The Willow Tree
Jones-Orduna, Debra
At 5:00 a.m., Debra sat by the door of her closet room, listening for the woman's shoes tapping on the floor as she was headed to unlock the bedroom closet she was forced to sleep in. She heard the rattle of the padlock door, knowing she would be out soon and under her precious willow tree. Her bedroom consisted of an old torn crib mattress with a yellow blanket. There was also a sand pail she used as a bathroom. First, she would eat what was ...