Zoey had been living in a cramped up apartment for most of her life. She used to live in a huge house with her mother and father. And she was an only child. But then her parents had more kids. Five more. It was a little annoying but it was fine, at first. But then Zoey’s mother passed away from a really bad sickness that was going around. 

Zoey’s dad soon couldn’t pay for the house by himself. And Zoey was to young to get a job and help out. The whole family had to move to an apartment, one that was way to small. Zoey, dispite being the oldest, had to share a room with three of her siblings, Carter, James, and Hope. Two of them, Blair and Grace, shared another room and Clair, the middle child, got her own room. 

Zoey didn’t complain, at least not out loud, she knew better than that. But the other children didn’t. They often complain about lack of space, toys, and sometimes food. 

     Zoey tossed and turned and struggled to sleep. Carter, James, and Hope were already fast asleep, and so was everyone else from what she could hear. She kept having weird dreams about this giant tree. She had no idea what it was, she had never seen a tree like this. It was unrealistically big. 

Zoey was finally able to fall asleep after her dreams turned good. It was still about the tree, but when she had picked a certain leaf from the tree, her whole life had changed. She thought in her head that it was fake, false hope. But something inside of her wanted to believe it. 

Zoey woke up the next morning. She got ready for the day. Then she checked herself in her full length mirror. She had white skin with long, straight, blonde hair. Her eyes were hazel. She was skinny and pretty flat, but she liked that. She was wearing a tank top under her grey hoodie and jean shorts. 

Zoey left her room and grabbed her backpack. “Bye dad.”

“Zoey where are you going!” Her dad responded. 

“Um, to school?”

“No! How many times have I said this! You are staying home to watch the kids!” 

“I thought that was just a one time thing.” Zoey leaned against the wall. She could smell it, her dad had been drinking again. 

“No. It’s wasn’t. I’m going out so you stay home and watch the kids. When I get back you can walk to school.”

Zoey sighed. “Let me guess. You’re going to the bar?”

“Don’t you ever talk to me like that again!” 

Zoey scoffed. “You’re their father! You need to start watching them instead of going out and getting drunk!”

“That is it!” Zoey’s dad had a look of pure evil after he had said this. It all happened so fast, Zoey was on the floor, and her father was beating her.