“Get away from me!” Karly yelled as tears streamed down her flushed cheeks, slamming the bedroom door and locking the handle behind. Her head was pounding from the amount of screaming that had been produced in the fight between her and her father. Broken promises were not anything new in her life, especially when they came from members blood related. This most recent argument was centered around her father’s “resolved gambling addiction” that had now put them both in danger. It had also left any future that Karly had when it came to higher education completely out of the question. Quickly shoving items with little value left inside of the bag, the teenager opened up the bedroom window to the fire escape and climbed out. If someone was coming after them, she was not about to stay and let them find her. Pulling out her cell phone, she quickly dialed her grandmother’s number and held the device to her ear as she safely descended to the ground. “Nana, I need you to come get me right now… please.” Her tone of voice showing clear signs of panic as she looked around at her surroundings, beginning to walk in the farthest direction of the housing.




