Young Writers Society

I remember we were in the movie theaters, my whole family and I. I remember I was sitting on my moms lap when it happened. I remember the 9 gun shots fired perfectly. I remember seeing my whole family dead except for my uncle and I.

Life had just started for me when the incident happened. You see, my brother and I had been orphans living in a foster home with 6 other children. Our parents had been killed in an awful fire a ways back. But, when the Kanow’s saw my brother and I in an old photograph, they instantly wanted us. I was young, merely 2 years old, but I remember everything.

Like I said I was 2 and my brother being 4, we were highly adoptable. So we had only been at the home 2 weeks before we met the Kanows. I remember them walking in. Mrs. Kanow (Mom) and her fake leopard skin bag and her model-like face. Mr. Kanow (Dad) and his dazed smile and his maculate hands in his slack pockets. And the other Mr. Kanow (Uncle Greg) with his fidgeting hands and forced smile. He scared me while the others drew me in.

“Oh, Jack! They’re precious! I love them already.” Mrs. Kanow practically yelled.

“They sure are cute.” Mr. Kanow agreed. “What do you think of them, Greg?”

Picking up my small body from the cold tile, Greg said, “This little girl looks like a beautiful princess to me.” He smiled and tickled my stomach. I couldn’t help but giggle. Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all. In fact he was already my favorite out of the three.

They didn’t seem to notice that he didn’t acknowledge my brother. At my age this didn’t concern me though.

“Here are the adoption papers.” my foster mom said walking into the room. When Mr. Kanow took them from her, I knew I had a family again.

“Guess what princess? Your gonna go home with us.” Greg tickled me again. He then leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Your mine now.” my reaction was laughter.

On the car ride to my new home, I sat next to Greg in my new car seat. He was quite entertaining to my young mind.

“What’s your name, princess?” he asked me even though he already knew my name was Annabelle. I know he was just trying to see if I could talk.

“Annabelle.” I said clearly and proudly.

“Good job!” he said enthusiastically. “Now what’s my name?”

“Gweg!” I squeaked.

“Good job!” he repeated. “You know, I think this little princess is also a genius.” Mr. and Mrs. Kanow chuckled while I, having no idea on what he said, laughed.

As we pulled in the driveway of my new home, I noticed a large dog behind the gate to the backyard. Like any other 2-year-old, I pointed at it and said, “Wook! Dere’s a doggy!”

“Yea, that’s my doggy, his name is Billy.” Greg responded.

“He’s weally cute.” I turned around to see Greg’s smiling face. I couldn’t help but smile too.

Greg showed me to my bedroom. Right away I noticed the “princess” crib/bed sitting in the corner. It had thin pink cloth draped over it. I instantly loved it.

“Wow!” I said as I jumped right on it.

“Isn’t it great?” Greg smiled. “I have something for you.”

“You do, what is it?” I said excitedly. He then handed me a soft pink blanket with “Princess Annabelle” sewed on. Once again I instantly loved it. Since then Greg and I were almost inspirable.

“Do you want peas or carrots?” Greg asked me one afternoon when everyone was out.

“Peas.” I replied. He quickly warmed some peas and placed them in front of me.

“Once your done with those you need to take a bath.”

“OK.” I had no problem with baths unless Greg wasn’t the one washing me. Greg and I had a routine that I didn’t like to break.

“I’ll be on my computer, come get me when your ready.” Greg said as he walked out of the kitchen and into his room.

After taking several minutes to get one pea on my fork, I was ready for a bath. I toddled into his room not caring about the pictures of naked children he was obsessing over on his computer. He looked at those pictures all the time so for me, this was normal.

“I’m ready for my bath!” I shouted trying to get his attention.

“OK, OK.” he laughed. He then grabbed me and we headed upstairs to the bathroom.

When we were finally in, he told me to take off my clothes. Like a good little princess, I did. He then took his bony hand and ran it along my bare chest. Then he gently picked me up and placed me in the bath tub. During my bath he would often feel my body as if I were his sex toy.

When we were done, we went to his room. We crawled into bed and I cuddled my nude body into his clothed stomach. Soon enough I was fast asleep.

Over those next few years, Greg and I got closer than ever. We would take Billy to the park and play ball, we would go to the yearly fair, we even went on private little getaways together. But when Greg told me he was moving to a new house, I thought that we wouldn’t be able to do that stuff anymore.

When I told him he couldn’t go and leave me he said, “Oh, Annabelle, my princess, I would never leave you. I bought this house for you and me.” I was so excited. A house where I wouldn’t have Mrs. Kanow telling me to clean my room, Mr. Kanow blabbing on about how hard his day was at the law firm, and Peter hitting me because I took his pink power ranger.

Moving day was so exciting. I was finally going to leave the dreaded house where there was always someone getting in the way of me and Greg’s fun. I did feel bad for them though. I remember Mrs. Kanow and the clear tears streaming down her cheeks. Over and over she told me that she was letting me go with Greg because she loved me and it would make me happy.

I just told her once and only once, “I’m sad too, but Greg will let me have a better life. You’ll understand when I’m all grown up.” I was 5 then and didn’t exactly know what I was saying.

After we got Billy in the car, we decided to go bid our good-byes. It was saddest to leave my brother because he was my only real family.