• The wind howled in the little town Kyrsty was temporarily calling home. Her cardboard box home threatened to fly away with her still in it. Krysty cried harder as a lightning strike seemed to hit only a few feet away. Quickly, she added more rocks into her home, with hope that these rocks would keep her and her home on the ground; instead of airborne.

    Her mom and dad had left her here 2 days ago. They hadn't meant to leave her, but they were both so drunk they just forgot her. By now they were probably searching for her as had as they could. At least she hoped they where. They had to be looking for their little girl; right? Krysty shivered and curled into a tighter ball, trying to stop the tears since all they were doing was make her colder.

    The next time she woke up the wind had finally stopped, but now it was raining. It had already soaked through her box. Krysty's makeshift home was falling apart around her. Her stomach was growling louder than ever and everything hurt from being curled up for so long. "I want my mommy and daddy." Her voice was harsh and labored. The lack of usage and lack of water made it extremely hard to talk. So Krysty decided not to talk anymore. Instead she crawled out of her ruined home and went to go find better shelter. With great caution Krysty walked around, surprised to see that it was actually not so small. Her parents must have read the map wrong. Krysty became scared. What if her parents were looking for her? Would they know to look further into town? The little girl sighed and walked back to the spot her parents had left her at. She would just have to ignore the rain. 'They'll come for me…they have to.'

    Three hours later the rain finally stopped and the sun started to peak out from behind the clouds. Krysty was soaked to the bone and shivering uncontrollably. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked around her. She was hoping to find a dry spot to lay in, but there weren't any in sight.

    Krysty remembered a time when Mommy loved her and Daddy at least pretended to care. Mommy used to sing to her. She remembered the song as if Mommy was singing it right in front of her.

    Lullaby For A Stormy Night

    By: Vienna Teng

    little child, be not afraid
    though rain pounds harshly against the glass
    like an unwanted stranger, there is no danger
    I am here tonight

    little child, be not afraid
    though thunder explodes and lightning flash
    illuminates your tear-stained face
    I am here tonight

    and someday you'll know
    that nature is so
    the same rain that draws you near me
    falls on rivers and land
    on forests and sand
    makes the beautiful world that you'll see
    in the morning

    little child, be not afraid
    though storm clouds mask your beloved moon
    and its candlelight beams, still keep pleasant dreams
    I am here tonight

    little child, be not afraid
    though wind makes creatures of our trees
    and their branches to hands, they're not real, understand
    and I am here tonight

    for you know, once even I was a
    little child, and I was afraid
    but a gentle someone always came
    to dry all my tears, trade sweet sleep for fears
    and to give a kiss goodnight

    well now I am grown
    and these years have shown
    that rain's a part of how life goes
    but it's dark and it's late
    so I'll hold you and wait
    'til your frightened eyes do close

    and I hope that you'll know...

    everything's fine in the morning
    the rain'll be gone in the morning
    but I'll still be here in the morning

    Krysty let a single tear fall for the memory of better years. Before her parents found alcohol, before Kyrsty met pain and suffering. The years before Krysty were left to fend for herself. She was only 5 when her parents stopped caring. 6 when she learned to forge signatures so she could go on trips, pick locks so she could get to food her parents tried to keep away from her, and how to do her own laundry at a laundry mat. She was 7 when she learned that she could turn beer cans into money she could use to buy herself food about once every other month. Now she was 8 and she knew how to cook simple dinners on an open fire and how to play blackjack.

    She loved blackjack. Her dad had taught her how to play when he was drunk. It was the only thing they ever did together.

    'Maybe they're not coming. They might never come and get me.' Krysty was shivering badly until all the sudden she froze. An idea hit her almost as hard as her dad did. 'I'm free. Why am I waiting for them? I have no friends who'll miss me. No teacher's to care.' Krysty smiled lightly then started sneezing. She sneezed 3 times then wiped the snot with her sleeve. 'First I've got to think of a new name. I don't want to ever have to go back.' The girl sneezed again and coughed for a few seconds. Her nose was dripping badly and her lungs were starting to hurt. 'I'm really sick.' The little girl slowly stood up and starting heading towards town.