Not Until It’s Lost

Surge Life is never easy when you have always done what you had to, just to get by. No matter what anyone says, the grass is only greener on the other side because it's fertilized with bullshit. Mom has been gone a month now, she was taken too soon by breast cancer. This made her sick for a long time and I guess for having breast cancer she lived for a while. This happening made me learn to care for myself and others at a young age. I started to take care of myself and my sister by the time I was 5. My sister Lisa is two years younger than me. She's hell on wheels and doesn’t listen to anyone. She recently had a baby and that's when we packed up and moved to Fairbanks to live with our Shitsuu, that's Gwitch’in for Grandma. Fairbanks is a big city compared to the small village of Fort Yukon. I gave up life on the river to go make sure the rest of my family doesn’t fall apart. Sh

When the washer is finally done. I shove all my clothes into a cart with wheels and head off in search of a dryer. After finding two dryers and getting all my clothes in them a voice appears behind me, “Make sure you temp test those.” I turn facing the boy from earlier with the same grin plastered on his face while checking his dryer. “who are you? The dryer police?” This makes him laugh out loud. “Just trying to help a friend.” I fold my arms across my chest, “We're not friends, I don't even know you.” He smiled and takes a step closer extending his hand, “People around here call me Surge.” “Surge?” I raise my eyebrow and place my hand in his. His hand is rough, calloused from hard work. My heart skips a beat, “I'm Katherine.” He smiles, “Katherine. Now we're friends. You're not from around here huh?” I shake my head and jerk my hand from his once I realized he was still holding it. “Where you from Kat?” He leans across the table getting closer to me. “Katherine, I am from Ca

Inside my room I sit on my bed propped against the wall when Rachel walks in, “there's a party tonight at Buddy's cabin are you in?” A party at Buddy's means extra time with Surge, “sure, uh what kind of party.” She smiles and laughs, “a fun one. Be sure to dress cute and we'll pregame before our ride gets here.” I get up slowly and start to dig through my bag. My cousin starts blaring music from her room that the walls between us barely muffle it. I find a short skin tight black dress, this will have to do. I slip into my dress and start to pull my hair into a bun when my cousin comes back in wearing a similar dress with a jean jacket and beat up black chucks, “well don't you look hot, let me do your makeup. Right as she finishes my left eye my uncle yells up the stairs, “Rach your friends are here.” She flashes a devilish grin, “ok send them up.” Footsteps beat against the step from at least three people. Her bedroom door opens and then closes again and the music gets turned back on

February “I don’t wanna Be your favoriteI wanna beYour only.”-Reyna Biddy“Drugs may kill you,But they’ll neverBreak your heart.”“Happy one month anniversary baby.” Mike kisses me softly on the forehead while wrapping his arm around my shoulder. We walk out of the movie theater and run into Surge and another girl. Surge smiles when our eyes lock, “Hey Kat.” Surge jogs over and pulls me into a hug, “How have you been?” Mike tightens his grip around my shoulders, “We’re good.” Mike cuts me off and starts to pull me away. “See you around Kat.” Mike doesn’t say a word the entire car trip back to his and Tim’s two bedroom apartment. He leaves me in the car and stomps off inside.There's a party already in full swing by the time I walk in. Mike is sitting on the couch with a bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand. His eyes shoot daggers at me as I walk into the kitchen. Somewhere around 12 shots and 15 minutes later my head is buzzing, my body feels numb and I feel fine. Mike on the oth