The Books

I wake up really early in the morning, and walk past my mommy and daddy where they lie without clothes on the couch.  The air smells really bad.  My mommy opens here eyes, and smiles at me with that hazy smile she always throws me when she's tired, but she just woke up.  She slides out of daddy's arms and walks over to me.  She runs her hands through my hair and says "How are you sweetie?" I love it when she's like this when she's here with me, and she hasn't gone away again.  "I'm fine mommy." She stands up and walks to the bathroom and shuts the door.  My father begins to wake up.  "Hello daddy." He looks at me and grumbles a little bit.  He looks all bent up like a broken toy.  "Where's your mom?" he asks.  "She went into the bathroom." His eyes light up like fireflies and he speaks "Hey bitch save some for me." He pushes me to the side and walks into the bathroom.  They start shouting at each other.  I hate it when they're like this.  I get out before they can get to me.  I walk down the stairs, and as far down the street as I can go.  They won't look for me for a while.  When they fight they forget me.  I'm all alone until I see a woman walk out of the church, and look at me funny.  "Son what are you doing here?" I look at her and say "I had to leave my place because my parent were fighting." She looks at me sadly and says "Do you want me call them." I think about it for a moment they're probably still fighting.  "No I'm good." She looks at me really angrily.  "Oh you're good are you.  You think you can just walk out on your family whenever you please." I'm confused when she says this.  "But that's what I always do, and they never stop me." She looks at me now with real worry and says "That's not how it should be.  Come inside with me."  I come inside with her and she takes me to a small room at the back of the church, and sits me there.  "I don't think it's a good idea for you to go back to your parents just yet.  I'm going to take care of a few things, but I'm leaving you in here for a little while.  Don't leave do you understand." she says.  "Yes." She walks away and I look at the room around me.  I see a few books on the shelves.  I pick one up and look at the cover.  I can't quite read the words it's been forever since grandma went away, and I haven't held a book since then.  I open the first page and read the words they are jumbled and hard for me understand, but somehow they give me a little warmth, and I read a little bit more and get a little bit warmer.  I keep on reading in that room for hours and hours.  I know I'll have to leave, but I need to come back sometime.  It's really important.