“Ok well thanks for dropping me off then Nate.” 

“Ya no problem, thanks for the food though, I’ll try and pay you back asap.”

“Oh no don’t worry about it, it's fine, you don't have to.” She says.

“I don't know Alie, are you sure?”

“Mhm I am don't worry about it, just promise me to tell me if anything’s wrong or you need help on something please.” She says

“Ahh do I have to though?” I say

“Mhm you have to!”

“Oh my god, fine then, I promise I will.” I say

She giggles “Ok good then, you better.” “But bye then, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Ok ya I will, bye.” I say

***

I'm home, finally. That’s odd though, why’s there police cars in the driveway?

What's going on? Why's the door unlocked too? This is so weird, “Is someone here, hello?” “Dad dad, dad, are you here, where are you?”

Worried, I start to pace around faster, “Dad, dad! Where are you, why’s there cop cars parked outside!?” “Dad what's going on!?”

But it’s then when I get close to my dad's room that I start to hear things. I get close enough where I can make out two people talking, so quietly I get behind the door and then see that it’s actually two cops. I can faintly make out what they’re talking about.

“So we’re going to have to get the dogs to search for more things. We already found a lot of drugs and narcotics but since it’s filthy in here there’s probably a lot more things that we haven't found yet.”

“Ok ya let me go get the dogs then, I’ll be right back.” The other cop says. As the cop says that he walks to the door I'm standing behind to leave the room, but before I even get a chance to run he spots me.

“HEY WHO ARE YOU? PUT YOUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR WHERE I CAN SEE THEM.”

Not wanting any trouble I just abided by her orders. “OK OK THERE PLEASE DON'T HARM ME.”

The cop talks to the other cop, “Hey it's just a kid, do we still have to do all the normal procedures for him.” She says.

“Uhh, no not all of them. Hey kid, do you have any weapons on you? What's your name, why're you here?” He says.

“Uh um no, I don’t, my name is Nate, I live here.”

“Ok well we’re gonna have to check you for weapons still so keep your hands up in the air.” She says.

“Oh um ok then that’s fine.” I say.

“Well he doesn’t have any weapons on him.” She says to the other officer.

“Ok you can put your hands down then kid, by any chance do you know where your mom’s at?” He says.

I avoid eye contact and look away, “Actually she passed away a while ago, in a car accident.”

“Oh we’re sorry about that, but that would explain the vacant house then.” 

“Mhm.” I say.

“Well then do you live with your dad?” He says

“Ya I do, but I don't know where he’s at, I saw the cop cars outside and came running inside looking for him but found you guys.”

“Well Nate sorry, but it seems that your dad was found overdosed at a party, he had his wallet on him and it had an address on it which took us here.” “Did you happen to know that he was involved in stuff like this?” He asks,

“Um ya actually, ever since my mom passed away he really hasn’t been the same, he sort of got addicted to drugs and alcohol I guess.”

“So then has that made your life more difficult?”
“Uh ya, he can’t really support me financially because all his money is being wasted on drugs, and like he’s wasted most of the time when he’s home so this place has gotten really filthy and it makes it hard to focus on school because of that.” I say

“I see and is there any reason why you haven’t reported him then.”

I tense up. “Um, well he’s really all I have left and there wouldn’t be any other place I could go to if he was taken away,” I say.

“I can understand that Nate, but with all the evidence that we’ve found he’s most likely gonna get taken to reha, probably  and lose his parental rights for you since he isn't responsible with you.”

“But I'm only 15, where am I gonna go, I have no one, no uncles or aunts, nothing.” I say

“Then I'm sorry but you’re most likely going to be sent into a foster home.”

“But I can't go there, I can’t lose my dad”

“We’re sorry but there’s nothing we can do about it.” He says

My hands tightened into fists, “Oh my god can I at least please see him.”

The officer looks at the other officer and sighs, “Do you think you can drive him over to the hospital to see his dad.”

“Ya I can just let me gather up all the evidence before though.” She says.

“Uh no don't worry about it, just take him, the hospital is probably gonna stop accepting visitors pretty soon.”

“But I still haven't finished up all the work here?”

“No don't worry, just go take him, I'll take care of everything here.” He says.

“Are you sure, it seems like a lot of work?”

“Ya it'll be alright go take him now.”

“Well okay then, c’mon let's go Nate.” She says.

I relaxed for a moment, “Oh ok I'm coming, thank you officer!” 

He smiles, “You’re welcome.”

“Well your dad should be in this room Nate, c'mon go on.” 

“Ok ok, thank you ma’am!” I say

“Mhm you’re welcome.”

With lots of emotions running through my head I open the door. “Dad? Dad! Are you okay?

With a shocked expression on his face my dad turns around to see me. “Oh Nate, is that you, I'm sorry my vision is kind of hazed right now.”

“Ya dad it’s me.”

“Oh, how’d you find me here?” He says

“Oh it was because of this nice officer, she brought me here. She and another officer explained everything to me.”

“Oh so i'm guessing you know about the party then right?”

“Um ya, I do. But dad, you really need to stop with the alcohol and everything, the officers said I’m most likely going to be taken into foster care because of how you aren't taking care of me properly. And if you don't stop then it’s definitely going to happen.”

“Nate I know, I know, and I'm sorry, it's just after what happened with your mom it’s been really hard for me. Alcohol and drugs really are the only things that have helped me deal with all my problems, they’ve become addicting now, it's hard to stop im sorry,”

My lips quiver, “Dad please, I can’t lose you too, you’re all I have left, I don’t wanna be alone.”

“I don't know Nate, I'm sorry, It’s really hard to stop now at this point, it's too addicting.”

“Please dad please, you have to try and stop, I really can’t lose you right after losing mom, that would be too much for me to handle.”

“I know son I feel terrible for it but I really don’t know if I’ll be able to stop, I can try to stop if that’s what you want but I don’t think I’ll be able to.” 

Before I get to reply though the nice officer comes into the room. “Sorry Nate, that's all the time you have, can you go into the waiting room, I need to talk to your dad for a bit.

“What but I didn't even get that much time.” I say “Can’t I get more time?”

“Sorry no, can you step out now, it’ll be fast I promise, I’ll come get you once im done”

I sigh, “Fine then, I’ll go wait outside.”

***

It's been 20 minutes, how long is this going to take, what could they even be talking about. Uhh I can’t, this is taking too long, ima just go. But as I'm taking my leave I hear the officer calling me.

“Nate, Nate, wait I need to tell you something.” 

I fold my arms, “I was just about to leave, why’d you take so long anyways.”

“Sorry we just had to sort some things out, but we’re done now.” She says “And i'm sorry to tell you but from what it seems your dad is going to be taken in. You’re gonna have to come with us, he’s losing his parental rights for you, he’s too irresponsible to keep you.”

I clenched my fist. “Please no, you can’t do that. He’s my dad, he's all I have left, I can't lose him.”

“I'm sorry there’s nothing I can do about it, you need to come with me.” 

“No please, please, I’ll do anything just dont take him away.”

“No I can’t do anything about it, I'm going to need to put you in these handcuffs, come with me.”

She takes out the handcuffs and looks at me.

 “C’mon don't make this harder than it has to be.” 

Frustrated though I turn around and run, I run out through the door facing down not paying attention to where I'm going. The rain falls on my face as I make it to the intersection. The officer chases after me.

“Nate stop, where are you going, 

But I'm blinded by the anger and sadness, I don’t hear her. I’m too distracted to notice what's in front of me. I look up at the last second, an eighteen wheeler inches away from me. I close my eyes and assume the worst..