Chapter 16 - Chapter 15

# Chapter 15
VUSI, AGE 15

"Vusi!" Ma shouted from her bedroom, slurring the words. At some point in the last few years, the prescription drugs didn't cut it and now she was addicted to stronger drugs and alcohol. Dad was a no-show, as always. Ma was lonely.

"Vusi!"

Dread was a heavy rock in my stomach as I threw off my thin, moth-eaten blanket and stood up from the springy mattress on the floor. What did she want now? More alcohol? Drugs? Maybe she was suffering one of her episodes and wanted to hurl abuse at me like she'd done a lot lately.

"Vusi!" Something crashed in her bedroom.

Scrubbing the sleep from my eyes, I flung open the door and stepped out into the dark passage. I hadn't checked the time, but the morning was still far off.

The reek of alcohol hit me first when I creaked open her door and peered inside.

"Vusi..." Ma's voice was softer. "Come here, sweetheart."

With my hand on the handle, I hesitated in the doorway. Ma's smile was far scarier than her anger. There was nothing gentle behind it.

I felt trapped.

"Come here."

The door opened farther, and I took hesitant steps closer. Ma patted the space beside her on the bed.

An empty bottle of vodka sat on the bedside table, distorting the numbers on the digital clock behind it. A pill bottle lay on its side, the contents spilling out.