​The Big Smoke

Vivienne grew up in a small town outside London, with two loving parents and a younger brother. She had what felt like the perfect life. Her parents got along and loved one another so much that it was intoxicating and you could not help but to feel love just being near them. Her younger brother, William, was only three years younger, and yet Vivienne and him were always together. Vivienne had been accepted into the school of arts in London at the age of twelve, and her whole family was going to move to 'the big city' in order for her to pursue her love of dance.

That's when her world came crashing down. A five car pile up that resulted in 7 deaths, 3 critical injuries, and 4 EMT checks. 3 of those 7 deaths were Viviennes' mother, father and brother. She woke up in the London General ICU two weeks after the accident to find out she was a ward of the state and the only thing left for her was school. Most of their personal effects had been destroyed in the accident, meaning she didn't even have a picture of her family.

Vivienne, being the bright girl she was, never let it drag her down (too much). She was placed in a foster home in London so that she could attend the School of the Arts, and she went every day with her head held high. After finishing her physical therapy from the accident she returned to the stage and rose to the top of her class. She got involved in jazz, pop, ballet, and tap. She let the music be her companion.

When she was fourteen years old her foster parents, Kyle and Marissa, sat her down to explain to her that she needed to go to a new home. They were going to be taking in a two year old and 1 month old, and they could not risk distractions. They reassured her that her new family would be amazing and happy, and she would fit right in... but they weren't. And she didn't fit in. The foster parents argued all the time, and her three other foster siblings were always fighting and crying.

It was unbearable. For the next two years she moved from home to home, constantly facing the disappointment of empty seats in the audience, and being forgotten after school. She did the only logical thing a sixteen year old girl could do. She ran.

She left behind her sixth placement to live on the streets, taking odd jobs at family owned restaurants and helping backstage at the local theaters. It was not a happy life... but it was free from the negativity and sorrow. Anytime the government comes sniffing after the minor she moves on to a new area of town. Uptown, downtown, east-side or west.... Vivienne will run until she is old enough to be free.