• Preface

    Hope shrunk back as more cars passed by. She gripped her notebook and pencil tighter until her knuckles were white from the pressure.
    The lights burned her eyes as they kept passing her by. Her eyes started to get heavy, and she yawned tiredly. It was getting so dark so quickly and she didn't have enough money to afford a watch to read the time.
    She climbed up the steep walls of the highway. Hope set down her notebook and pencil.
    She climbed into her little bed and fell asleep.

    Chapter One

    Hope finally woke up from her slumber. She stretched and stiffled a yawn. Her body was stiff from the hard floor she had to sleep under.
    A tear fell from her face. It happened only 2 years ago, but it seemed like it had happened yesterday...

    She walked inside her beautiful white house. The sun was beaming through it brightly and lit it up like a castle at a ball.
    She set down the keys to the Mercedes and walked towards the kitchen with a Wal-Mart bag inside her hands.
    Hope dug through everything and placed them carefully into either the pantry or the fridge.
    The grandfather clock chimed at three o'clock and she smiled to herself.
    She bought food, cleaned the house, washed the laundry, and washed the car in 5 hours.
    Hope stretched tiredly. She patted her huge stomach and patted her dark silky purple shirt straight.
    She pulled her black pants a little higher and wiggled her heel around to get her foot back into it's spot inside her purple pumps.
    Hope walked out of the kitchen and sprayed some air freshner. Some spray landed on herself and on the floor.
    The smell of fresh cut roses overwhelmed her and she smiled to herself again. She felt the baby kick and she patted the baby boy inside there.
    "Ely, calm down," she cooned to the baby. It eased a little but every once in a while he would kick.
    Hope walked towards the couches and sat down onto the leathery,cold couch. She liked the texture of it and she wondered when her husband, Charlie was going to be home.
    After what seemed like forever, the lock on the door clicked and she heard her husband's buissness shoes clack down the hallway.
    Charlie grabbed, Hope by her arm and Hope saw some girl behind him.
    "Who's that?" she asked. Charlie rolled his eyes and grew angry at her dumb question.
    "This, is Helen. Helen, go into our room. I'll be there later," Charlie replied. Hope's eyes filled with horror.
    Our room...? What did he mean OUR room?!
    "Hope, it's time for you to go. Pack up your stuff and live with your pyscho cousins you like to talk to," Charlie insisted. Hope shook her head and tears steamed from her eyes.
    "N-No Charlie! Why did y-y-you cheat on me! I w-w-w-was a good wife to you and you turn around to that dumb hooker!" Hope wailed. Charlie threw Hope down onto the wood floor.
    "Because this dumb hooker isn't like you. She knows so much more than you and she's younger! Now leave with dignity and go out the door," Charlie ushered her.
    Hope shook her head violently and got off of the ground. She held her stomach because Ely kicked so hard and it felt like a knife was plunged into her.
    "No? No! Leave before I call the police," Charlie exclaimed. Hope shook her head furiously. Charlie grew angry, grabbed her by the hair, and dragged her outside.
    "Good-bye, Hope," Charlie sneered and slammed the door inside her face. Hope cried loudly and was at the door like a cat crying for food.
    She got off the ground once more, and walked towards the nearest gas station. She telephoned her family and begged for them to let her stay, but they all said no and hung up...

    Hope rubbed her flat stomach. She had a miscarriage seven days after she got kicked out.
    She would waste he money only on pencils and notebooks to write stories instead of buying food and water.
    She stood up, the tears were dry, and she went to fetch her notebook. Everyone called her the crazy hobo lady because she would always write. She didn't think writing was crazy. Hope wanted to publish a book she wrote to at least get an apartment.
    Hope stumbled towards her notebook and pencil. She sat down on a chair she gotten from the dumpster, and began scirbbling furiously.
    Car lights shone on her like a spotlight and the sun was just rising. She scowled at the notebook, erased, and wrote again. It eventually became a pattern until she knew she needed some food and water.
    Hope walked towards the gas station that wasn't very far from her "home". She fumbled around inside her pockets, playing with the change that she collected when she looked around on the streets for it or from cleaning houses.
    She grabbed bags of Fritos and bought the cheapest water there. The indian clerk stared at her, disgust filled inside his eyes at her clothes that she still wore from the day she gotten kicked out.
    "Here you go," he said. He held his nose and when she walked out he sprayed Ferbreeze all over the store.
    Hope balled up her fist and stomped back towards her home. She sat back down onto the chair and scribbled furiously while munching on the Fritos and gulping down the water.
    "Hey, lady. I've read your stories. I suggest you publish them," a dark voice muttered and Hope turned around, gasping.