Yours Forever

Skylar smiled happily as she stared out her window at the sunset, every day of her life, she always looked forward to the sunset. It seems to bring her happiness and other positive emotions she couldn't name. "Isn't it beautiful?" She asked as she turned to her best friend, her one and only friend, Buster. A dog. Buster barked in response and she giggled before turning back to the window, she watched the sun till it finally went down and she clapped her hands happily like a child. She turned to her wall clock to make sure it is 7 pm.

She smiled on seeing it was correct before opening her window. "Come on Buster." She called and they both jumped out of the window, she smiled happily as she ran into the woods with her dog, she ran screaming happily and her dog barked at the same time. They got to the base of the mountain and she stopped to catch her breath. Buster barked and she smiled. "Easy there Buster, am a little bit tired." She said catching her breath, she seemed to have regained her strength and she sighed. "Come on Buster, we only have all night." She said and they both started climbing the mountain, they got to the top of the mountain after what seemed like forever and she sighed in relief. She sat on it and Buster also did, she clapped her hands happily as she waited for the moon to come out fully. After a while of waiting, the moon came out and she giggled. "Wow." She muttered and tears clouded her eyes. "It is so amazing." They watched it for a while till she decided it was time to go back, she stood up with a smile and turned to her dog. "Come on Buster, we have to go now." She said but the dog barked and kept watching the moon. "We can watch it again tomorrow, let's go." She said creasing his head and he stood up. They both climbed off the mountain and ran back home. She got home and jumped back into her room through her window, she sighed and fell onto her bed. And that has always been her routine ever since she was five. Skylar Hood is a twenty-year-old beautiful girl who lives with her mother on Falkland Island, a place very far away from the main city. Skylar Hood and her mother live from hand to mouth, they barely survive sometimes but one way or the other, they always get it sorted out. Skylar Hood's favorite time of the day is always at night, she can't go out in the afternoon because she has photophobia (sensitivity to light) She can't go out in the day, only at night and it really made things difficult for her mother. She is twenty years old but she can't just do anything. She couldn't go to school but she was homeschooled by her mother, she couldn't do things other kids did, like go to the park, beach, or summer parks. In short words, life was hard for Skylar Hood but just like she always says. "If you take life so simple, everything will be fine." ********* It was morning again but it still felt like night to Skylar, over fifty percent of people will want to wake up with the ray of sunlight shining into their eyes but Skylar wouldn't. She sat up on her bed and sighed, her dog suddenly jumped on her and she laughed, she fell back on the bed as he licked her face and she giggled. "Good morning to you too Buster." She said and he barked in response. Sometimes Skylar thinks about what her life would look like if Buster wasn't in it. Her mother got him for her on her eighth birthday, her mother knew she was lonely and needed a companion, there is a saying that says a man's best companion is a dog so her mother thought Buster would be the best for her and she was right after all. The door to her room suddenly opened and her mother walked in with a smile. "Mum." She called and carried Buster off her, she smiled as she stood up and hugged her mother. "Good morning Skylar." "Morning mum, are you leaving the house already?" She asked seeing her mother all dressed up. "Yes, I have to go job hunting." "Oh, I really wish I could help." She muttered and her mother smiled. "It is okay baby, I have to go now. I prepared pasta for you and Buster, I will be back before 5 p.m." She said and Skylar nodded, she pecked her mother and she smiled at her before walking out. Skylar sighed and sat on her bed, she stared at her curtains and smiled. Sometimes she wonders if she is going to live this way for the rest of her life. Is that actually possible? Will she forever live in this house? Doing nothing every day till she dies? Does she really want that? Is life so simple after all? Buster suddenly barked jerking her from her thoughts and she turned to him. "Are you hungry?" She asked and he barked in response. She smiled and stood up, she slowly walked out of the room and smiled seeing the house was dark. Her mother closed the windows already, she walked to the kitchen and smiled at seeing the meal. The house they lived in isn't big, it is more like a small cottage, they really had no choice though. They live on an island and they also don't have enough money to buy a house. She opened the food and shared it into two, she put Buster's portion of the food on a plate and covered hers back. "She placed it in front of him and he ate it immediately. "Good boy." She giggled and creased his head. "Wait right here when you are done Buster, I will go get ready for the day." She said happily and head back into her room.

Skylar's mother sighed as she stood in front of the house, it is just another day of wasted effort, she couldn't even get a job not to talk of making up to a dollar. It is a small island with a low population of people, getting a job isn't easy and besides, no one will be ready to offer her a job. She looks so old and dirty, she sighed in tears as she wondered what she was going to give Skylar for dinner, she wiped her tears and took in a deep breath before walking in. She got in and met Skylar in the living room playing with her dog and she hurriedly closed the door because of the lights.

"Mum." Skylar called happily and hugged her immediately. "Hey Skylar, how are you?" She asked trying her best to sound cheerful. "Am fine mum, you must be so tired." Skylar said and pulled her mother to sit on their only couch. "So mum, how did it go? Did you get a job? Were you able to make some money?" She asked with a smile and her mother smiled back but the smile couldn't last as tears begin to cloud her eyes. "Mum." She whispered and hugged her mother immediately as a tear rolled down. "Am sorry, am so sorry, I couldn't get a job, I don't have anything to offer to you for dinner, am really sorry." She cries and Skylar smiled, she creased her mother's hair and whispered soothing words into her ear. "It's okay mum, you don't have to cry about it, this isn't the first time we are not having dinner, right Buster?" She asked and Buster barked in response, her mother laughed and pulled away from the hug. She sighed and Skylar wiped her tears smiling happily. "Oh Skylar, am so sorry I am failing you, you deserve better than all this." She said and Skylar frowned. "Don't say that mum, I am the one supposed to be apologizing for failing you and telling you that you deserve better than all this, am twenty and I am as useless as a five-year-old." She said and giggled, her mother smiled and shook her head. "You just love smiling, don't you? Have positive energy at all times?" Her mother asked and she chuckled. "Just like I always say mother, if you take life so simple, everything will be fine." She said and her mother nodded. "Yeah, I guess so." Her mother replied and she nodded. "I have to go to sleep now, I am so exhausted." Her mother said and Skylar nodded, her mother stood up and walked to her room. She sat in the small living room for a while waiting for it to be finally evening. "Let's go to my room, Buster." Skylar said after a while and he followed her immediately as she headed into the room. They got to the room and she glanced at the time, it was almost 7 p.m and she smiled. She turned a distance away from the window and watched the sunset, she smiled happily and turned back to the clock. She confirmed it was 7 p.m already and she giggled. "Come on Buster." She called happily and opened her window, she jumped out with her dog and giggled. Buster ran ahead of her and headed into the woods but she ran after it and stopped it. "No Buster, we are not going into the woods today, we are going to look for food." She said and he barked in response. She smiled and turned towards the street, she started walking and kept looking around. Buster suddenly barked and she turned to him. "I know right? This is all different, I haven't been here before." She exclaimed looking at the buildings. She saw people all around as they moved and she tried to avoid contact with them "Buster, do you also think all these people are scared of light?" She asked him and he barked. "Yeah, I thought so too." She replied and smiled. "You are talking to a dog." A voice suddenly said and Skylar turned back to see a little boy, he should be eight years old and he was standing with a woman which will be his mother. "Yes, his name is Buster." She said with a smile and bent to his level. "Does he understand what you are saying?" The little boy asked and she nodded. "Yes, he is my best friend." She said and Buster barked. "Mummy, I want to have a Buster." The little boy said and his mother smiled. Skylar saw a bag with the woman and she sighed before standing back. "Hmm, ma'am, I was wondering if you have any food in that bag that you could give me and my dog, we don't have anything to eat this night." Skylar said. "Give them mummy, I don't want Buster to be hungry." The boy said happily pulling his mother's shirt and she smiled. "It's okay dear." The woman replied and gave Skylar out of her groceries, Skylar gasped and smiled happily. "Oh my God, thank you so so much. Let's go, Buster, mum is going to be so happy." She yelled attracting attention as she ran back home with her dog. She got home and got in through her window, she walked out of her room and placed the groceries on the table. "Mum." She yelled happily and her mother walked out of the room looking tired. "What Skylar? Do you need something?" "Mum, I got groceries." She said and her mother's eyes snapped open immediately. "What? Where did you get that?" "From a lady outside." "What? Did you go outside? There are still lights in buildings and you also went around begging?" "I go out every night." "What?" "But mum there are no lights at night." "Oh really? What if someone flashes a flashlight at you?" "Oh, I did not think of that." She muttered and scratched her hair. "And why were you begging? This is not the first time we are sleeping without dinner just like you said." "Am sorry mum, I was just so worried. You looked so tired and I felt bad I couldn't do anything." "It's fine Skylar, I will prepare something with this." She said and Skylar smiled happily. "And don't go outside again, even at night, it is dangerous." "Okay, mum." She lied and Buster barked at her. "Shut up Buster." She whispered and laughed.

"I am so hungry." Skylar groaned as she lay on the couch in the living room. "So so hungry." She groaned and Buster barked. "Aren't you hungry Buster?" She asked and he barked in response. "I just hope mum makes some money today, I am dying." She groaned and the door suddenly opened revealing her mother. "Mum, did you get a job? Did you... " She trailed off seeing her mother smiling happily and carrying a lot of bags. "What is in the bags?" She asked and her mother dropped them on the table. "Groceries and new clothes for you." She replied happily.

"What the hell mum? Where did you get the money to afford all of these from?" "Well, I got a job." "Wow." "Yes and they agreed to pay me in advance, I just have to do some extra work." "Mum that is so great, I am so happy." She said and clapped her hands like a baby. Buster also barked and she laughed. ******** A MONTH LATER "Where is my money?" The man yelled at Skylar's mum and she flinched. "I will give you your money, please just give me a little more time." "I have waited patiently enough and I want my money now." He yelled and she flinched again. "Rufus come on, you know I don't have a job and... " "Well, you should have thought of that before taking a loan from me." He cut her off and she sighed. "Am sorry I haven't paid you, just give me a little time. This is the little amount I made today and you can have it." She said stretching some dollar bills to him and he stared at them. "How much is this?" "Ten dollars." "Ten bucks!" He yelled and slapped the money off her hand. "You borrowed a thousand dollars from me and you are giving me ten bucks?" "But that is all I have." "Fuck!" He yelled and she flinched. "Please Rufus." "I am coming back tomorrow, if my money isn't ready by then, I promise you Jessica, you will be six feet under the ground." He threatened and walked away angrily, Jessica sighed and sat on the floor. She was on her way home when Rufus stopped her asking for his money if she had known she wouldn't have taken a loan from him but she had no choice. She and her daughter was dying of hunger, she had to do something, and taking a loan was all that came to her mind. She sighed and stood up, she dragged her feet till she got home and walked in. "Skylar am home." She yelled and her daughter ran out of her room. "Hey mum, how was today?" "Well, it went great." She replied sighing. "Are you okay? You look kind of terrified." "Am fine, am okay. I just need to get some sleep." She said and Skylar nodded. The next day came like a flash to Jessica and she wondered if Rufus was actually bluffing about coming to get his money today. She couldn't go out today to look for a job or make some money because she was scared of what Rufus would do to her, Skylar kept asking why she didn't go out but she kept giving her an excuse. At a point, Skylar thought she was sick and became scared but she assured Skylar she was fine and decided to take a rest today. It was night already and Jessica was rested assured that Rufus wasn't going to show up, if he would, he would have shown up in the morning or afternoon. Turns out he was bluffing after all. She prepared dinner and headed to Skylar's room to call her. She got there and found out Skylar wasn't there. "Of course, she went outside again." She scoffed and head towards the door to look for her, she got to the entrance and opened the door to see her worst nightmare. "Rufus." She called in fear and moved back, Rufus walked in with two other people. "Why is it so dark in here? Turn on the lights." He said to one of his guys with him and he did. "Please turn off the lights." Jessica begged praying her daughter won't walk in now. "My money Jessica." Rufus said and brought out a gun, Jessica's eyes widen in shock and he smiled. "Buster, come on. Mum would notice am gone already, I didn't have dinner remember?" She said and her dog ran to her, and they both ran towards the house. Skylar and her dog got to the house next to hers and stopped seeing the lights in the house were on. "Why did mum turn on the lights?" She muttered and slowly walked towards it. "I will just knock on the window and she will turn it off but I will get in trouble for leaving the house." She said and groaned, she slowly walked to the living room's window with Buster and froze when she saw a gun pointed at her mother's head and some men in her house. "What the fuck?" She muttered and watched them. "Quiet Buster." She whispered and continued watching them. She couldn't hear what they were saying and it really made her curious. She was about to move when the man suddenly pulled the trigger and blood gushed out of her mother's chest. She screamed and the men turned to her. "Shit, get her." Rufus yelled and the men ran towards the door. "Run Buster." She yelled as she took to her heels. Skylar ran as fast as her legs could carry her, she ran into the woods since she couldn't continue running in the streets because of the lights. The men kept running after her and she also kept running, she suddenly tripped over a stick and fell. Buster stopped running and barked at the men as they approached her. "Run Buster." She yelled and the dog kept barking at the men. "Shut up stupid dog." One of them said and shot Buster, Skylar froze and slowly turned to it. "Buster!" She yelled and placed her hand on it as he groaned in pain. "No, no, no." She said as tears rushed out of her eyes. "Buster." She whimpered as the dog slowly closed his eyes. Rufus finally showed up breathing heavily and he kicked Skylar angrily on her stomach, she groaned in pain and kept staring at her dog. The pain she felt in her stomach was not up to half of what she was feeling in her heart at the moment, her mother and her best friend got shot by the same people in minutes. "Should we kill her?" One of them asked Rufus. "Na, she looks useful. Grab her." He replied and the men held her. "What? Let me go, don't touch me!" She yelled in tears as the men dragged her away from the dog. "Let go of me." She cried and struggled with them. She suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head and she started to feel dizzy. "Buster." She muttered and passed out.