Read Blade Silver: Color Me Scarred for Free Online

probably just expressionless
now. Maybe she's clutching that ugly old afghan, wrapping it around
her despite the warmth of the afternoon.
    And suddenly I'm furious. Why does she have to be like this?
Why can't she say something? Do something? Stand up for her children? Sometimes I really, really hate that woman.
    Okay, I know that's not fair. And, really, I do love my mom and
I do feel sorry for her, but sometimes her weakness totally disgusts
me. I've heard that you dislike the same thing about others that you
can't stand in yourself. Maybe that's my problem. Maybe I'm just like
her. I mean, it's not like I'm standing up for my brother, either. But
like I said, he doesn't seem to need me tonight. Somehow I think he's getting the upper hand. But how? What's he doing differently?
Maybe he's just learned not to care. I plan to ask him. Later, when
things cool down. Maybe I'll make him a sandwich and go into his
room and we can have a real talk.

    I hear a loud smack, like the sound of a piece of wood breaking, and the chaos of our lives takes on a whole new twist. I hear
Caleb yelling and cussing. I run out to see what's going on, and from
the hallway I can see that Caleb's nose is bleeding. He looks both
shocked and furious.
    "Don't you ever use that kind of language around me again!" my
dad yells. I peek a bit farther around the corner until I can see my
dad. And I can tell that he is shocked too. I mean, he never hits us.
At least not until now.
    "You're evil!" Caleb yells at my dad. "Totally evil. And I'm not
taking it anymore." Then Caleb turns and walks right out the front
door. Just like that. I mean he's only fourteen. Where's he going?
And what's he going to do? And what will happen when he wants to
come back? Poor Caleb.
    I quietly retreat to my room, thankful that Dad didn't see me
watching. I can hear him storming around in the kitchen, probably
fixing himself something to eat. And after about twenty minutes he
is gone.
    First I pace in my bedroom. So far, despite all the stress I'm feeling, I have somehow resisted the urge to cut myself. Maybe getting
to know Glen, hearing a story that's similar to mine, has given me
this speck of hope. Maybe that's what makes me want to handle my
life differently. To quit cutting.
    Or maybe the shock of my dad crossing that line is what holds
me back. I still can't believe he actually hit Caleb. Hit him hard, it
looked like. What happens after this? Where do we go from here?

    I can't take it anymore. I march down the hallway and knock
on my mom's door. Someone has to start being the grown-up in this
house.
    After what seems to be a very long time, the door finally
opens about six inches wide, and I can see her thin face peering
at me. "What?" Her voice is small, like it's from a child who's been
punished.
    "We need to talk," I say, pushing open the door. I walk right in.
I'm not even sure why I feel so bold. I usually avoid going into this
room at all. And I can tell she's surprised, but she says nothing, just
sits in her glider, sinking down as if it's a struggle to stand.
    "Mom," I begin in a pleading voice, almost like I used to talk to
her before she had her breakdown. "This is all wrong. I can't stand
the way we live. I mean, Dad actually hit Caleb tonight. Did you
know that? Caleb's nose was actually bleeding. And then Caleb took
off. And who can blame him? I don't even know where he went, or if
he's coming back." I pause and just look at my mom, and her face is
so blank that you'd think the woman was deaf and dumb. "Can you
hear a single word I'm saying?" I demand loudly, disrespectfully. I'm
afraid I sound just like my dad.
    Her eyes dart to the door, fearful, as if she can hear Dad in my
voice too. But still she says nothing. Just sits there. Good grief, this
woman can't even help herself. How can I expect her to help Caleb
or me?
    "Fine." I turn around in anger. "Whatever!"
    According to the little digital clock that I put