Amanda Part One

 Amanda woke up when she heard her mother calling her name from the kitchen, 'Mandy it time to take the kids to school said her mother', She was so tired from working all night and needed some time to sleep but if she continues to sleep after hearing her mother's voice then her sisters would probably go late to school, she dragged herself off the bed and walked lazily out of her room to the dining where her siblings are having their breakfast with her pajama still on, sat down on the chair and took a slice of bread. 'Is this how you want to take us to school?', asked Dorathy her ten-year-old sister. 'Shut it', Amanda said to her sister carrying their lunch bag with a slice of bread in her hand. After taking her kids sisters Dorothy and Sofia to school, Amanda quickly took her bath and went to work, Amanda work in two different places, she works in a grocery store from 9 am to 6 pm, then work as a bar attender from 7 pm to 11 pm. Amanda is a nineteen years high school graduate, she graduated from high school three years ago and has been saving up since then so she can go to college, she envied her friends whose parents were able to pay their fees when they got admission after graduation. If her father was out of the picture Amanda would have been in college two years ago. Amanda has been working her ass off just to save for college, but her drunken father always abuses her and takes all her savings from her, her mother on the other hand doesn't have a say on how her husband treats her daughter because she goes through worst from him as well. 

While coming back from work Amanda saw a poster on the wall written, 'Baby sitter needed urgently', she called the number written on the poster and asked if there is still a vacancy, she was told yes and was given the address if she is interested to apply, Amanda was super happy, she needed more job so she can save up for her school fees, she has just three months to pay her fees, if she doesn't pay within the time frame then her admission would be forfeited. Amanda thought of how she would be in college this year, she went home and told her mother about it, her mother wondered how she would be able to handle three jobs at once, and told her not to apply for the job that she would apply for a loan and the loan would be approved within a month, that way she can pay her fees and go to college. Amanda was not okay with the idea of her mother taking a loan, she remembered how well they were doing until her father took a loan, he couldn't pay leading to them losing their mansion. She reminded her mother of the sad incident that happened to them and begged her mother not to take a loan and that she would handle everything on her own, 'You are doing more than enough already Mom, paying Dorathy and Sofia's school fees, paying for our house rent and also putting food on the table, I wouldn't want to add more load on you Mom', said Amanda caressing her mother's palm. Her mother was so speechless, she wished her husband didn't lose his job and never resulted in drinking, supported her the way her daughter is supporting her then things would have been a lot easier she thought to herself.

Amanda after closing from work that evening went straight to the address given to her, she was interviewed by the couple, Mr. and Mrs. Philip, a very nice and lovely people. When the couple saw how well-mannered and mature, she was, gave her the job, and she was introduced to the little girl she would be babysitting, her name is Chloe she is six years old same age as her sister Sofia. She was happy Chloe loved her and accepted her to be her baby sitter, Amanda likes the couple, they are so warm and welcoming, she was supposed to start to work the next morning, but when told the salary for the work, she planned to stop every other work she is doing since the salary is ten times the salary of her two jobs, just a month of the salary would be able to cover her school fees and other expenditure, she went home overwhelmed with joy. While the five of them were having dinner, Amanda told them the good news, her mother was happy for her regarding the pay, her father on the other hand bashed her saying she would never dare babysit any other child aside from her sisters, Amanda was so pissed at her father that she threw her plate of food on the ground angrily and screamed at him, 'Do you even want me to go to college?'. Before she would walk away from the dining, her father dragged her back and gave her a hot slap. 

This isn't the first time Amanda has been hit by her father, anytime she does something that he don't like or disrespect him, he would beat her mercilessly, lock her out of the house or sometimes blindfold her eyes and take her to his old warehouse outside town lock her there for some hours, go back later in the night and bring her back home, Amanda has gone through hell from her father, he would lock her in his dark warehouse, even though she scream and cry no one would hear her, not even her mother knows her whereabouts till the father brings her back home. The next day after taking her sisters to school, Amanda went to Mr. Philip's house, where she would be babysitting Chloe, on getting there, she was told Chloe has already gone to school, and she was given the time Chloe would close from school so she can pick her up and the time she normally wakes up and goes to bed. Since she had nothing to do throughout the day, she visited the bar she was working and saw her friend Max both were schooled in the same high school and had been working hand to hand in the same bar, Max lives next door to her, they always go to work together and comes back together when they round up. she assisted him until it was time to pick Chloe up. Amanda continues to babysit Chloe for two weeks sometimes she would pass the night at Mr. Philip's house because they don't often spend the night in their house based on their social lifestyle, she was given a spare key to the house, and she was treated as family and Mrs. Philip would sometimes take her outing and buy gifts for her parents and her siblings. Amanda would take Chloe to her house so she can get along with her sisters. It was on after Wednesday Amanda brought Chloe back from school, she was told by Chloe's parents that they would be traveling out of town for a three days' vacation with Chloe, Amanda was happy, she has never rested a day since she started the job, she was glad she would have three days to rest.

After Mr. and Mrs. Philip traveled on a vacation with Chloe, Amanda finally went home, her mother was happy she was back, her mother has been sick and she needed to visit her, she could not leave the kids with her husband because of his drinking habit, so the moment Amanda came home, she left to see her mother, she told Amanda she won't be spending the night, Amanda rest assured her mother that she would take care of the kids and take them to school on time. After the mother left that night, Amanda put her siblings to sleep and went to her room, she was about going to bed when she received a text message from Max to meet him in the bar that he has something urgent to tell her, it was past nine, she wondered what was so urgent that Max can't wait till morning, Amanda sneaked out of her room so her father would not see her and left for the bar, she was scared while walking on the road, ever since she started working in the bar she has never walked alone at night, she summoned her courage as she increased her pace, she was halfway there when she remembered that she has forgotten the keys to the back entrance of the bar, she hasn't returned the keys after quitting her job, she went back home to get the keys but couldn't find it, she then remembered that she has left it in Mr. Philip's house, while she was trying to sneak out of the house for the second time, she saw Sofia standing next to her, sleepy Sofia asked Amanda where she was going to, Amanda took her back to her room told her she would be back that she is going to see Max at the bar. She went to Mr. Philip's house to get the keys, the house was indeed dark and creepy, she was not scared because she has been alone with Chloe when her parents were not around, after getting the keys in Chloe's room because that is where she left it, just when she was about to leave the house, she heard a sound coming out of the storage room, she was so curious and scared, who could be in the house she wondered, she placed her hand on her pocket to get her phone so she can use the phone light, that's when she realized she has forgotten her phone in her room while looking for the keys, she walked nervously to the direction of the sound and what she saw almost took her breath, Amanda screamed out loud and ran out of the house, she was not fast enough as she was hit by a rod on her head.