My name is Luka
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Rating: G |
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Added: 05/10/2007 |
Complete: yes | |
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Synopsis: | This story is based on one of my favorite songs by Suzanne Vega called Luka. Although the story is about an abused child, I've done my best to only suggest what has happened without getting into anything graphic. Just the same, it wasn't an easy story to write. |
Categories: |
In Hiding
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Keywords: |
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My Name is Luka
Copyright 2007 by Heather Rose Brown
Silver bars of moonlight flickered through the whirring blades of the
fan in my bedroom window and splattered across the note on my pillow
with an almost ghostly glow. I felt rather than heard the click as I
turned the dial on top of the fan and the hum of the motor slowly faded
as the fan blades slowed, then stopped. Except for the occasional
rumble of passing cars, the city was unusually quiet. On the other
hand, the argument in the apartment upstairs was getting louder.
Mrs. Martin wasn't at the top of her voice yet, but she was getting
close. "Dammit Andrew, what makes you think you have the right to tell
me how I should raise my own son?"
Her new boyfriend's voice was deep and booming, but a lot calmer than
hers. "In the short time I've known you and Luka, I've--"
"His name is Lukas."
"I'm sorry, Alice. What I was trying to say was, in the short time I've
known you two, I've come to see how much you love each other."
"Well, of course I love him." The anger in my neighbor's voice deflated
a bit.
"But I can also see you've been having problems with her."
"What the hell do you know about problems, and what kind of crap has he
been telling you?"
I ignored the rest of the argument and concentrated on pulling the fan
out of the window as quietly as possible. My latest foster parents
really seemed to care about me and I was pretty sure, if they heard me,
they'd try to stop me. I just hoped my note would convince them I
wasn't running away; I was running to help someone.
I took in a deep breath of the humid, almost gritty air when I poked my
head out the window. The metal grate of the bottom landing to the fire
escape was still warm as I dragged myself outside, but not as hot as it
had been when Luka and I had talked this afternoon. I'd been shocked to
hear she'd told her mom's boyfriend about her secret, but I was even
more worried about what would happen when Luka said Andrew was going to
talk with her mom.
I tried creeping as quietly as I could to the second floor landing, but
every step seemed to cause a creak or groan that echoed between my
apartment and the one across the alley. The yelling had gotten louder
by the time I reached Luka's window. She looked paler than usual when
she responded to me tapping on the glass, and her hands shook as she
opened her window. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm gonna get you outta here. I know a place that really helped me
when I needed it. They can help you too."
"But...."
Whatever Luka had to say next was interrupted by a loud banging on her
bedroom door. "Lukas, unlock this door now!"
Over the yelling and banging, I heard someone calling my name. When I
looked down, I saw my foster father staring up at me from my bedroom
window, frowning with annoyance. "Maggie, what do you think you're
doing out here this time of night?"
I ignored the question and turned back to Luka, reached through the
window and grabbed her hand. "C'mon. We gotta leave now before your mom
gets in."
Tears sparkled on her lashes like tiny diamonds. "No, I can't! She'd
just find me again."
Before I could say anything, there was the sharp snap of breaking wood
and the bedroom door slammed open. Luka's mom stalked in. "How dare you
lock your own mother out!"
Andrew walked in through the door and wrapped his long fingers around
his girlfriend's upper arm. "Alice, you need to stop and think about
what you're doing."
I missed her answer when I noticed a metallic creak. My heart dropped
into my stomach when I saw my foster father on the landing below. I
turned back to the bedroom just in time to see Andrew stumble back out
of the doorway after Mrs. Martin gave him a sharp elbow jab to the
stomach. I could hear the steps groan as my foster father climbed up.
Luka whimpered when her mom slowly walked towards us. "Okay," I
thought, "change of plans."
Luka's mom froze when I slid through the window and landed on my feet
beside my friend. "What are you doing in my son's room?"
"You are such a clueless...." I remembered who was standing next to me
and bit back the name I was going to call her. Instead I grabbed Luka's
hand and ran as wide a circle as I could around her mother. My friend
started crying and nearly fell as I dragged her behind me. I wanted to
stop and just hold her until the tears were gone, but I knew I
couldn't. I glanced back and saw Mrs. Martin grab for and miss Luka's
shoulder. I also saw my foster father climbing through the window.
"Hold on there, hon." I turned back and saw Andrew standing in the
doorway. "I'm sure you have good intentions, but--"
Without slowing down, I threw my full weight into slamming my shoulder
into his gut. I felt guilty even before I saw him land on his backside,
pain and shock plain on his face, but I didn't have time to talk or be
polite. I hopped over his feet and caught Luka when she tripped over
them, then dragged her through the wrecked living room and bolted with
her out the apartment door.
*****
Luka and I were both panting. I felt like barfing from the stink of the
dumpster we were hiding in. My friend already had. I pulled her closer
as she started crying again. "It's gonna be okay. All you gotta do when
we get to the shelter is tell them what's been happening."
"But I'm scared!"
"Shhh. I just heard someone pass a couple of minutes ago. We don't want
anyone coming back here."
Luka leaned her head on my shoulder and whispered between snuffles,
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay." I pulled back a little and shooed a fly away from her
face. "So what ya scared of?"
"My mom. You've got no idea what she's like."
"Trust me, I know better than you think. Sometimes you've gotta stand
up for yourself, even when you're scared."
"Ever since Mom beat me when I told her I was a girl, I've been
scared." Her jaw tightened as she hissed through her teeth. "I'm tired
of being scared." She squeezed her eyes shut and began sobbing noisily.
I was busy rocking my friend and barely noticed when pale light and a
whiff of fresh air hit my face. I probably would have jumped straight
into the air when the dumpster lid banged against the back if Luka
hadn't been in my lap.
I looked up and saw Mrs. Martin. Her face was twisted with fury and her
nose crinkled in disgust. "What do you think you're doing running off
like that?"
I slid Luka from my lap and stood between her and her mom. "She's
getting away from you."
Mrs. Martin frowned and her eyes tightened to slits. "What do you mean
by...." She let the end of her question go and turned to the alley
entrance at the sound of approaching footsteps.
Andrew came around the corner and ran towards us, huffing and puffing.
"Luka, I'm so glad you and your friend are safe. You two really had us
worried."
Luka's mom whirled on her boyfriend. "Why the hell do you keep on
calling her...." her hands bunched into tight fists. "I mean, why do
you keep on calling him Luka?"
"Well, you see, she--"
"Oh I see just fine. I see you're poking your nose in where it doesn't
belong."
There were more footsteps and my foster parents were suddenly running
towards me. When they saw me, they shouted at almost the same time,
"Maggie!"
Mrs. Martin turned to them. "Goddammit! Is the whole neighborhood
coming in here?"
My foster mother squared off against her and shook a finger in her
face. "Now you listen here!"
Before she could say more, there was the earsplitting squelch of a
siren. Red and blue lights reflected off the walls of the alley. A
couple of car doors slammed and two police officers jogged into the
alley. Luka's mom took a couple of steps back until she bumped into the
dumpster.
My foster father turned and waved to the officers. "Thank you so much
for getting here so quickly. Both children are in the dumpster over
there," he pointed to Mrs. Martin, "and that's Luka's mother."
One of the officers walked towards the dumpster until he was standing
maybe a foot away from my friend's mom. "Is Luka your daughter?"
I hopped back, nearly knocking Luka over, when Mrs. Martin slammed her
fist into the side of the dumpster. "Has everyone completely lost their
minds? I don't have a daughter. I have a son, and his name is Lukas!"
I felt a hand touch my shoulder. I turned and saw Luka's cheeks were
bright with tears and her chin was trembling, but there was a hard,
determined look in her eyes. She held onto my shoulder and climbed over
the garbage at our feet until she was standing beside me. "If you don't
want me to be your daughter, then I guess I'll hafta live with that.
But I can't be your son, 'cause I ain't a boy. And I don't wanna be
called Lukas any more."
She took in a deep, shaking breath. "My name is Luka."