Sometime in the middle of the night, Maria begins dreaming.
She dreams she is in the large oak tree in front of the school, but instead, the leaves are a pink color, almost like a cherry blossom tree.
Her mom loved cherry blossom trees, they were her favorite.
"Is that why I'm here?" Maria asks herself as she sits on the topmost branch of the tree.
Maria is wearing a dress again,but this time it's a pinkish color that matches the tree. She feels the dress, it almost feels like silk, but not quite.
She feels like there is a presence beside her, so she glances over.
There is a faint outline of a person, but before she can make out who it is, Maria slips.
With her back facing the ground, she falls fast.
Fear consumes her.
"I don't want to die!" Maria thinks desperately.
"Do not be afraid, I will protect you, my dearest," a voice says.
The voice is soft, quiet even. It sounds almost like her mother's voice.
This calms Maria in the midst of all of this.
She breaks through the last branch, but doesn't hit the floor, she floats.
Maria opens her eyes, confused. She is at least two feet off the ground.
Without any noise but the wind, small pieces from the end of her dress start to drift away as pink leaves, and connect to the tree.
Maria begins to notice it's not just her dress, but her feet and hands too.
"It doesn't hurt, but what's happening?" Maria thinks confused.
Moments later, her feet were completely gone up to her ankles and her left arm is gone up to just below her elbow.
Maria feels the same presence beside her again.
It whispers in her ear, "I wish you could come with me, but you can't, not yet."
Then, all at once, the pieces of her dress, feet, and arms that are missing, go back to their rightful place and Maria falls to the ground. Only it's not the ground, it's her bed.
She sits up with a start.
What was that dream supposed to mean?
***************************************
Morning light seeps through Maria's closed window blinds.
Today is a Saturday, Maria had forgotten that last night when she told Alex she wanted to have another adventure.
But, of course, Alex already has something planned.
Maria looks over at her clock.
It's 9:23 AM.
She gets out of bed and goes over to her bathroom to wash her face, brush her teeth, and brush her hair.
"I don't have a reason to get changed and put makeup on," Maria thinks happily.
Just then, there is a small thump at her window.
Maria turns and slowly walks over to her window.
As she moves the dark blue curtains and white blinds out of the way, another thump echoes against the glass.
She looks out her window and laughs in joyful surprise. Alex is standing just below, throwing pebbles at her window to get Maria's attention .
Maria opens her window.
"Can I come up?" Alex asks.
Maria nods her head yes, then puts a finger against her mouth. signaling for him to be quiet.
He gives her a thumbs up, then climbs up using the gutter pipe that hangs against the house.
As he gets closer to the window, Maria steps back to give him space to climb in.
Alex climbs through the window, then shuts it behind him.
Maria suddenly remembers she doesn't have any makeup on and she is still in her pajamas.
"Oh God I look so ugly," she says to herself, but Alex hears it.
He spins and walks over to her, setting his hands on her shoulders.
"Never say such lies again," he whispers in a serious tone that takes Maria by surprise.
Before she can even open her mouth, she hears someone stomping up the stairs.
Her eyes widen and she shoves Alex into her closet.
"No matter what, you MUST not come out or make a noise, and DON'T do anything to draw attention to you," she gasps.
"Wha-" he starts, but she shuts he closet door on him.
Her dad starts banging on her door.
"MARIA!" He shouts.
Alex jumps in surprise in the closet, but he is the only one who can hear the clothes rattling around.
She rushes over to the door and unlocks it then opens it.
Her father stands there, half drunk half hungover.
"Y-yes?" She stammers.
"You didn't cook me dinner last night!" He snaps.
Maria flinches and whispers, "I'm sorry, I wanted to but you did-"
"YOU GOT WHAT YOU DESERVED!" He yells.
She stumbles back as he looms over her.
"Maybe I need to teach you another lesson!" He sneers, grabbing a belt.
"Please no," Maria whimpers.
All Alex could hear after that was the snapping of a whip-like object against flesh and Maria's screams.
Alex's anger grows with each snap and scream. He moves forward and sets his hand on the closet door handle.
"I'm sorry, I have to help you, Maria," he whispers to himself.
Suddenly, it's quiet.
Confused, Alex pushes the door open.
Maria is lying on the floor, covered in red marks from where her father hit her with what looks to be a belt.
Her father is nowhere in sight, and just then Alex hears the front door open and then slam shut.
"Oh my God," he whispers to himself as he crouches over Maria's scarred body.
Tears fill his eyes.
"I'm so sorry," he sobs.
YOU ARE READING
Strong
Teen FictionMaria Lake is an average senior in high school. She has her friends and she has her enemies. But, when her mother commits suicide and her father becomes abusive and begins drinking, how much does that really change her? She hides behind a fake smile...
