• "Oh, dear Sooki. I'm so s-s-sorry that I can't t-t-tell you!" My mom said, saying "sorry" and "tell" as she's sobbing. I wiped her tears away and whispered, "Mum, you'll be ok. You don't have to tell me." I was halfway out the door when my mom cleared her throat. "I did and the police didn't believe didn't believe me so I didn't want to argue, and therefore I couldn't do anything but stand there and weep on your father's shoulder which crying didn't exactly make me feel better." She said quickly.

    I went outside. The little girl was at the door, her hand about to knock on it. "Hi! Aren't you the girl that I kicked the stone to?" I asked, smiling. Her short black hair was motionless as she stepped back. Her dark brown eyes narrowed. "Yeah. So? I'm Wen. I'm eleven years old. Tell me about yourself." She said solemnly, sort of like Snape in Harry Potter. "The name is Sooki. I'm named after Sookie in True Blood. My mum spelled it with no E. I'm seventeen. My favorite band is Metallica. I'm wild and crazy, so deal with it." I said, feeling insecure but smiling.

    * * *

    "... and this is my bedroom. I believe that's the rest of my house besides the basement. No one besides me can go there." Wen said in her usual solemn voice. I pondered before I said this, but I said it. "Why can't anyone but you go in there? Can your parents?" I asked, getting that insecure feeling again. Then she whispered, "I don't have parents." I stared at her like she was nuts. "You don't? Oh, cheer up! I hate it when little girls feel sad!" I pleaded. Then she cleared her throat and said, "When I was real little and cute, I had a perfect life.

    "My mom treated me like an angel and my dad treated me like I was one-of-a-kind, which I was. My parents started going to work again when I was about seven. They'd come home at about noon, which at that age was the time I woke up, and so I'd be spoiled for the rest of that day. When you and I kicked that stone to each other, that was my eleventh birthday. You became my friend because we had fun. My parents always told me to have fun.

    "A few weeks before that day, my parents hugged me goodbye. I'll never see them again. They were great people; they taught me well. I don't like being by myself. It's boring and lonely in there. If I were your age, I'd ask you if I could live with you and your parents. But life is still grand! I'll never let my life go to waste!" I was absolutely touched by her explanation. I put my hand on her head and said, "It's ok. You'll be able to come over any time. I'll make sure you live how you and your parents wanted it."