Maaaaan, I wish I got something for doing these chores. Isn’t that right Lucy? (Laughs) You’re such a good girl. Let me see you do a trick. On three, jump as high as you can! One, two, three! Woah! (Laughs) That’s enough Lucy, get out the bathroom. I need to finish cleaning.

(moment of silence until a sudden loud slam from a door)

I don’t know! It wasn’t me! I didn’t knock over the vase, I swear! (Noise progressively getting higher) You told me to do my chores before playing games so I’ve been trying! What do you mean? Go to my room? (Door slams one more time as Oliver locks the door)

I just don’t get it! She blames me for everything! Whether it be spilling the tiniest amount of water on the floor to simply doing a chore, I’m still blamed! Everything! (Deep breath)

Why does she do this? All I want to know is why.

(Silence)

It’s been like this for years. Ever since my father left to Virginia for work, things been different. It’s, like, unexplainable. My mom looks at me differently and so does my brother. It’s like I’m alone in this world and no one left to look for.

(Deep Breath)

C’mon, look up, Oliver. That’s you in the mirror. Now look down. That’s you in the getting nearer. Nearer to giving yourself to the false blames of your mom. Look up. (echo followed by silence)

Is it really my fault? Is it really my responsibility to carry these actions? I know I didn’t do it but why am I affected? It’s like my self-esteem, my confidence... is this really what I’m worth? Am I worth being the blamed for something I didn’t do?

No I’m not but my father isn’t here. He’s the only one I appreciate in my life but he’s not here for me. He left to Virginia to pursue his music career and I don’t know when he’s coming back. He left me alone but why? He did music over here before but why over there? So many questions that surround my mind and I just can’t get an answer. Hmm...

Maybe, this was on purpose. If my father was watching over me now, he wouldn’t want me to keep whining in the damn bathroom.

He’d want me to face my problem. He’d want me to find what I am worth. He’d want me to see the clearer picture.

That clearer picture is… it’s not my fault, but my parents. I don’t like this answer but I’m going to have to live with it. I don’t have control over what people think of me nor should I care. It’s not my responsibility to hold this guilt that isn’t mine. This is the turn in my life where I need to seize the opportunity.  

Right in front of me is a door. It’s separating me from my mother. The only thing I can do now is stand up for myself loudly. Disregard the consequences because once I find my voice, it’ll be heard. Oliver… I know this will not be fun and not easy so prepare yourself. Stand up strong and survive the moment in your life. Your main goal is to survive. Once this is over, you can escape…

(Door creaks open)

Mom. Mom? Mom!

(Door slams one last time)

This is not the life I imagined 7 years ago. I imagined that we would always live the way we did. But now I am 16. What did I get? A pat on the back, a job application form, and a deeper realization of life. Not to sound ungrateful, but I wish we had it better. Mom and dad are each working two jobs, and so are you, Eddie. You’re only 19. I remember when we used to sit in the front yard, naming all of the squirrels we would see. Even when we moved here, you named the cockroaches we occasionally saw. I wish I had your spirit.

But now I’m 16. It’s my turn to work. I have to help our family. It is hard living this way, but with one more paycheck brought home each week, it will get better. We could ask “What are we having for dinner?” instead of “Are we having dinner?” We could get more than a pair of socks for Christmas.

It’s my turn to give back to the family. After all, I am the reason we live the way we do. I want to be able to let mom and dad and you know that I care about giving the family what I took away.

Don’t “I don’t know Daphne,” me. With a job, I can help work for the life I wanted to have when I was a little girl. A little girl with 2 legs.

Why am I getting so excited? I will never be able to get a job. Who wants to hire an amputee? Why hire three quarters of a person, when there are full ones out there? Yes. I am, Eddie. I am incomplete. I need crutches to walk on my own. I get weird stares on the street. I can’t play sports, run with my friends, or dance at parties. I can hardly get up the stairs on my own. I should have appreciated what I could do before it was to late.

Of course I’m ready. I need to give back to this family! I am the reason we live like this! If it wasn’t for me, we could still live in the suburbs, and go to a nice private school. I know it isn’t my fault, but it's true. If I hadn’t gotten sick and needed my freaking leg cut off… *sighs*

I want to live an easy life. I really do! Is it too late for that? I am already 16, but I haven’t achieved anything. I haven’t traveled, I haven’t gotten exceptional grades, nothing special. All of my friends have great lives. They go to the shore during the summer and buy fancy clothing from fancy stores. They eat healthy vegan food, take photo shoots in the park, and have clear skin. Why must I be disabled and have acne? It’s unfair!

You know what, nevermind. It is not worth getting frustrated about. I… I just wish it hadn’t happened, you know? Life is hard with 4 limbs, let alone 3. But, I’ve made it this far. I can’t give up now. I have a whole life ahead of me, or something like that. I’ve already lived 7 years with 1 leg. I can go through another 7. And then 7 years after that.

And look at Marlee. She is an amputee and she is living a great life, job and everything! I suppose I can be successful. I just have to put my mind to it. Also, I am lucky enough to have two working arms. Now that I think about it, why wouldn’t someone hire me? Even if I only have 1 leg, I am a strong, persistent, awesome young woman.