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I got my first letter from Trent today! He says that he likes the art colony (Ash-filled?) so far. He's staying with this lady named Alison. Trent says she's 18! Trent made friends with her. Trent likes everybody! That's why I like Trent.
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Trent said he wanted to leave Ashfield (A grown-up showed me how to spell it). I asked mommy why, but she just laughed and said Trent was making a funny joke. I begged mommy to tell me the joke, but she said no. That stinks! I wanted to hear the joke!
XXXX
Mommy doesn't read me Trent's letters anymore. She's mean.
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I got one of Trent's letters before mommy could! I had to wait for the post lady allll day looooong, and it was booooooring, but I got it!
Now all I have to do is find a grown-up to tell me what's in it.
XXXX
I showed the letter to a grown-up, and he looked real funny and started shoutin' at mommy. I got scared and ran away. Mommy came looking for me, though, and told me that she didn't want me readin' some of Trent's stuff 'cause it's sex stuff. She told me that Trent and Alison were boyfriend and girlfriend now, and boyfriends and girlfriends do sex stuff with each other. I asked mommy if that meant Trent was gonna be a daddy, but she said no.
XXXX
I got another one of Trent's letters, but I didn't give it to any grown-ups this time. I wanna see if I can figure out what Trent's writing.
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It took me a whooooole month, but I figured out what Trent was writing. He hates it at Ashfield! Why doesn't mommy go rescue him? He says he hates Alison, that she makes him do the sex stuff, and she says she'll hurt him and stuff if he tries to get away! I begged mommy to save Trent, but she wouldn't listen to me. I'm going to run away back to Lawndale and save Trent!
XXXX
Some cop guys caught me and brought me back to mommy. I tried to tell them that Trent was in trouble, but when they asked mommy about it, she said I was just joking! No I wasn't! I told mommy to show the cop guys Trent's letters, but she said she threw them all out, and that Trent was joking too. I yelled at mommy, but she just laughed and said it wasn't nice to joke around with cop guys. The cop guys thought I was joking.
I don't like cop guys anymore. I don't like mommy anymore, either.
XXXX
Today I turned five. I wish Trent was here. I don't like it in Arryzoner anymore.
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Mommy told me we were going home today! It's been forever since I've seen Trent! I can't wait! I hope he's alright...mommy said he stopped writing letters for a long time ago, but I don't believe her.
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Trent don't want to talk to me. I tried to give him as many hugs as I could, but he just shoves me away. One time I fell on my butt and it hurt and I cried and he looked sad, but then he looked like the Grinch again and ran away. Mommy said Trent will feel better in a few days. I hope so.
XXXX
Trent said he wanted to be with Alison again. I asked him why, 'cause he said he hated Alison in his letters. Trent said that Alison grew on him, whatever that means. I guess he likes her again? I told Trent about mommy not reading me his letters. He yelled at mommy. He called her a stupid bee eye tee cee aych. Mommy cried. Then Trent left, to go back to Ashfield.
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Today I turned eight, and I got the best present ever. Trent came back! He smiled at me, and gave me a big hug. His smile looked funny, though, and he looked at me funny. I dunno. He said that he came back 'cause Alison went to jail. I asked him why Alison went to jail, but he just laughed.
XXXX
I asked Trent if he misses Alison today. He said he did. I asked him if I could help. He just smiled at me again. His smile is...spooky. I don't like it.
XXXX
I don't like Trent anymore.
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So now you know 'Trennt' turned evil. It was Alison all along! (Plus some good old fashioned negligence on Amanda's part). Jane's distrust of authority was also planted in these early years, what with the cops believing Amanda over Jane.
In doing this from young Jane's perspective, I had to make it rather sparse and childlike in prose. I do hope I accomplished that successfully, and not crappily.