed Childhood (Chp. 1)

June 1st 2003

I still remember the way the new house looked, and how happy my mother was when she saw it. We’d never lived in a nicer, quieter home than this. It was very secluded, and deep in the forest, but that was her dream home, and I was happy for her. My mother’s name was Ariel. She was a beautiful Japanese woman with long black hair, a small frame, a lot everything going for her.
She recently divorced my Columbian father, and they moved far away from each other. I was their only son. He was in New York now, and here we were in the mountains of north Georgia. Despite the dramatic adjustment I’d have to make to new schools, and a new life without my father, I was still optimistic about the new state. It would be a lot different from living in New Mexico.
I was 11 with tanned skin, black hair, and light green eyes. My name is Phoenix.

“Now remember, Phoenix, you’re going to meet mommy’s new friend today okay? I want you to behave around him,” she said to me as soon as we got through the door.

I could tell all day that she was expecting someone to come over. She’d put on make-up for the first time since my father left, and she had the biggest smile on her face. I stayed in my room until I heard the door bell ring. I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone fly down a staircase so fast.

“Kao! You made it!” she said happily.

I walked to the balcony to where I could see him. He was tall, very tall, and scary looking. Judging by the shape of his face he was Chinese. I got a bad vibe from him from the beginning. My mother was to perfect for him. He didn’t deserve her.

“I want you to meet my son,” she said.

At that moment he looked up, catching me spying. I quickly put my head back behind the wall, knowing he saw me.

“Is that him?” he asked with an audible smile on his face.

“Phoenix?” my mother called out. “ Get down here.”

I sighed before getting up and slowly walking downstairs. The only thing uglier than his face was his smile.

“Hey there, were you spying on us?” he asked.

I stayed quiet, not looking at him.

“Phoenix! What is wrong with you? I’m so sorry, Kao, he’s being very rude,” she said tightly grabbing my arm as if to warn me to change my attitude.

“It’s fine,” he said calmly, “I completely understand.”

“Phoenix, Kao is going to be staying with us for a while, you’re going to have to show him some respect.”

I looked up at her finally with my eyes wide in shock. She failed to mention that part.

“I guess you haven’t told him yet,” I heard him say under his breath.

She gave him a look, as if to tell him to be quiet.

“Phoenix, go to your room, I tell you when you can come out.”
I did, happily.

I started to think what he could’ve meant, and my mind wandered to my worst fear.