I remember the day vividly.

My parents and I were headed out on our usual camping trip. Through the usual route we always took.

What was different on this day was the unexpected 90 pound buck that jumped in front of our car.

My father swerved and missed the guard railing. Our car went over the edge and flipped multiple times.

I lost conciousness. I remember when I had awaken from that ordeal the police and a social worker had informed me, I was the only survivor.

A week or two after the accident I was released into the custody of the state at the age of 13. Having no other family, I was placed in a boy's orphanage. Healing from losing both parents alone. I kept to myself most of the time. But I did make one friend in the 8 months I was there.

Chikao.

Chikao was a 16 year old japanese-american boy. He was taller then most of these boys there and had an angry demeanor. The other boys would pick on me and slap me around considering I was tiny and quiet. But I never did anything about it. I was dealing with the loss of my parents and I was scared and alone.

However, Chikao witnessing one of the days I was being bullied by 3 boys and he was having none of it.

He tossed those boys around like dummies. They never bothered me again, and Chikao never left my side.

That is, until the day a family showed interest in me and decided to adopt me.

They seemed like a nice couple, wealthy, and with a son the same age as me. They were aware of my background and the history of what I'd gone through, but none of that truely mattered. They just wanted a boy to keep their son company when they were away on business. Which I eventually learned, they weren't around A LOT.

The day I said goodbye to Chikao, was rough on me. Really rough.

He'd been my only comfort and my only friend that was there for me through the worst time of my life.

I hugged him goodbye crying and thanking him for everything he'd done for me,

and when I let go I never would have thought I was walking into the worst part of my life yet.

****

 This family lived in a huge fancy 2 story home. With a few maids and a butler. I had my own room with a bathroom on the second floor. right across from my new brother James. He kept to himself the first few days of me being there, but I had this feeling he didn't quite like me.

My new adoptive parents, Josh and Mary, had taken me to buy a whole new wardrobe, hygiene, school supplies, and furniture for my room. They helped me settle, and went over my new schooling information with me and James. I was to be ready by 7:30am and out front for the driver to drop us at the school and be outside of the school at 3:30 for the drive to take us home. They handed me my schedule and a debit card for lunch.

Josh had told me I was to start my first day withing 2 days. However they were leaving abroad the next morning.

The following morning I was up and downstairs to say goodbye before Josh and Mary left. They gave James and I a hug and walked out the door. I turned around heading for the stairs when I felt the hard shove that landed me on my face.

"Get the hell out of my way, Orphan boy."

And that's where it all began.