Raven Thatcher

Strawberry boy led me up a spiral staircase to the second floor then continued straight till we came to the first door on the left. He opened it and lead me inside. “Is this my room?” I asked. I didn't mean to sound rude but it looked used. The bed made but the desk had books on it and a big plant was in the corner by the desk. There were star lights hanging on the wall and ceiling from a hook. And a laundry basket lay next to the dresser half full. “No this is my room.” Ansel replied and turned toward the dresser he opened the first drawer and pulled out socks and underwear then shut it and opened the second drawer pulling out a black t-shirt with the outline of a white rose crawling up the side of it. Finally he opened the second to last drawer and pulled out a pair of black sweatpants with white stripes down the sides. Then he walked back to me and shoved it in my arms. 

“You can use these after you shower. They will probably be small…” his eyes swept my body then met mine his face flushed. “But it will have to do, oh and  I have not used the underwear in case you're wondering.” Indeed I had given the undergarments a glance but I wasn't going to say anything. “I’ll show you to your room” Ansel started to walk down the hall toward the stairs we had just came up but before he got there turned right down the other hallway. “This is Eric’s room.” Strawberry spoke pointing to the last door on this hall then again turned right. “This is your room”, he said and opened the door. 

My room was the one next to the bathroom the only bedroom in this hallway. The other stairs to my left went to the downstairs. The ones at the end next to the bathroom led to the third floor Strawberry explained. I walked in the room after the boy. The room was big not super big but bigger than anything I had ever had. It was bigger than the strawberry boy’s room by almost half of the boy’s room. A big bed with a white comforter sat in the corner. A dresser right next to it, across the room was what I assumed was a closet next to that was a desk.  Then against the same wall as the door was a bunch of built in shelves and a navy blue spider chair. 

“I know there’s not a lot here but you can get some things when you go shopping for clothes. You can use the shampoo in the bathroom for now. It's mine but it will work for now. Everything else Ms. Maudie will go over or you can ask.” The boy explained. “You should take a shower, when your done knock on my door and I'll take you down to Ms. Maudie's study.” 

Obviously finished, the boy walked out of what was now my room and I walked down the hall to the bathroom. The walls were a lilac purple, the cabinets black and marble counter with two sinks. Then there were wall candles across from the sink along with a white shelf with things like combs, hair products, and lotions on it. I continued, past that was an indent in the wall where the toilet was with a white cabinet above with no doors but it had pictures on it along with extra toilet paper. I went past that and finally found the shower, no tub that was fine, I never used baths anyway. I slowly stripped off my clothes till I stood naked in front of the glass door to the shower. 

I could see my reflection and saw the bruises and nasty gash strawberry boy had been treating, I also saw the now deep purple bruises that had formed from last night’s fight. The boy had good reason to be shocked they were bad and looked awful and painful. I gently poked my stomach where one of the bruises was and flinched. Although the salve the boy had put on my was helping the swelling it did nothing to help with pain. I opened the door to the shower and got in, shut it and turned the water on to hot. At first it came out cold but soon turned to almost burning. I stood there for awhile just taking the heat and steam till I was sick of it and then grabbed the soap strawberry boy had mentioned I could use. I squirted some in my hand and then started to rub it into my scalp it smelled like pine. I started to wash the length of my hair all the way to my abdomen and then started to rinse it out. 

That lady what did she want or even thinking, she knew I was potentially dangerous and yet she wants me to stay and live here. I was stumped unless she was pitying me and if that was the case she could shove it up her ass because I did not want her pity. Her words flashed through my mind “I have felt abuse and witnessed rape, everyone in this house has scars whether they are physical or not does not matter.” Shit, I thought to myself what had I gotten myself into. 

I rinsed off the remaining soap and then turned off the water. I stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel from the rack. I gently wiped off the water and then dried my hair so water droplets from it would not get me wet. Only one of the bad things about long hair. I pulled on the underwear the boy had gotten me and then the pants and shirt. The old women was right they were too small the pants stopped above my ankles and the shirt stuck to my body like it was wet. God he must be small, smaller than normal for a fifteen year old let alone a sixteen or seventeen year old. 

As I was pulling my hair into a bun a knock sounded on the door. “Are you ready” Strawberry Boy stuck his head inside. I huffed and strutted to the door “What's the point of asking if your going to come in anyway?” “Sorry” he didn't look too sorry. “I’ll take you to Maudie's study now. I followed him down the stairs through the kitchen and into the hallway where he got the med box. He passed that hall cabinet and then continued to a second wood door on the right and then stopped. He turned to me, “she's inside just make sure you knock. She probably does not want me in there when she talks to you, so i'll be in the kitchen if you need anything” then the boy turned around and walked back to the kitchen. I took a deep breath and knocked twice. “Come in” a voice sounded from the other side so I opened the door and walked in.