Ta! ta! ta! ta!" The sound echoed softly as I felt a gentle tap on my back. I weakly opened my eyes to find Sindy's little face peering up at me, her expression perturbed.
I let out a soft groan, trying to mask my annoyance with a gentle smile. "Sindy, what is it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, as I attempted to inject a soothing tone into my voice.
She pointed a shaky finger at her skirt, and I immediately understood what she needed. I quickly scooped her up in my arms and carried her to the bathroom, trying not to wake her up further.
After helping her with her needs, I cradled her in my arms once more and carried her back to our makeshift bed. I laid her down gently, making sure she was comfortable, and covered her with the blanket. A faint "thank you" whispered past her lips before she snuggled into the pillow and drifted off to sleep once again.
I checked the time on my phone, the screen illuminating the dark room with a soft blue glow. 2 a.m. The silence was oppressive, punctuated only by Sindy's soft breathing and the occasional creak of the old building.
I lay down beside her, but sleep seemed like a distant memory. My mind began to wander, and thoughts swirled in my head like a maelstrom.
If only mom hadn't left us with dad, things wouldn't have turned out like this. I'm barely 17, and yet I'm shouldering the responsibility of taking care of Sindy and myself.
The weight of it all felt crushing at times, like the world was bearing down on me. I thought about all the things I had to do, all the bills to pay, and the endless struggle to make ends meet. My mind was a whirlwind of worries and fears, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was failing.
Just as I was starting to drift off into a troubled sleep, my alarm blared to life, shattering the silence. I jerked up, my heart racing, and roughly brushed against Sindy.
She let out a loud cry, and I felt a chill run down my spine. My heart sank, and I felt like I was in way over my head. I quickly turned off the alarm and tried to calm Sindy down, speaking softly and stroking her hair.
"Shh, Sindy, it's okay. I'm sorry I woke you up. Go back to sleep, baby." I repeated the words over and over, trying to soothe her frazzled nerves.
Eventually, she calmed down, and I managed to get her back to sleep. But I knew I wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon. The darkness seemed to press in around me, and all I could think about was the uncertain future ahead.