Chapter One

August, 30th 2000

    At the mall Laura, Kelley, and Mom were shopping.  This was a nice clean
mall with lots of outlets to shop from.  The three decided to stop at a
shop called Y2K Music.  Kelley notices a BSB shirt and shoves it in front of
her mother's face.  Kelley was wearing navy blue flared jeans with a ice
blue
shirt.  She had her curly blond hair pulled back in a pony tail and she had
on blue Nike shoes.  She appeared to only be 13 years old.
Her mom  on the other hand was rather old and heavy-set.  She had long brown
hair and was wearing old jeans and a white shirt with dollar store white
shoes.
Kelley:  Mom, can I have this?
Mom: Well, how much is it?
Kelley:  It's only $120.00 dollars.
Mom:  What! $120,00 for a shirt!
Kelley:  That man over there said that it was sign by the Backstreet Boys.
He said that Nick, Brian, AJ, Kevin, and Howie signed it.
Mom:  Who is Nicky, Brownny, PJ, Katlien, and Horney?
Kelley:  What!  No their names are Nick, Brian, AJ, Kevin, and Howie.
Mom:  Oh, but who are the Backstreet Boys?
Kelley:  Mom, I can't believe that you don't know who the Backstreet Boys
are.
Mom:  Let me guess, are they those guys that play football on the back
street?
Kelley:  No!  They are a music group and they don't play football, but Brian
likes to play basketball.
Mom:  Oh, you mean those  homeless boys that sing in the street and while we
throw
quarters in their hats.
Kelley:  No!  They are not homeless.  They are rich and they are famous.
They are a group of five hot guys that tour all over the world.  They are
the boys that you see that are posted all over my room.  Their names are
Brian, who is the best singer.  AJ, the one who likes to flash people on
national T.V.  Kevin is the taller and the older one.  Howie, the one with
the bunny teeth who looks like a troll, he is Laura's favorite.  Nicky, who
is
the cutest, nicest, best, greatest...
Laura:  Kelley's favorite.
Mom:  Oh them!
Kelley: Duhh who do you think I was talking about!
Laura: Mom can I have this shirt?  It was also sign by the Backstreet Boys.
Mom: How much is it?
Laura:  It is the same price as Kelley's.
    Laura was 17 years old.  She was rather short and stocky.  She has long
curly brown hair and she was wearing a red button down shirt and blue jeans.
Laura:  It is the same price as Kelley's.
Mom:  Both of you know that is too much money.
Laura:  Mom pleased it was sign by the Backstreet Boys.
Mom:  I don't care!  You guys are not going to get those shirts.
Kelley:  But, I was going to marry Nicky!  **crying**
Laura:  But, I love Howie!  **crying**
Mom:  Alright!  I will buy those shirts, but you are not getting anything
else.
    After shopping at the mall, they came back home in devastation.  There
were fire trucks and ambulances everywhere.
Mom:  What's going on?
We got out of the car and looked to see what was going on.  Laura could
smell the fumes of ashes.  Kelley could see the smoke blocking out the sun.
Mom looked forward and saw the house on fire.
Mom:  Oh my god children!
Truck Driver:  Are these yours.
Laura, Mom, Kelley:  Yes!  ** they cried**
Mom:  Darn, I should not have spent the money.
    Two days later, they moved into a cheap apartment.   Laura and Kelley
looked at their shirts and realized that those signatures looked similar.
Laura:  I think that we were ripped off.
Kelley:  Yea, these were not sign by the Backstreet Boys, they were sign by
the same person.
Laura:  You mean that guy was lying to us.
Kelley:  Duhhh!  You idiot!
  Laura notices her mom crying in the kitchen laying her head on the table.
Laura:  Do you want me to make you some stew?
Mom:  Sure!
    About 20 minutes later, Laura came out with the stew in a red bowl.  He
mom looked at her in a funny way.  It was dark and looked like doo doo
water.
Kelley:  Are you sure that it is stew?  C'ause it looks like you went in to
the bathroom and pooped in it.
Laura:  No!
    As nasty as the stew looked, their mom ate it.  About 20 minutes later,
Laura heard her mother crying again.
Laura:  Mom, why are you crying?
Mom: I don't feel well.
Laura:  Do you want me to make you some medicine?
Mom: I guess so.
    Laura went into the Kitchen to make some home made medicine.  She took
out a glass and she poured in some aspirin, cough drops, alcohol, acid,
bleach, and cherry coke.  She came back in the Kitchen and handed her mother
the medicine.  Her mom drank it and passed out seconds later.
Laura:  Mom!  Mom!  ** trying to wake her mother up**
    Then two hours later in the hospital, her mom wakes up spiting up white
fuzz which appears to look like soap.  The doctor came up to Kelley and
Laura.  The doctor was an old male figure with white hair and a beard.  He
looked some what  like Santa Clause.
Doctor:  Your mom is very sick and is going to need some medical help for a
while.
Kelley:  Look what you did Laura.
Doctor:  Do you have someone to take care of you?
Kelley:  Yes, we have our aunts, uncles, and grandparents that live in
Florida.
    Then a social worker walks in the room.  She was middle aged woman, tall
and thin.  She had short blonde hair and was wearing a black business suite.
After over hearing the conversation she walks up to Laura and Kelley.
Social Worker:  Yes and no!  You might have some relatives in Florida, but
that does not mean that they will take care of you.
Laura:  That means that we are on our own!
Social Worker:  You are on your own, she will be sent to the orphanage.
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