• User ImageMiki walked around the cemetery every night, thinking about things that have happened in the past. Her first loose tooth, her mother getting pregnant again, her own issues and worries. She stared down at her small little lump on her belly, and tears came to her eyes. She always knew she would be alone. Once she got pregnant, she knew no one would care for her. Miki had always been alone- No one to care for her, no one to love her. Just her and the little embryo growing inside of her, telling her she was a failure, that she would never be good enough for anyone.
    She sat down on the bench and cried. Miki knew when the baby came she wouldn't be able to take care of it. She was alone. The man had all but taken everything from her- and she was alone. Flashbacks of the night came in a full storm, about knocking the wind out of her. The man convinced her she was alone, that she wouldn't have anyone. Her family was gone, she was orphaned since she was a baby herself. She'd lived in a terrible group home, where people made fun of her every day.
    Then one day he came along, just after her 15th birthday. She didn't tell anyone it was so, but the school and orphanage staff knew. They didn't say anything either. The man followed Miki to and from school, to a park she went to, sometimes talking to a once-in-a-while friend, Benton. Benton had not made it just yet, but he did.
    That day, Miki was raped. On her birthday, the man, unknown, raped the little girl, behind the park stalls. No one cared to help her when she screamed, when he was on her. Instead they ignored her.
    Miki stared at her belly. She didn't blame the little guy inside. Miki already loved it, wanted to give that baby a better life. She slouched back, staring at the sky above.
    Soon she heard footsteps, but thought no one would even notice her.
    "Seat taken?" A voice asked.
    It was Benton! Suddenly Maki felt something in her stomach, and it wasn't the little guy inside. She didn't know what it was.
    "No, you can sit there." She said, adjusting herself to accomidate Benton.
    Benton was a tall kid of 16, with black hair and forest green eyes, and medium skin. He was from India, with an American mother, giving him his eye color. Miki thought she was ugly, with her short brown hair and grey eyes, pale skin and small features. The orphanage staff tried to make her feel pretty, telling her she was every day, but they failed. Their kind words didn't ring as loud as the rude ones.
    "Are you okay, Miki?" He asked.
    "No." Miki replied.
    That startled Benton a little. So he continued. "Looks like the baby's growing good." He stammered.
    Miki got up and walked away, not wishing to continue the conversation.
    "Miki, wait!" He said,
    "What?" Miki demanded.
    "I didn't mean to- I mean- Gawh! Miki, you can't just keep running from everything, okay? Life is gonna get harder, and if you keep moping around, you're gonna get the brunt of a bad life." He said.
    "Haven't I already?" Miki demanded, turning her back again.
    "No, Miki! You've had a hard life, yeah! But if you keep going like this you're gonna become bitter and angry and everyone that loves you is gonna leave!" Benton continued.
    "Like anyone would ever love a creature like me." She sighed.
    "Well, what about me?" Benton asked, crossing his arms.
    Miki stopped walking and turned to him. Her eyes where full of tears.
    "Am I nobody?" Benton asked quietly, walking up to her.
    "I can't-" she started, bursting into tears.
    Benton tilted her head up to him and wiped the tears off of her face.
    "It's alright." He said quietly.
    She just looked at him. For some reason, he convinced her that everything would be alright.
    "Please trust me. I'll get you and this little guy," He said, rubbing her belly, "Taken care of well."
    She just nodded. He took her hand gently and walked her to his house.
    When they got there, his grandmother greeted him kindly, then looked at Miki.
    "Oh, boy you better not have!" The kind grandmother teased.
    "No no no! This is my friend Mikialla, or Miki. Miki this is my grandmother, Bette." Benton said.
    "Oh please, let me introduce myself to the lovely lady. I'm Bethany Gerand, or Bette." She said, giving the girl a hug.
    Miki accepted, feeling love for the first time.
    "So, who do you live with?" Bette asked.
    "I live in the orphanage. My parents left me there when I was really little." Miki replied, her voice cracking a little.
    "Well don't worry. We'll take care of you." Bette said, taking Miki's hand.

    There Miki was cared for and loved. Benton told her he'd take care of the infant like a father. But, one day, Miki woke in the middle of the night with a sharp pain in her abdomon.
    Tests reveiled that the baby had died while growing due to a blood disease.
    Miki went home that night and couldn't think straight. Benton, who'd attached himself to Miki, withdrew.

    Four years later, they did get better. They married, and this time, Miki had a baby. The baby, named Oliver, would grow up to be one heck of a guy.

    Oliver is from Makenzi Tenner's story Titled to Wreckage, where he's a guard at 16 for the mainland from a series of islands. Go to Amazon.com and type in Titled To Wreckage by Makenzi Tenner for more information.