• Silent Nights
    1968
    My life has been okay. I mean, I finished highschool, I want to go to college, my sister Valerie(Val) is going to be a freshman and my parents love each other. Though there was this time when my life totally sucked. Everything I loved was falling apart. This is my story…
    1965
    When I was awake, I went to go clean up. After I had washed off, I stared at myself through the mirror. I saw that my long black hair was tangled and my green eyes were hazed. I knew that was from the heroin. So instead of going out to eat dinner, I stayed in my room a little longer.
    The reason I use heroin and LSD (Acid) is to escape the reality of my dad beating my mom. It’s like a routine . After we finish dinner, we hear a car engine. My mom tells us to go and hide(Val and I normally hide in my closet). Then we hear dad come in very loudly. Finally we hear thuds, bangs, and we know that’s mom getting hurt. One time, he hit her so hard that she started to bleed. I remember that night. I actually saw mom get hit. Then I ran to the neighbors to get help. That was a mistake. The next night, he turned on me.
    When I thought I looked decent, I went down stairs. Mom and Val were already eating. Their resemblance was un-canny. They both had light brown hair and blue eyes. Their personalities are also very similar, very high spirited and happy all the time. Where I am more like my dad. Very laid back and lazy, but we will get the work done the first time. Mom and Val like music like The Monkeys, when dad and I like The Beatles, The Who and Jimmy Hendrix
    Before I even got to the table, we heard that familiar engine pull into the driveway. Mom didn’t have to tell us to hide, we were already running down the hallway. Instead of going to the closet, I led Val into the bathroom. I opened the window.”Valerie, go through the window,” I said.
    “Why, are we going somewhere?” she asked.
    “Yes,” I replied.
    “Will we come back?” she asked.
    “I don’t know,” finally she climbed through, I followed her. Once we started walking, we didn’t look back.
    It was a cold winters night. It drizzled rain on and off. At some point I had to carry Valerie on my back because she was so tired. At another point we stopped at a cheap motel and stayed there the whole night. I was so tired that after I put Valerie in her bed, I simply collapsed in mine.
    Valerie had to wake me up. When she did, she had questions. I tried to answer all of them, but I couldn’t tell her we weren’t going to go home.. The rest of the day Val and I just wondered the streets until we found an abandoned shack. That would be our home. I also found a job at a restaurant so we could eat.
    Two months had past since we left. Valerie actually got into a school,I don’t know how, but she did. I got two jobs since we left. The day shift at a record store, then the night shift at Mc. Donalds. Between work is my only free time. So I either sleep, eat, or get high. I always make sure Valerie I taken care of. Then one day it happened.
    One day during my break, I decided to get high. As I inject the heroin, I feel a rush, like what normally happens. Suddenly I feel pain everywhere and the room is spinning. Then I feel cold all over my body. This isn’t right I think. As I start to go numb, my vision fades. Before I black out, I see my Valerie enter the room, once she see’s me she starts screaming, but by then, I’m out.
    I’m not sure what Valerie say, but I know what I did. I think I saw the light. I saw my grandmother and a few of my dogs. I hear people saying “It’s not your time!” and “Go back!” Then I hear a very distinctive voice calling my name.
    “ Nico! You better wake up or I’m telling mom! Please wake up. I love you.”
    Suddenly I feel warm and tingly. Finally I come to. The frst thing I see is my sister sobbing. When she saw that I was awake, she hugged me tightly, but I was frozen. Did I just see the light? Or was I just imaging things again? I never found out the answer. From that day on, I started to try and work for a better life.
    When we went home, mom ambushed us with kisses and hugs. Even dad hugged us. I was also surprised to see mom and dad holding hands. I gues that was because we ran away. When I saw my family united, my life changed drastically. No drugs,ditching school, and getting help from my family. I mostly worked hard to make a better me. In a way, I made myself a better life.



    1968
    That was a huge lesson I learned. After that, I was an A+ student and graduated high school. I want to go to college, but tomorrow I get shipped to Vietnam so I’ll fight for our country and make myself a hero. I hope that my family has a life that’s full of warm memories that’ll make them cherish life. Also, if I don’t make it out alive, remember me and my story.