"Hurry, get out of the car" Maria shouted to the kid at the back of her,

she has collided with one of the thick tree's.

when she saw that her daughter wasn't getting out she shouted again.,

"Take your brother and get out" Maria screamed at the top of her voice.

scarlet did as she was told she held her brother and stepped out of the car, tears were already running down her eyes. she stood beside the car in front of her mother.

"run, don't turn back just keep running" Maria cried out when she noticed the car was gonna blow at any point, she tried her best to get out but she was stuck, and the area was a really quiet one, no one was around.

scarlet immediately took her brother and started running away from the car, she was only 7 years old and her brother Billy was 5.

she turned back when she suddenly heard the loud sound of explosion, the car blew up, she remembered what her mother said and she continued walking away with tears in her eyes.

After getting a little bit far from the car, she saw a bench at the corner and she sat on it with Billy by her side.

She kept chanting

"mummy" all over again. she couldn't stop her tears, she sat there waiting and hoping someone would come for her, she waited for her daddy to come pick them up.

Hours later no one came for them, she kept crying out calling out her daddy, but no one came to her rescue.

meanwhile Billy was just staring at his sister crying, unaware of what was happening.

Three years later

"Aren't you going to look for your kids. it's been three years already, but you have shown no interest in searching for Maria and her children" Mirabella said with a little hint of anger in her voice.

she remembered how she had introduced her friend Maria to her brother, but she always regretted that day because Maria life was ruined afterwards.

"sis, she left with her kids isn't it better this way, at least I don't have to hide anything from my wife, i don't have to share my self anymore,i was tired of it already,besides she said she was going to take care of her kids by herself. "

"I warned you, that you following women around is going to land you in trouble and now you are trying to hide your mistake" Mirabella said she was really pissed off.

she had warn him to stay away from her friend but he didn't listen, he got her pregnant and Maria who was foolishly in love allowed herself to get pregnant for the second time.

"sis, shouldn't you be happy for me" frank said,not taking his eyes off his laptop. Frank was one of the most successful business man in the whole of the country, he wasn't going to let a mere woman and her children destroy his hard earned money and fame.

"May God forgive you" that was all Mirabella said before she shut the door of his office to his face.

Mirabella was highly frustrated, she didn't understand how things got to this, she sat on the sofa in her living room, she screamed and cried, her best friend Maria she thought.

she had warned Maria about the consequences of going out with a married man. Maria agreed to let go of Frank when she found out he was married, but it was too late because she was already pregnant for Frank. her parent had drove her out claiming she would ruin their name, Maria dad was a share holder in her brothers company, it was obvious that they didn't like Frank one bit,Mirabella has taken care of her pregnant friend,

she remembered how Maria mother had begged her husband to bring back their daughter because she couldn't bear to see her daughter suffer like that,although he agreed but only with the condition that she would stay away from Frank.

she did, she really did but even Mirabella didn't know how she got pregnant for him again.

Mirabella cried she took the pillow on top of the sofa and hit the sofa with it, that was how much she loved her friend.

she promised herself that she was going to find her and her kid, no matter what she will.

The next day.

"Here, this is my friend, I want you to look for her, I don't care, do what you have to even if you have to turn the world upside down, just bring her here" Mirabella said handling the picture of Maria to the man she had employed, the police were useless.

"yes Ma. what about my cash"

" I would transfer them to your account, just do what you have to, money is not a problem."

After their conversation the man left for the airport, it was possible Maria left the country, isn't that the first thing they do when they want to get away. Money was his only problem, looking for someone who left no trace behind will be difficult but, the money was important to him, hence he was willing to do anything.

on his way there his phone rang, it was an unknown number.

After the person on the other line ended the call, said man reversed his car and decided to head home.

"guess today is my lucky day after all. "

It has been there years now since scarlet loss her mum, every now and then she would cry, but she would always tell herself she was all grown and big, that was something she did to keep her going. Billy has gotten a little bit wiser, although he always act rash sometimes.

Little Billy doesn't know what happened he was a kid then, he still is actually.

scarlet would sit and wonder at times why no one came for her and Billy, but she has accepted the fact that no one cared.

Being a street kid hasn't been easy, but she was not alone, she got Billy and some few other kids just like her.

"Hurry they are coming" scarlet heard someone shout in the distance, she understood immediately what it was.

ever since her and her brother adapted to the life on the street, a bus will come once in a while and catch a lot of children and drive them away, for what scarlet heard, those children would be taken to orphanage homes.

Most of the children have told her stories about how the children there were treated, and she doesn't want that for her and Billy.

scarlet was just 10 years old, but she has learned a lot from those three years she spent on the street.

"Billy" she shouted to her brother who was busy playing with the other kids behind the little cage they had made for themselves out of zincs.

Billy turned the moment he heard his name, he saw his sister running towards him and on instincts he ran towards her.

when he got really close to her she suddenly gripped his hand tightly and dragged him, running away from those people who would tear her and her brother apart. she had also warned the rest of the kids.

Her brother was her major priority, she remembered the times she spent with her mummy, how Maria would always say,

"His your baby brother so you should love him.

Always protect him, don't let anyone harm him.

I love you both, you are my everything. " she remembers vividly, and it strengthens her to run way faster to get away from them.

Sometime later she was sure she had loose them, she could see few other children at her back as well.

" why are we running " Billy asked his sister, just as he always do when they run, but scarlet answer was always,

"I'm talking you to a new house, just me and yours" scarlet said, she doesn't want her brother to feel the pain she felt and is still feeling, she wants him to live a life free from problems. He definitely doesn't know what was happening, and scarlet wants it to remain that way.

"Really, again" Billy said jumping in joy, they were always changing towns and house, because they wouldn't want to return back there.

"scarlet I'm hungry... " Billy whined, here it comes again, scarlet almost let out a tear, she didn't save up any of the money from yesterday, and she didn't get a chance to beg for money today, her chance was ruined.

"Um, Billy what do you want" scarlet said, she would buy her brother anything he wanted,

"donut and water" it has always been like this, he had the chance to choose the most expensive food but he would always settle for the cheap ones. Billy wasn't stupid, although he doesn't understand what was happening, he always feel as if scarlet was having difficulty feeding him. Even if he wanted pizza, a delicious plate of rice or meat he knows scarlet won't be able to get him that. And overall he was satisfied with eating donuts, they were delicious anyway.

When they had settled in the new place they found, scarlet immediately left, leaving her brother in the care of the other kids.

An hour later she got back, with a donut and juice.

" here Billy, eat this" she said handing the donut and juice to Billy.

"I made a lot today, this place isn't that bad, so I brought a little for the other kids" scarlet said to the boy at the corner who became her friend sometimes back. she divided a donut to two and handed half piece to each children, luckily for her it was enough.

She had one left, she looked at Eric, normally her and Eric would go out to beg for money and feed the other kids, but he got injured on his leg, so this time she went alone.

she sat close to him and divided the donut left, she gave half to him and took the other half.

She was really grateful to him, almost a year ago he found her and Billy, God knows how difficult it was for her back then, but when she met him things got better.

She turned his leg to the side to see the wound it was really deep, he had bumped his leg with a sharp iron that left a pretty ugly wound. He was really strong, the fact he was able to run even with his legs made her amaze.

"Don't worry it will go away, and we will get food together again, okay" scarlet just nodded her head at what he said. she hugged him. when Billy saw it he screamed at scarlet telling her how he wanted a hug too.

"come here" scarlet said with a pretty wide smile, the fact they were really dirty didn't concern them, Billy ran and jumped on top his sister and scarlet gave him a bear hug. later the other kids joined as well, but one was left, she was pouting at the corner.

"what happened," scarlet asked.

"How come only Billy got juice" she said still pouting.

"come here, I will get you juice next time okay" scarlet said, and soon the girl was joining them in their family hug.

This was the times she loved most, where they forget all about their problems. The fact she lost her family doesn't hurt her when she's around them, because now they are her family. As long as Billy was with her, she won't hate the world so much for what it did to her.

❤❤❤❤