Chapter Text
Prologue
The nine-year-old blonde girl was sitting in the back of her parents' old beat up Jeep, with suitcase after suitcase of her belongings surrounding her. She was pouting due to the plan that her parents had told her all of two weeks ago now.
“Essie, this is a… difficult thing to explain to you,” Her father, a short, pudgy man, said.
“Okay, but I’m a big kid! I can handle it.” The little blonde said, looking up at her father and mother from the chair they’d set her in. “You’ve told me difficult things before, like about uncle Louie? And what a funeral is?”
Her mother, a blonde woman of average height, asked her, “Now, Esther, sweetheart, you’ve heard about those two children on the news, right?”
“The girl from another school and the bully boy?” Asked Essie.
“Yes, those two. Well, your mother and I have come to the conclusion that it’s not safe for you here. We’re going to have you live with your aunt Ruth. Remember your cousin Ostin? You’ll get to live with them and go to school with him.” Her father explained quickly.
“What? Why’re you sending me away!” Essie cried.
“Oh, honey, it’s so you can be safe.” Her mother said as she hugged her.
After what seemed to be years of crying, here she was, surrounded by her luggage, going to a state she’d never been to before.
Under any other circumstances, she would’ve been elated, but now she just wanted to start crying again. But she wouldn’t cry. She’d see them again soon, she promised herself. Sooner than it seemed.