Eva by Nicole M. (books for 9th graders .txt) 📕

I don’t want to be responsible for a little girls injuries, or even death. And if I catch up to her, I can keep her safe from that. I don’t want her to lose her life or get hurt over a game of tag. She’s young, and her life is so fragile and special. Maybe I’m worrying too much, but after what I’ve been through, I don’t want to see another person get hurt or killed.
Without noticing, my speed seemed to triple. But as a price of running so fast through these trees, I got worse cuts. And that’s when I realized, I lost sight of her. I stopped running, and looked around, panting viciously. Nothing but trees.
“Little girl?” I called out, out of breath. No response. I began to panic.
“Little girl?” I called out again. Still nothing.
I began to walk, looking in every direction, tripping a few times. I kept on like that for almost ten minutes, before I found a tree that I could easily climb. I put my right foot on the trunk, where it starts to separate, and lifted myself up. I crawled over to a branch that was close to the ground. In doing so, my legs got a little scratched. I sat myself upright, before leaning down, and putting my head in my hands. I rubbed my eyes, and brushed my hair out of my face, and sighed. I didn’t cry, but I felt bad. I sat on the branch for about 10 minutes while I caught my breath, and decided to look around some more.
Upon finding my balance after discovering the ground, I heard something come up behind me.
“I told you! You couldn’t catch me!” The little girl shouted, running up to me, coming out of nowhere.
I sighed, relieved that nothing happened to her.
“I guess you’re right.” My voice shaky.
“You’re old!” She laughed.
“I’m not that old. I’m only 16.” I looked at her, climbing back into the tree, this time climbing higher.
“That’s old! I’m Six!” She said, following me up.
“Haha, I guess I am old. What’s your name?” I asked, finding a comfortable spot.
“My name’s May.” She exclaimed, cheerfully.
“That’s a pretty name.” I began, “My name is Natalie.”
“Natalie? That’s an ugly name!” She wore a disgusted face.
“It is?” I asked.
“Yes! You’re too pretty to have that ugly name!” She yelled.
“Well, what do you think my name should be?” I looked at her, waiting for a response.
“Eva.” She cheered, “I like Eva.”

CHAPTER FOUR: BOATS AND BIRDS

“Well May, I guess my new name is Eva.” I smiled at her. She looked content.
I hopped down from the tree, May followed.
“Say, where’s your mother, May? Does she know where you are?” I asked.
“Daddy’s at work. And mommy’s at home. Daddy is mad at mommy though, so he’s not home a lot. Mommy drops me off here a few times a week and goes back home. I’m out here from 6AM to sometimes 9PM.” She stated.
“She just drops you off and leaves you here?”
“Yeah. She says it’s because she has special company over, and it would be bad if I was there at the same time. Mommy doesn’t like anyone to be home when special company is over.”
“Why’s your dad angry with her?”
“One day a few weeks ago he got off of work early and went home. Mommy didn’t know he was supposed to get off work early, and she had special company over. And daddy didn’t like it. Mommy says she and daddy are going to stay away from each other for a while.” She shrugged.
So that’s it, huh? Her mother drops her off here, despite what danger she could put May in, and goes back home to cheat on her husband.
“So you see, I don’t mind being out here all day. I’ve met mommy’s special company a few times, and I don’t like him.”
“Why not?” I stared at her.
“He makes me do things.”
“What kind of things?”
“I’m not supposed to talk about it.”
“Does it have anything to do with what he’s got under his clothes?” I was starting to understand.
“Yes. Why are you asking so many questions, Eva?” She asked in a little innocent voice.
“N-No reason,” I lied, how could someone do something like that to a little girl like May? “May, do you want to come with me somewhere? I promise if you do, you’ll never have to worry about him touching you ever again.”
“Okay, let’s go” She agreed, grabbing my hand. And I know it’s none of my business, but I’m going to protect her. I’m not going to let anyone endanger her life, or make her suffer.
I was the one leading the way this time. I was leading her to the outside world. I was leading her to hope. I was leading her to Sadie.
It was bright out now. The clouds had gone away. It hurt my eyes, and I could tell May didn’t like it either. She squinted her eyes, and used her free hand to block the sun.
“Eva, why are you dressed like that?” She asked. I was taken back by her sudden question. “You dress how my mommy dresses.” She finished.
“Well, before I ran into you, I had just woken up, and I was actually going to a friend’s house to clean up.”
“Oh, is that where we’re going?” She asked.
“Yes it is.” I smiled.
We walked for a bit, not saying anything. When an old lady came up to me.
“Is this child yours?” She asked, I could hear a bad attitude coming from her.
“No ma’am.” I replied, a bit startled.
“Well, I hope not. You’re a disgusting wreck. A disgrace to all women your age. You’re not a good role model for this child. You should be ashamed.” She stared at me, what was her problem?
“With all do respect ma’am, I would appreciate it if you did not judge me by how I look. In doing so, you also set a bad example for children.” I started walking away.
Not a good role model for this child? The fuck, man? Who said I was this girl’s role model. As if.
We walked on the sidewalk that leads to Sadie’s house. She grew tired of walking, so I let her hop on my back. May was singing a song that I’d never heard before.
“May? What are you singing?” I asked.
“A song” She replied.
“Well yeah, but what’s it about?”
“I don’t really know.” I started, “I heard a girl singing it in the park the other day. She looked just like you, but cleaner.” She made me laugh.
“Can you sing it to me?” I asked. If I remember correctly, the girl she saw singing it, was in fact, me. Her reply, was simply the sound of her voice attempting to sing. She knew the words, but a six year old doesn’t usually have the voice of a singer, if you know what I mean. There’s still that.. Kid sound, ya know?

“If you be my star, I’ll be your sky.
You can hide underneath me and come out at night.
When I turn jet black, and you show off your light.
I live to let you shine, I live to let you shine-”

She paused, not remembering the rest of the song, so I began to sing it instead.

“But you can skyrocket away from me,
And never come back if you find another galaxy,
Far from here, with more room to fly,
Just leave me your stardust to remember you by.”

“Yeah! That’s the song!” She yelled, then gave out a yawn.
“Are you getting tired?” I asked?
“A little” Her voice cracked, “But, keep singing. I want to hear Eva sing.” She begged. I couldn’t possibly deny her request, so I began to sing again.

“If you be my boat, I’ll be your sea.
A depth of pure blue just to probe curiosity.
Ebbing, and flowing, and pushed by a breeze.
I live to make you free, I live to make you free.
But you can set sail to the West if you want to,
And past the horizon, ‘till I can’t even see you.
Far from here, where the beaches are wide.
Just leave me your wake to remember you by.

If you be my star, I’ll be your sky.
You can hide underneath me and come out at night.
When I turn jet black and you show off your-”

I stopped in front of Sadie’s house. It seems May has fallen asleep, I think. At least she can rest here, and maybe then I can talk to Sadie’s foster mom and see what she can do. Wait, is she his foster mom? That’s what a foster mom is, right? Sadie doesn’t have parents, so the neighbors legally took him in. That makes the woman his foster mom. I think.
I rang the doorbell, his foster mom opened the door. She loved me, no matter what I looked like, or how trashed I was.
“Oh my, Natalie, come in, come in!” She gestured inside, “Sadie, Natalie’s here!” She called out.
I love to hear her speak, she has such a beautiful voice. Hell, she has a beautiful everything. She’s quite young, in her late Twenties I think? She’s got naturally highlighted blonde hair, and deep blue eyes that were so… Dangerously gorgeous. She’s pretty slim, and tall. She’s unable to have children, no matter how many times she and her husband tried, they could never conceive. She’s a lot of fun, and she and her husband loved Sadie since he was little, letting him swim in their backyard pool, inviting him and his real mother over to dinner, that kind of stuff. So, when the chance to adopt him came along, I guess it’s no surprise she and her husband immediately agreed to it. Her husband is in the army, so he’s not home. It’s just Sadie and her.
“Oh my, who’s this?” She smiled looking at May, who was still asleep on my back.
“This is May. I met her today in the park, in fact I need to talk to you about her after I get cleaned up, if that’s okay? She’s kind of.. In trouble I guess you could say.”
“In trouble? Well, after you clean yourself up, come talk to me, Sadie can listen too, and I’ll see if there’s anything I can do to help. But in the meantime, let’s get her a pillow and blanket and she can sleep on the couch. After that, she’ll get some cleaning of her own.” She held out her arms, and I turned my back to her so she could take May. She’s so in love with children, she’s so joyful, surely that will be good for May. I went upstairs to the guest bedroom, where I sometimes sleep if I don’t go home, and got a pillow and blanket from the closet. This house is so elegant. It’s big, neat, and organized. All the walls are shades of white, cream, and light blue. If there was a beach in the backyard, this could definitely pass for one of those large beach houses. A trip back downstairs, then up again to say hello to Sadie, who obviously didn’t hear his mother calling him, and then a shower that is well needed.
I opened the door to his room. The walls are light blue, his room is clean, there are posters of bands he listens to, his bed is a mess, and there he is on