Fan Fiction ❯ Hold On ❯ Hold On ( Chapter 1 )

Hold On

 

A Oneshot story for the Make a Wish Contest

 

Disclaimer: I don't own Light a Candle by Avalon. It's a good song.

 

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“…light a candle, light the dark, light the world, light a heart or two, light a candle for me, I'll light a candle for you …” The radio came on, awakening 16 year old Linaeya. She groaned, and sat up. She began to dress quickly, as she knew her mother would most likely come into her room and beat her if she didn't get downstairs before 7:30.

 

“Linaeya, get your lazy ass down here before I have to drag myself up there to get you!” Linaeya glanced at the clock. 7:28. Less than two minutes to get down 4 flights of stairs.

 

“I'm coming, mom!” She yelled and grabbed her schoolbag as she started running down the long flights of stairs. As she ran along the second floor landing, she glanced at the clock. 15 seconds. She ran down the stairs, not noticing the broom handle that was tied to the end post of the banister. She tripped over the broom, and landed on the floor. Her schoolbag split, and all her papers went everywhere. Linaeya swore, then slowly stood up, collecting all the papers from the ground as an earsplitting laugh erupted from the kitchen.

 

“Haha, you loser.” Linaeya's older sister Kay peered around the corner, pointing at the big shiny bruise that had formed almost instantly on Linaeya's leg. Linaeya glared at Kay, and headed to the door, about to leave for summer school. “Aww, c'mon, sis. You know it was just a joke!” Kay sighed in disappointment, and her head disappeared back into the kitchen.

 

“I'm leaving for school, mom!” Linaeya called to her mother. Her mother was probably sitting in front of the TV right now, either smoking a cigarette or drinking a beer.

 

“No, you aren't! Get the hell down here now!” A raspy voice called from the basement. Linaeya flinched. She hated appearing before her mother unless it was when her mother was sleeping. None the less, she slowly headed towards the dreaded basement stairs.

 

“What're you waiting for?” Kay laughed when Linaeya got to the top of the stairs. “Go do it!” With a shove (no thanks to Kay), Linaeya flew down the basement stairs, managing to stay half upright.

 

“Linnie, I need you to stay home today and clean up this mess.” Linaeya hated the nickname that her mother had given her. Then again, if she protested against it - hell, if she protested against anything! - she would probably get beaten.

 

“Fine, mother. I'm just going to get a bucket from upstairs to put all the cigarette butts in, okay?” Linaeya hoped that excuse would be good enough.

 

“There's a bucket in the supplies closet, you foolish girl. Don't use excuses on your mother, for Kirisk knows all!” Linaeya rolled her eyes and turned to the dingy storage hallway in the basement. As she walked the short walk to the supplies closet, she began to think.

 

Dear God, I know I haven't exactly been good lately - hell, what am I saying? I've been the best daughter you can be, having an abusive family. My dad hasn't been around since … well, since I've been born. Stupid asshole, denying I was his. I know one thing's for sure -- I don't look anything like my ugly mother.

Anyways, I have a request for you. Actually, it's a wish. Linaeya picked the old bucket up out of the closet, and turned around to go back. I wish I could be taken out of this mess of a place. Please God, if you're listening, at least help me a little here.

 

“Good, Linnie. Now start cleaning!” Linaeya groaned, but got down onto her hands and knees and started picking up all the ugly, yellowed butts lying around. It was a nasty job, and she was always the one to do it. Of course Kay didn't have to, Kay was perfect, Kay ALWAYS got what she wanted. Linaeya made a face. If only her mother knew. Kay smoked weed, Kay failed all her subjects, Kay stole. Then again, her mother probably wouldn't care if she knew what Kay was up to these days.

 

“Mother, if I'm done in time, can I go to my after-school art class?” Linaeya asked, still picking butts out of the carpet. The ugly, old, faded grey (once black) carpet.

 

Linaeya's mother chuckled. “Of course you can, Linnie. But only if every single butt, bottle and can is out of this room.” Linaeya sighed, and stood up.

 

“I'm going to go empty this bucket outside, okay Mother?” He mother nodded, not bothering to take her eyes off of the Maury show (today: My Daughter Slept With My Best Friend's Father), and Linaeya headed up the stairs to empty her bucket onto the ever-growing pile of cigarette butts.

 

As she came back downstairs, she noticed there were more than 50 cigarette butts on the floor again. Linaeya frowned. Her mother didn't smoke THAT badly, did she? “Mother, could you please stop smoking while I clean up? I would like to finish as fast as possible.” As soon as she had finished speaking, Linaeya knew she was going to get it.

 

“What did you just say to me, young missy?” Linaeya shrank back.

 

“Err, nothing, mother, I said nothing! I promise! Just don't hurt me, please!” Her mother chuckled and turned back to the television. Linaeya sighed in relief and went back to picking up butts, bottles and cans from the floor.

 

~*~

 

It was around two o'clock when Linaeya finally finished. Finally, she was free. First on her trek to her art class was the beer store, where she was able to turn in the bottles for fifteen cents each, and the cans for ten. Her mother never knew that her daughter did it, nor did she know that Linaeya kept the money.

 

The next stop on her route was the local Tim Hortons, where she spent five dollars on coffee and a donut. A couple of blocks over was her art class, so she headed over there to just chill out with her friend, Chenelle, while waiting for their art teacher.

 

“So, Linaeya, how's summer school?” Chenelle asked. She was the only one that knew about Linaeya's unfortunate predicament - Kay had managed to get her and her sibling's marks switched around. Linaeya had ended up failing everything but art, since Kay hadn't taken art.

 

“I haven't been able to go yet. My stupid mother made me stay home today and clean up her garbage.” Chenelle winced at the harsh tone in her friend's voice, and was glad she didn't have those kinds of problems at home.

 

“Hello, everyone!” With an over-dramatic sweep of the cape, Linaeya's art teacher, Mr. V, came into the room. “I trust you've been practicing your drawing techniques?” Linaeya sighed. Of course she hadn't. In her house, their mother was law, and she wasn't allowed to draw. Of course, that didn't stop her from sneaking in a few Naruto drawings here and there. “All right, class! Today, I want you to draw where you wish you could be at this very moment!”

Linaeya laughed. This would be easy. First, she sketched in the horizon. Next came the palm trees and the little village huts in the foreground. Now, the real challenge began. Linaeya sketched in the landline, making it wavy to create the illusion of waves sweeping up against the shore.

 

“Excellent, Linaeya! Once again, my star student manages to capture a beautiful scene in a few strokes of the pencil!” Mr. V swept up Linaeya's picture, and showed it briefly to the class before putting it back down in front of the owner. “Linaeya, I'd like to see you after class.” Linaeya nodded, and turned back to her work.

 

~*~

 

“How's your mother doing?” As Linaeya was cleaning her supplies up after school, Mr. V, came over and asked her about her family.

 

Linaeya sighed, and rolled her eyes. “You know, the usual. She drinks tons of beer, smokes a lot, and gets fat by sitting on the couch watching TV.” She turned to put her pencils in her backpack.

 

“Just hold on, Linn. I'm working on getting you out of there.” Linaeya gasped and hugged Mr. V. “Now, Linaeya, about your art.” Linaeya knew this was coming. Mr. V would probably put down her style, like he always did. “Linaeya, I'd like to put the picture that you drew today in my gallery.” Linaeya gasped.

 

“Seriously?” She choked out. “I mean --- I've never thought I was that good! It's only a picture of a sunset on the shore, and … I mean … Well, thanks.”

 

She unrolled her picture, and gave it to Mr. V. “Thank you, Linaeya. Oh, and nice seashell clip in your hair.” She unconsciously reached a hand up to feel her clip - it had a seashell glued onto it. She had forgotten that she'd put that in this morning.

 

“I guess I should get going now.” She turned to the door, shouldering her badly patched up backpack. “Thanks for everything, Mr. V!” She waved, and headed out the door.

 

Wow … I can't believe Mr. V actually said that about my drawing. I didn't realize … A car honking and swerving brought her out of her thoughts. She was staring down the middle of the road at a 18-wheeler that just wouldn't be able to stop in time. She tried to run, but her feet wouldn't allow it. Her body broke upon impact, and fell against the pavement.

 

God … why did you do this to me? Linaeya closed her eyes for the last time, but had a smile on her face. Oh well, at least I did get out of the house, finally...

 

The End