It Started At Six

At six, she had two years of preschool under her belt and was nearly half way through Kindergarten. Her family was poor, but clearly she had no concept of that. She had a roof over her head - even if it was in a trailer park - and food in her belly.

Her "neighborhood" was small. Her closest friend was a boy called Toby. They had known each other since babyhood. They spent days running around barefoot, wild and free. They lived near the woods, and also near a beach. Toby's extended family lived there was well. She and Toby spent time at his uncle's house and his grandparents house. The Girl was enamored with a spiral staircase that led to a loft bedroom.

Life was pretty simple, as you can imagine. Their families were typical for the area. Their fathers hunted and went shrimping. There was four wheeling through the woods, smelling the wildflowers. Ducks in the neighborhood pond. They went to watch neighbors go mud boggin'. They swam at a small beach, and ate penny candy from a local gas station. Both loved Big League Chew(ing gum) and candy cigarettes. He managed to trick her every few months by telling her he had four bucks. Each time, he pointed out the stuffed and mounted deer heads in his family room. It was an innocent time.

During the year she started Kindergarten, her mother was surprised to find herself pregnant. While The Girl doesn't remember being told that a baby was on the way, she does have vague memories of picking out a going home outfit for what would be her brother.  Exchanging her role as an only child to that of older sibling was somewhat a rough transition. Her father was more concerned with the fact that he now had a SON, and showed less love and attention to The Girl. It wasn't noticeable in the beginning, but it's all so clear now. 

This marked the beginning of a change in Her life. Such a big moment for the adults, followed by such small changes sparked something so big. Her story really begins here, and it turns dark just as quickly as it began.