“The summer before ninth grade my mom decided she didn’t want to be a parent anymore, even though I had two younger siblings that were six and four years old.”
“The Dependent Unit was a place where kids went when their parents didn’t want them anymore, or when the courts deemed the children would be safer there until they could be placed into foster care or adopted. The now abandoned housing facility is located in front of Los Guilicos, Sonoma…
“Screaming at Paul she ran down the street toward him. The steaming rage coming out of this wild woman immobilized me with complete terror. All sound left my ears, my legs had piercing pain, and my body shook. I became gelatinous, oozing into my seat with the seatbelt as my…
“It’s done; don’t let her get the best of you. Here, wipe your face,” as she reached for her towel. “Come on, let’s do this. You have to. You have no other choice.” She sat me on the toilet and wet the towel. As she wiped my face, I started…