White Dress

White Dress

It’s funny how events in time can be short yet feel like they pass slowly.  Such as when you feel as though you’ve known a friend forever, but have only just met them.  The time I spent with my best friend when I was younger felt like that.  The days we spent playing in fields or talking until the sun rose lasted for what seemed like years.  I missed that, not having a care in the world.

            I haven’t seen my best friend in years.  After I graduated high school I became too busy to socialize, even with my family.  I had never regretted being busy though because I felt happiest when I was surrounding myself with work.  The time I had spent home this week for Christmas was the first break from school and work I had in a long time.  At the end of the week I was sorry for the secluded way I had been living my life for the past two years.

            After my break as I was driving back to school I was hit by a pickup truck.  The force although powerful, was not enough to instantly knock me unconscious.  I would be lying if I said I hardly noticed what was going on around me.  Although my eyes refused to open, I could see light changes as vehicles passed by.  I heard people talking rapidly outside my window and shouts that were a little farther away.  I felt pain throughout my body and smelled blood.  Someone tapped on my window and was yelling at me, but my body refused to respond.  I felt my mind slipping but I forced my eyes open.  For a moment I saw Sarah, my best friend, in a stained white dress standing in front of my car.  She smiled at me and looked away just as my mind faded.

            The ride to the hospital was probably one of the worst experiences in my life.  I regained consciousness as the paramedics were loading my stretcher into the ambulance.  The flashing lights caused me to feel disoriented and extremely nauseous.  The jostling of the stretcher sent pain throughout my body and the enclosed space made me panic.  The paramedics slipped a mask over my face and stuck needles into my arm.  All the activity was making me extremely anxious and it kept getting worse until I saw Sarah.  She stood at the foot of my stretcher and rested her hand on my foot.

“I’m sorry,” She said, “You’ll feel better soon.”  I felt calmness overtake my anxiety and closed my eyes.  I wondered why we had stopped talking.  We had been such good friends

            Hospitals have never been a place I enjoyed visiting, and being a patient there, although only temporary, made me feel worse.  People visited me today, although I’m not sure who.  I tried to imagine who would visit me.  I couldn’t think of anyone besides my family, I hadn’t made too many friends in college.  I tried to focus on voices but in my drugged state they seemed far away.  I became a little more aware of my surroundings, and although I couldn’t feel pain, I felt an uncomfortable warmth where needles entered my skin.  I recognized my mom’s voice and I wanted to see her so I fought to open my eyes.  I couldn’t force them to open so I gave up and went back to sleep.

            I awoke briefly to see my father sleeping in a chair and hear a nurse at my bedside working by my head.  When she saw my eyes open she smiled at me but then her eyes widened.  She pushed a button and began to frantically work on something.  My vision began to fade and I knew I was going to lose consciousness again so I looked back toward my dad.  As I looked at him I was surprised to see Sarah standing there.  I figured she hadn’t left me yet because she was wearing the same dress.  I wanted to talk to her but she was watching the nurse beside me and the others that had joined her.  They worked with urgency.  Just as I felt a sharp jolt reverberate throughout my chest, Sarah disappeared.

Lying in the hospital bed I felt as though I was on the verge of death.  After the moment when the nurse freaked out over something things have gone downhill.  In addition to needles sticking into my body I have tubes in my nose.  Although I don’t hurt, thanks to the painkillers, I still feel uncomfortable.  It is difficult to breath and my throat feels raw.  I can feel a pulse in my head and opening my eyes causes me to feel dizzy and queasy.  It is difficult to think of anything beside the time which seems to be dragging on.  I don’t hear voices in my room anymore and I don’t blame people for not visiting.  I haven’t seen Sarah since the scare and the only people I have seen recently are my parents.  Even my siblings stopped visiting.

~~~

            Sarah had always been strong and independent, the total opposite of me. I was the quiet kid that never met anyone new unless they tried to talk to me first.  I’m sure my shyness came off as rude and some of the people who tried talking to me were put off by it.  I first met Sarah when I was nine, she was a year older than me but we were in the same Sunday school class at her church.  She had been going to that church her whole life.

“I’m Sarah.” Was all she stated as she took her seat next to me, I replied with my name.  It was all we said to each other for a few weeks but I could tell she always seemed to be thinking, or planning something.  She was always inside her head and I rarely knew what she was thinking about.

            “Do you want to come over today?” It was the longest sentence Sarah had said to me in a month but she seemed so friendly I accepted.  Since my mother and Sarah’s mom knew each other I was able to go.  After then we began hanging out every Sunday and some weeks on Fridays and Saturdays.

“Let’s play truth or dare!” It was always Sarah’s attempt at making me less shy.

“This game always turns out to be you sending me up to some stranger and singing or some other humiliating thing while you get stuck with some stupid question like what do you want to be when you grow up.”

“If you weren’t so worried about me getting embarrassed then you would love this game.”

“I will never love this game.” I would always tell her, but I would always play.  We were inseparable and for a few years we were young and innocent.

            When I was sixteen I got a job working at an ice cream shop.  I ended up quitting the job after one summer.  It was a good job, just not the type for me.  I hated the interaction I had with our customers and I was sure a few of my coworkers didn’t like me.  Sarah had gotten a job at a hardware store and frequently stopped by when she had a lunch break.  We would both get in trouble, me for talking to her too long and her for staying on break too long.  We didn’t care.  That summer she had gotten a boyfriend and was constantly bringing boys she knew to my work for me to meet.  She kept telling me she just wanted to double date but I knew she felt bad for me.

            That summer was also the summer Sarah had helped save me.  Although she had helped with my shyness a bit it still was a problem.  I like my job because it kept me busy and kept me from noticing my lack of friends.  Sarah realized this but never pointed it out.

            “Hey do you have an outfit to wear for when we go bowling this weekend” This girl wouldn’t take no for an answer.

            “I told you I’m not going, besides the girls you’re going with don’t know me.  It would just be awkward.” I didn’t look her in the eyes hoping she couldn’t tell how nervous I was.

            “Too bad, I already told them you were going, and they are super excited to meet you.  I will pick you up Saturday at four and if you need to go shopping before then call me.”  She walked away before I could protest, and before she could see the huge grin that was plastered on my face the rest of the day.  The rest of the year I became friends with the girls I went bowling with and Sarah invited me whenever they went out.

~~~

            I was able to see my mom today.  She was standing over me with tears in her eyes.  I wanted to speak with her but I was too weak.  I could only manage a small smile as she squeezed my hand.  I noticed my whole family around me, all wore a look of sadness.  I was glad they all visited me but they all had tears in their eyes and I couldn’t figure out why.  All of a sudden my mom broke down and my sister let out a cry.  My father looked away and his expression was heartbreaking.  Afraid, I looked around once again and saw Sarah standing in the same stained dress.  She looked at me sadly and held out her hand.  To my surprise, I had enough strength to grab it and I sat up.

            “Hey, are you coming shopping with us tomorrow?” I had been hunting down Sarah all day at school.

            “No.” She spoke without emotion and gave no explanation why she couldn’t come.  She began walking away and I followed.

            “There is a group of us going to see a movie Friday did you want to come then?” I tried once more.

            “Are we still getting together next Saturday to get ready for graduation?”  She didn’t look at me as she ducked into her class.   Later that day I confirmed the time we were going to get together to prepare for our graduation ceremony.  I was excited for my future and she seemed indifferent.

            When I arrived at Sarah’s the next Saturday no one answered my knock so I let myself in.  I took myself to the bathroom and turned on some music knowing that the house was empty besides Sarah and me.

            “I decided not to go to the movie last week.”  I shouted through the house thinking Sarah could hear me.  “The whole time during the shopping trip I felt like an outsider.  The girls and I have been growing apart since you stopped hanging out with us so I knew it would happen.”  The whole time Sarah had not replied and I got a little worried.  I went upstairs to her room to find the door to her balcony open.  I walked onto it and when I saw a broken rail I cautiously crept to the edge.  Lying crumpled on the ground I saw Sarah.

            “911 what’s your emergency?”

            “Yes, hello,” Breathed frantically as I flew down the stairs and out to the backyard. “My friend fell from a two story balcony.”

            “Is she conscious?”

            “No, No. There is a lot of blood; dear God please let her be alive.”

            “Ma’am, I have sent help I need you to remain calm.”

            “I don’t know what to do,” at this point I was sobbing and afraid to kneel next to Sarah’s body.

            “Stay calm.  Can you check to see if she is breathing?” I shook my head sobbing I realized that the lady on the phone couldn’t see me but I was unable to speak. 

“Miss, are you still there?” I let out a loud sob in reply.  I heard sirens coming closer and stop at the house.

“They're here.” I was barely able to choke out the words.
            “I have to go now then Miss.”  And the line went dead.

I stayed crouched on the ground crying as the paramedics rushed to help Sarah.  It wasn’t long before one came to me and began asking me questions.  I could hardly focus on him though because I was listening to the conversation in the background.

            “She’s so weak it could have killed her instantly.”

            “Yes, she’s so skinny and frail.  It’s possible she fainted and broke the railing.”

            “Were you able to contact her parents?”

            “Yes, they were getting ready for her high school graduation later today.”  I tuned out the conversation and looked back to the body on the ground.  She was wearing a white dress to go under her graduation gown, but it was stained with blood. 

            I was unable to help my best friend like she helped me.  I remembered why I had kept from coming home and why I had become so focused on my work.  And I remembered my best friend and why I hadn’t talked with her since graduation.

The Christmas Gift

The Christmas Gift

The weather was cold as the small girl made her way down the road.  Her breath billowed out in the form of smoke as she rubbed her hands together to warm her chilled fingers.  The height of the snow would have reached just above the ankles, if a full grown man was walking through it, but it reached its way to almost the girl’s knees.  A few times, when she tripped, the snow would engulf her and you could not tell that anyone had disturbed the white sheet of snow.

            The pudgy girl had a package clasped under her right arm, and protectively held her left hand over her coat pocket.  No one knew about the small collection of coins in her pocket, but she felt as if they shone brightly, calling out to all who passed by.  As she walked, she kept her head down and watched as her legs plowed a path in the snow.

            She ducked into the candy store to warm her hands and regain feeling in her toes.  As she recovered she browsed the displays of delectable candies and gazed in awe as the women behind the counter shaped the chocolates.  Any other child would have given in to the urge to buy some candy.  The speed their little hands would shoot to place the money on the counter would have been faster than any dog chasing after a rabbit.  Despite the strong urge to buy the candy and temporarily satisfy her sweet tooth, the girl headed back into the snow.

            The girl had walked for a few minutes when the snow began to fall faster.  She quickly ducked into a toy store hoping the snow would lighten up.  While she waited she gazed longingly at all the pretty dolls and shiny, toy cars that lined the shelves.  Again any child would be selfish, and quick to thrust their money at the cashier, and again the girl ignored her longing and rushed outside once more.  The snow had not slowed down so every few buildings the girl would duck into a doorway to warm herself before heading out again. 

She had waited in a fabric store and jumped around ignoring the pretty dresses and silky cloths that begged to be bought.  At the food store she paid no attention to the delectable pastries that seemed to be leaping off  the shelves.  At the shoe store she stared at her socks peeking through her worn shoes and disregarded the complaining of the little boy who wanted more than one pair of play shoes.

Finally, she had reached her last stop; the girl crept into the drug store and made her way to the counter.  She took no notice of the family that shared a root bear at the soda counter as she picked up a bottle of fever medicine.  She laid her coins on the counter next to the bottle and gazed up at the man behind it. 

He slowly counted the coins and smiled sympathetically at her, he knew that the money was nowhere near enough for the medicine.  He also knew that she came from a poor home, the holes in her shoes and gloves showed it, along with her thin winter coat and her dirty stockings.  He took a few bills out of his own pocket and put them into the register and handed the selfless, young girl the bottle, along with a candy cane.  She beamed up at him with joyful tears in her eyes; she mouthed a thank you, then left.

As she rushed home the girl thought about how pleased her mother would be with her for her purchase.  Her mother and baby brother had been sick for a few weeks and her mother didn’t have enough money to pay for the medicine.  Since the two had a fever, the girl’s mother and father decided it best for the family to spend Christmas alone.  This caused a great disappointment among everyone.  Now, three days till Christmas, the girl hoped her early gift would allow her mother and brother to feel better, and brighten everyone’s Christmas.

Revolution

So when I wrote this I had a headache, please tell me if it was hard to follow. thanks :)

      ~Emma~

The city streets were cold and dark; no streetlamps shone down on the weary mother as she hurried on her way.  She knew they would catch up to her soon, so she needed to be swift in her work.  If anyone was to know the truth she had to hurry.  She hastened her steps as she approached the old library.  

            Now, the old library would be the perfect place to hide the documents that the drained women possessed.  She hastily opened the compartment and descended the musty tunnel stairs.  When she believed she was deep enough, she pulled out a loose brick in the wall revealing a safe.  She placed the documents carefully in the safe then sealed it.

            When she emerged from the library she stopped at three different buildings, trusting that it would give them too much trouble to continue the search.  Maybe she would get away with it; then, and only then could she see her daughter grow up to be a young women.  However, the instant she turned the corner she knew her time had come.

            “You have given us enough trouble ma’am, now tell us where the documents are and you and your husband will be free to go.”  The man wondered how this woman escaped his grasp for so long and it caused him to become irritated.

            “Promise me my child will live through the purge.”  The man was confused, but as he looked at the bundle in her arms, a smirk crossed his face.

            “I will see to it personally that she finds a nice family to call her own, as long as you’re sure that is your choice?”  The mother nodded quickly as the tears began to fall from her face, “Very well.”  He nodded to his partner as he took the bundle from the mother’s arms.

            After a minute the men continued their way to the father’s house. The leader, who was carrying the little girl in his arms, allowed an evil grin to spread across his face.  The women didn’t protest as she gave up her life; now she lay in a heap on the sidewalk.  His pride allowed him to believe that her attempts were futile.  How could she ever succeed?  The purge began and a new era arose, a time of lies and deceit.

            ~seventeen years later~

            It was midnight when Jewel hobbled down the dark alleyways.  Despite the late hours, the city was bustling with activity.  Fifteen years ago America had undergone a dramatic change; many believed that this change was good.  They had discovered power and secluded themselves from other nations.  Few knew the meaning of the nation’s new name, Cupidite.  Jewel was one of those few, being the daughter of an official, it meant greed.  America had become the country of greed.

            They believed in laughter, lust, and love; not love of others but love of what makes oneself happy.  Cities had been set all across the country for the young people.  Ages sixteen through nineteen would go a city while those thirteen to fifteen would go to another.  Everyone under the age of thirteen would stay with the ‘oldies.’ 

Oldies were anyone over the age of sixty; those in charge of the nation deemed them the guardians.  Although they all knew that once you reached the age of sixty you were sent to factories and farms to either clean up after the reckless youth or to supply them with food.  The young ones mostly worked on farms until the age of ten, where they would then go to the factories to recycle waste.

Jewel, being the daughter of an official, had special privileges; she was able wander to anywhere she liked.  She had learned dark secrets about the new nation, secrets about her past.  Now, at the age of seventeen she had been sent to a city where she was told to enjoy her life.  Most other youth here party their lives away, never thinking of the consequences.

There was a small group of people, however, that Jewel discovered and had shared her secrets with them.  Now she was meeting up with a friend from that group and they were headed to meet one Oldie who had survived the purge of doubters.  There, Jewel and her companion hoped they would find a way to find true happiness.

The train that carried Jewel and her friend was barren from any youth, so the two had to wear large cloaks to conceal their identity.  Jewel gazed solemnly at the weary passengers that were trying to savor the precious moments of peace.  She wondered if they regretted their actions when they were youths- told to party their life away.  Everything had its consequences; even now Jewel knew that the consequence of her discovered identity was fatal.

The train had dropped Jewel and her companion off at an old city.  As the two gazed at the ruins, they felt the evil power that had been released many years ago.  They quietly picked their way through rubble to an old library, the only building that remained upright.  They plodded up the stairs, careful to avoid rubble and crumbling brick, and entered the doorway.

“So you did come,” said a frail voice.  The withered man, who stood gazing at an old stained-glass window, sounded amused.  “There are so few who wish to believe the monstrous actions taken to give them a moment of fun.”  The whole time he spoke with them his eyes never left the window, “You must know this first, the only reason I survived the purge was because I was a political leader.  They called me a President.  I was supposed to be the leader of the Nation, however, I had no control over what was happening.”

“They decided that if I died then the people would rebel.  As long as I was alive it appeared that I had agreed.  They locked me up, only to bring me out when they needed a public appearance or a new picture to show my face.  Of course my face was edited, but the public never knew.  Those leaders were foolish!  They were stupid enough to let me live.”

“Now the truth!  Bellowed the old man, the purge was to rid America, or Cupidite, of all who thought that they needed to work to earn happiness.  They thought such thoughts were poison to the mind.  Once they had wheedled out the ‘faint in mind’ they began building a new nation.  The nation was formed from lies, and the truth will be its downfall.”

Now the old man turned to them and pointed at Jewel, “Your real parents knew the truth. They locked it away and hid the key right under the nose of the officials.  You are the key. Jewel, you know how to save us before it is too late, but you can’t do it alone.”  He turned to Jewel’s friend, “You must support her and lead others by sharing the truth with them.”

The friend looked at the man, puzzled by his words, “But won’t you be better than us? You were once important to this land?”

The former leader let out a hearty laugh, “This generation does not look to its elders for help!  Maybe when I was a boy an elder would be a better option, but not now.  No, they look to the new and all things that are pleasing to the eye.  I do not know how to make anything look appealing.  My work is done and my time has come.  I have but a few breaths left in my body and I will fight against this evil with each one.”

He brought himself up to full height and handed Jewel an envelope. He then saluted the two and said, “Remember the truth, it will set you free, it will set us all free.”

Jewel opened the packet and found a key and a letter.  She read the letter and walked over to a large desk at the back of the room.  Finding a slot she put the key in and turned it.  A passageway was opened for her and she descended the stairs.  As she walked down the tunnel she ran her fingers along the wall imagining if what she was feeling now, her birthmother felt many years ago.

After pacing back and forth a couple times she found what she was looking for.  The brick dropped to the floor, causing the tunnel to echo with the sound of the discovery.  She pulled out a package and returned to her friend.  Silently they returned to their city.  The revolution will start with them and it will not be easy, but the truth would spread.  It would spread throughout the nation like medicine to a sick man, crumbling down the barrier that the lies had built up.

Her True Voice

I got inspiration for this while I was practicing at choir. This girl is not based off of me however because my voice is far from angelic. 

Aurora fidgeted excitedly awaiting her turn to take place on the stage; she was waiting to sing.  She had loved singing ever since she was able to talk.  Her mom said that, before she could talk, she would hum and tap her feet to any music that was playing.  Now she sang at every opportunity she had; she was in her school and church choir, where she would try out for every solo.  She normally got the solo considering the fact that her voice was angelic, at least that was what so many people told her.

Aurora was signaled onto stage; the pauper girl with a stunningly gorgeous voice.  When she left the stage at the closing scene she could have sworn some of the audience was crying.  Why wouldn’t they be crying she was a star and her voice could grip their hearts in its grasp?  She grabbed her backpack and headed to the bathrooms to change, she was sure her parents would want to take her out to eat since she was so stupendous.  She dropped her costume off at the fitting room where the costume designer, a boy at her school, congratulated her for her performance, then headed into the crowd.

Aurora’s parents were waiting for her at the front of the auditorium with a bouquet of flowers in her mother’s arms.  She strolled over to them acting casually and even though she knew the flowers were hers she acted surprised when she got them.  Her mother got upset when Aurora talked about how good she was, she called it being prideful, but aurora called it being truthful.  The family strolled out of the school arm in arm talking about the possible dinner places.  “I still think tonight sounds like an Olive Garden night,” Aurora’s mom said.

“You always think any night feels like an Olive Garden night,” Aurora contradicted.  “This is my bug night and I think I should choose.”

“Your mother has told not to be so prideful, Aurora,” Her dad scolded but Aurora just smiled.

“You know I was great and you want to congratulate me don’t you, you just don’t want me to get a big head and run off to Hollywood to become a star.  But don’t you worry I won’t forget about my poor darling family.”  She said in a dramatic tone, but her mother pursed her lips and her father rebuked her even more.

“You won’t be going anywhere until you can learn to throw away that pride and consider others as well.  Did you congratulate any of the others in the program for their wonderful job, or the people who worked backstage to make sure everything went smoothly?”

“No,” Aurora said in a quiet voice.

“No, and how many people congratulated you?”

“Dad, everyone congratulates the star of the show it’s common sense.”

“Then I guess I’m not common.”  Her dad stated flatly, by then they had arrived at the car.  The irritation that had formed in Aurora’s throat grew stronger but she chose to ignore it and stuck her head in the bouquet that was in her arms.  “Don’t these flowers smell wonderf,” she couldn’t finish her sentence because it felt like her throat was swelling to double its size.  She dropped the bouquet and grabbed her throat struggling to breath.  “Aurora, what’s wrong sweetie?” She could hear her mother’s frantic voice and her dad saying something over the phone, but they both seemed so distant and kept getting farther and farther until all that was left was blackness.

Aurora awoke and stared at the wall next to the bed she was in for about thirty seconds before she remembered what happened earlier.  She didn’t know how long she had been out but she figured she was in a hospital bed.  Once she was able to move her limbs and sit up she confirmed her suspicions.  She scanned the room but it was completely empty except for the stuffed animal that had been set in a chair by her bed.  It was a bear, but not like a teddy bear, it was realistic and when she reached out to touch it felt as soft as velvet.  She pulled the bear onto her bed and sat there hugging it waiting for someone to come in.

My mother entered within five minutes with a nurse and they both smiled at me.  I smile back and open my mouth to say something to them but nothing comes out.  I swallow a couple times hoping that my throat was just dry but deep inside I knew the truth.  Tears fall down my face as the nurse hands me a pad of paper and a pencil and my mother looks at me sympathetically.  ‘How long?’ I wrote frantically.  My mother sighs and tells me to wait for the doctor to come and explain everything. She walks over to my bed and takes me in her arms.  The nurse left leaving us alone and all I can do is cry; my mother strokes my hair trying to comfort me.

Around seven minutes after the nurse left my room the doctor walks in. “How’s my patient?” He asks with a smile on his face. It almost makes me mad at how he can see so much sickness and still walk into a room with a patient in it and smile like everything is okay.  I frown at him and look at my mom, she understands my gaze.  “My daughter was wondering how long this she will be in this,” She seemed to search for the right word, “This condition.  You told me you would explain everything once she wakes up.”

“Yes that is what I said, well,” He turned to me as he spoke now, “You had a severe allergic reaction to the flowers in the bouquet you were given.  If you had known you had an allergy to flowers and had medicine with you then your voice would have been back by the end of the week.” He slowed talking and his voice dropped as though what he was about to say next would be difficult. “We could only do so much; when your throat swelled it damaged your voice box. It is very rare for this to happen but it is very likely that you will never speak again.”

The next day I lay in bed hugging the bear that came from a mysterious person, when I asked my mom who it came from she told me she didn’t know.  I looked it up online and learned that it was a simple brown bear and there were only one hundred stuffed bears like it.  The thing is huge, like the size of a medium sized dog.  I emailed all my friends and relatives to see if they got it for me but no one said they did. I began to wonder if it was meant for me at all.

Later that day I check my email for the hundredth time but there is nothing new in my inbox.  It makes sense because all my friends would be at school with it being a Friday.  I won’t be able to attend school again since the teachers aren’t required to learn sign language.  I won’t even be allowed to go to social events without my mom, my phone, a pencil, and a pad of paper until I have learned sign language.  I’m supposed to start tomorrow but I am not looking forward to it.

Tomorrow comes too soon and along with it comes my sign language teacher and another one of her students.  My teacher looks to be in her thirties with short brown hair and, oddly enough, the bluest eyes I have ever seen.  Her student is a shy girl who can speak but has lost the ability to hear; she needs to learn sign language so she can understand her interpreter.  All of us head into the living room where my mom had put some refreshments and we get started.

I lay in bed that night completely and utterly frustrated with trying to learn sign language.  Every time I wanted to ask a question I had to write it down and by the end of the session my hand was cramping up severely.  I am, once again, hugging the mysterious bear whom I have named chocolate chip and thinking of my singing.  It had hit me last night that I will never be able to project my melodious voice again and all I could do is lay there sobbing.  Tonight I feel more at peace over the issue; I realize I had been very prideful about it and it was a wall that separated me from some of my friends.  I thought they were just jealous, but really I had bragged about it so much to them that I became annoying, now I can’t even explain how sorry I am.

The next few months pass by and I picked up on the sign language more quickly than I thought.  I received a new teacher whose name is Andrew; he is deaf so I am forced to translate for my mother when she talks to him.  Even though Andrew has an interpreter he refuses to use his help when he is at my house which helps me to practice.  My mom is having a hard time learning to sign but my dad, like me, picked up on it quickly.

The days passed quickly for me, I had finished sign language lessons last week and mom has been trying to keep me up to date with my school work.  She has been extremely busy lately because she is still learning to sign, she works three days a week, she is homeschooling me, and she is caring for our family.  One thing my mom refuses to give up is the church choir, I refused to let her.  I will go with her sometimes and sit in the church pew and listen to the harmony between the many voices in the choir.

One Sunday I was in listing to the choir practice and found myself signing along to the words; not singing, signing.  The choir leader asked me if I would sign along to some songs when they sing them at church.  At first I told him no, because I wanted to leave my life with music behind me.  The more I thought about it the more I felt I should agree.  The next time I saw him I told him that I would try one song and if I didn’t feel comfortable then I wouldn’t do any more.

The day I was supposed to sign along with the choir came and for the first time in my life I had nervous jitters, not excitement jitters, nervous ones.  I was debating copping out of signing when the choir director found me and told me it was time.  I walked up with the choir and as they sang I signed; I saw many people in the pews had tears running down their faces but I figured it was because of the singing.  When the song was over we walked off the balcony and made our way back to the pews.  I couldn’t help but smile, this was the first time since the incident with the flowers that I had performed anything on stage.  The feeling from doing this was much better than thousands of my singing performances combined.  I knew that I would keep signing along with songs because the signing that I did was my one true voice.

Help

I need ideas, anyone have suggestions for the topic of a story?

A Girl and Her Dog

Okay guys are you ready for a sad ending?             

                        Daniela had wandered around her farm most days; she had been unable to do much else since the accident she was in when she was ten.  She had been unable to do many activities that involved running or a lot of walking.  Her right leg had been severely screwed up and all she could do was limp around.  Now, three years later nothing much had changed, her leg still hurt if she was on it for long periods of time and she still couldn't run and play with the other teens.

                Buddy was a yellow lab mix who was by Daniela’s side from when she stepped out the farmhouse door to when she stepped back in.  He would always greet her with his tail wagging and his tongue lolling out of his mouth.  They would check on the animals in the barn then head into the woods to the creek where, depending on the weather, Daniela would soak her bare feet and stroke Buddy’s thick, rough fur.

                Today, Daniela stumbled out the door with tears running down her face, buddy waited for her outside the door, but this time she hardly noticed him.  She made her way to the barn as quickly as she could, then, tried to climb the old ladder into the hayloft.  It was a difficult feat because she had to pull herself up it while anyone else would just climb it normally.  Buddy waited at the bottom with his ears drooped and his head lying between his paws.  He whined sympathetically but Daniela paid no attention to him, still; she was too busy sobbing.  This would be the last month she would have on the farm.

                Daniela’s parents were sending her off to a boarding school where she would be able to learn and compete in sports.  The boarding school was for kids who were crippled in some sort of way; the people there would create sports that the kids would be able to compete in.  Daniela hated the idea; she hated the thought of leaving her farm and the animals on it.  She hated the thought of leaving her friends and her family behind, and then she remembered Buddy.  She lowered herself down the ladder and sat in the dirt beside the loyal canine.  He nuzzled her hand and she stroked his soft head dreading the day when she would leave.

                Two weeks later Daniela stood on the porch with her suit cases lying beside her and Buddy lying at her feet.  He knew something was wrong but she would have never guessed that her leaving would bring him much pain.  She knelt down and squeezed his neck then, said goodbye and boarded the bus.  As the bus pulled away she looked back and saw her mother struggle to hold Buddy back. He was trying to leap out of her arms, barking frantically attempting to follow Daniela.  She turned away with the very familiar feeling of tears running down her face trying to forget but knowing she never could.  “I’ll be home soon.” She quietly promised Buddy then fell asleep.

                The second night at the boarding house she received a call from her mom.  “What is it like there, honey?”  Daniela’s mom asked.

                “Awful.”

                “No honey really what is it like?”

                “I told you awful, there are no animals, no woods, no hay, and everyone here is nice but they treat us like babies, then the girls really do believe that they should be treated that way and expect everyone to show them favoritism.”

                “Oh Daniela, try to like it there I am sure it is better than going to public school here.”

                “Then why don’t you homeschool me?”

                “You know we can’t do that, we have enough to do with your dad working two jobs and taking care of the farm and me teaching at the elementary school.”

                “Mom what’s wrong?”  Daniela asked, she knew something was wrong because her mom’s voice sounded more stressed than usual.

                “We just miss you is all.”  She sighed Daniela could tell it was a lie.

                “Why aren’t you telling me?”  Daniela accused.

                “It’s Buddy,” Daniela’s mom began and Daniela wasn’t sure if she wanted to hear the rest.  “He was searching for you all day after you left and all the next day.  When we got up this morning he was gone; the mailman said he saw him running down the road you left on.”  Daniela stood by the phone stunned, her best friend was missing.  He had come after her, and she would probably never see him again, “You still there sweetie?”  Her mom asked on the other end of the line.

                “Ya,” She muttered weakly, “I have some homework I need to do, bye.”  She hung up the phone, she had told a lie, they hadn’t even started classes yet but she was too mad to continue talking with her mom.  Her mom let her best friend just run away and hadn’t found him yet, now he was probably going to die by getting hit by a car or caught and have some needle injected into him.  Daniela shivered, she had to find him.  After everyone had fallen asleep she grabbed the backpack she had packed with food and blankets and snuck away.

                Getting away from the boarding school was easier than Daniela thought; maybe the people there thought that because the kids were crippled in some way they wouldn’t try to run away, they were wrong.  It was a good thing she had woken up after the bus left her town or she wouldn’t have remembered the roads they took to the school.  She silently rejoiced because she had such a great memory, and followed the exact roads they took until she became weary and her knee started hurting her.  Daniela found a place in some woods to sleep and pulled out a sleeping bag then drifted off.

                When Daniela woke up she saw lights shining through the trees; there were voices that sounded far off but as soon as she shook herself awake she realized they were all around her.  There were people in the woods calling her name and as she looked back in the direction of the road she saw blue and red lights.  How would she be able to find Buddy if they took her back?  She sat there for a moment after she rolled her sleeping bag up then decided she would have to sneak farther into the woods.  Daniela wondered how she could sneak past the policeman when they had flashlights and would shine them on her if she moved, then an idea popped into her head.

                Ten minutes later Daniela turned off the flashlight that helped her sneak past the policemen.  She had hoped that if she turned on her flashlight the policemen would think she was one of them, and wouldn’t pay attention to her, she was right.  Now she was following some old railroad tracks that she knew would eventually lead past her town.  Her and Buddy used to follow them occasionally.  She made sure she kept close to the bushes so she could dive in them if anyone happened to come along.  No one, however, thought to look for her at the abandoned tracks.

                Once again Daniela’s leg made her stop to rest; she sat down on some rotting railway ties and pulled a sandwich out of her backpack.  She finished up the sandwich quickly then sat in silence for a moment.  Daniela was about to resume her trip when she heard a whimper, she paused for a second and heard nothing, but when she was about to continue she heard it again.  It sounded like the sound was coming from inside the woods and it sounded distinctively like a dog.  She rushed into the woods as fast as she could, hoping, and dreading that it could be Buddy; then the rain started.

Daniela knelt down and picked up the sopping furry body; the rain was pouring down but it didn’t compare to how fast the tears were flowing down her face.  She tried to regain her balance after she tripped on a tree root; the weight of the animal in her arms seemed to be growing heavier with each step.  Her best friend lay in her arms; it was just two weeks ago that Buddy had been comforting her while she was hurting.

                Daniela struggled to make it to the road, she knew the police would be there waiting for her, all she had to do was make it there.  She stumbled along in the woods for half an hour before she caught sight of the road.  She fell to her knees beside the road and pain shot up her leg like a wild fire, but she ignored it.  Her only thought was Buddy; she laid him beside her and looked to see what was wrong.  Even with the rain blurring her vision, Daniela knew what had been causing blood to pour from Buddy’s shoulder.  It was a bullet wound, deep and infected with puss oozing out of it.  She stifled a cry as she used a clean piece of cloth to tenderly clean the wound; it made her want to puke.

                Daniela sat by the roadside for twenty minutes before she saw the flashing lights approach; she knew help was there.  She looked down at Buddy, stroked his head, and told him help was coming.  He gazed back up at her with pain in his eyes, whimpered, and then tenderly licked her hand before he dropped his head back to the ground.  With one last heavy sigh, Daniela’s faithful and never criticizing friend, breathed no more.  Just then the lights appeared beside her and she felt strong arms lift her up off the ground.  Voices swirled around her and a blanket drooped over her but none of that mattered, because her only friend was gone.

                Three days later Daniela had been released from the hospital with the doctors saying that her parents should watch her cold, in case it turned into pneumonia.  All she did was lie on the porch swing where Buddy would lie with her, if he was still alive.  He had been buried by their favorite spot, by the creek and now Daniela would never visit there.  Slowly she allowed her life to ease away; she acted the same, day to day hoping no one would notice.  No one did notice until it was time for her to leave, by then she was too far gone.  She miraculously made her way to where Buddy was buried, laid her head beside him, and prayed that God would watch over her family while she was gone.

                Daniela’s parents knew she had been sick for a long time, they had hoped she would live long enough to make it through her young life.  They never realized she was slipping away from them in her last days, because she would hide it excellently.  But, when they found her body lying peacefully beside Buddy’s grave, they knew their mistake.  They mourned her loss and praised God for the time she had lived, they knew until her accident Daniela’s life was full of happiness and adventure.  Now she was embarking on the greatest adventure she could dream of.  Yes her parents mourned for their daughter, but they also rejoiced for they knew her pain was over, and her best friend would be there to guide her way.

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Now that my vacation is over I am really busy, my posts won't be as frequent. sorry