Part 49...Erika's Story

Zac stood there, face to face with his friend. Erika looked back at him, patiently waiting for his reply. She looked at him in wonder when she saw him smiling.

"You're kidding right?" his smile immediately vanished when he noticed she wasn't joking. "Please tell me it was some sick, morbid joke and that you really got it at dance or soccer practice or something?" Erika slowly shook her head, almost amused at his denial and touched at his care and distress for her. "No, no, no, please… not to you, anyone but you…"

"Oh, Zachary…" Erika said softly as she took him by the hand, "c'mon, let's go sit back down the willow and I'll explain everything to you, 'kay?" he nodded and followed her in suit.

"Whenever you're ready, Erika."

She smiled and looked up at him. Zac being a thirteen year old boy, was quite taller then her. "It's kind of a long story, you see."

"For you, I've got all day long."

"Thanks… it really is nice to know that, Zac. Besides, I trust you…"

He nodded as if to reassure her, "You better!" then he laughed a little, "I mean, I am your friend, and you're my friend. Besides, it's pretty obvious how much I trust you."

Erika's eyes darted out into the scenery, Zac watched her pools of blue water dance around until they finally met his, "I'll just begin from when and how this all started. My father use to work for this one really successful company. It paid very, very well too. Then one day, for some stupid reason, they sent him off to this other job, which is located across town as an executive or something. Gosh, this is my father we're talking about and I don't even know. Seems kind of pathetic that I don't even know, huh?"

"No, not at all, Erika."

"Thanks. The new job pays just as well as the last and some of the people he knew from his last job got transferred there too. It's weird. The job is good, although it's so stressful on my father. He use to be so patient and kind and now… it's different. It's like he's done a complete one eighty. There was a time though, when he was so very loving… he's grown a bit strict and just really short- tempered for no reason at all. If he gets angry enough, he will strike me. But most of the time my father yells and let me tell you, he yells very loud. Like, it's so loud it's just scary and it brings tears to your eyes." Tears, tears of anger yet happiness formed, but soon were blinked away.

Zac took this moment to ask a question, "Does… does he drink?"

"Yes, but he's not on alcoholic. Maybe it's a lack of sleep type thing, I don't know! He gets about… oh, eight hours of sleep, so that can't' be it. Zac, he's just… I mean, I know he still loves me, but there are those times, you know, when it's been bottled up too long and…" There were no sobs coming from Erika's mouth as the tears silently fell.

"It's okay… it's okay, Erika. I'm right here." Zac cooed softly into her ear.

"I feel almost like I'm about to cave in, then I just remember all the good times and the good times to come. I just remember that… it'll all be okay… but deep inside, the pain can be seen. There are times when I'll just sit by myself and cry. There are those pathetic times when I'm so lonely and scared and feel so unloved."

"It'll be okay… I promise it'll all be okay soon enough. What about the rest of your family?"

Erika sighed, "My sister Natasha is only two years old and my mom, she's completely different from that. She's only hit me once, but that was to knock some sense into me because I was just really freaked out and scared. Things were chaotic that day, my father was yelling, my mother tried to calm him down. He hit me and I just began screaming… it was a really bad day, that day…"

"I can tell…"

Erika smiled, "Hey, this all may be really crappy and stuff, but that's not all to it to my family life. We still have our happy times… and plus, this will help me build character."

"Erika, you're a pistol…" Zac chuckled along with her.