Dwelling place

Chapter 2

Patricia was gathering flowers for her mother.  She used to collect wild roses for her mother when she was a kid. She was following a yellow butterfly when she had a glimpse of a boy sitting on the protruding stone behind a big tree. His messy hair had dried grass and his face was covered by dirt. The boy was sobbing.

Patricia was afraid to come closer because she was afraid that he was a ghost. But her curiosity won. She slowly walked toward the boy. “Are you lost?” she asked innocently.

The boy was shocked to see her. “You can see me?” the boy asked while sobbing.

“Of course, you are not a ghost, right?” Patricia moved closer and touched him to assure that he is not transparent.

“Who told you I am a ghost?” the boy wiped his tears and stood up. “Brainless” he mumbled and started walking away.

“Get back here! You should learn manner! Mommy told me not to say things like that to anyone and never turn your back when somebody is talking” Patricia fumed. When the boy continued walking, she raced toward him and grabbed his back. “Can’t you hear me? I Said, GETTTTTT. BACKKKKKK. HEREEEEEEEEEEE!!!!”

She pulled back the poor boy. “Say sorry to me!”

“What is your problem, freak?” he bellowed while struggling to break free. “Let me go!”. He wagged his arm so hard that Patricia fell on the ground. She cried in pain. The boy continued walking, trying to ignore the cry of the aggressive girl. “She will stop crying soon”, he thought. When she did not, he walked back to see what happened to her. He saw that the girl has a blood at her right wrist.

“Mommy” Patricia shouted helplessly. She was afraid of blood.

“Are you okay?” he asked silently. “I am going to help you, but stop hurting me okay?”

She stopped crying at once and nodded. “Please help me. I am going to die”

The boy leaned and took a look at the wound. “You are not going to die. It is just a small wound, stupid” he wiped the blood with his cloth.

“Stop calling me those bad words” she yelled to his face.

“Sorry” he said. He helped her to stand up. “Stop yelling at me”

“My friend told me that an airplane will go out from the wound” she cried again

“That is not true so stop crying” he said impatiently. “I have to go now”

“What is your name?”. Patricia held out a hand “I am Patricia Amsterdam”

“Why do you care?” he suspiciously asked.

“Because we can be friends. Just stop calling me stupid” she sniffled. She grabbed his arm and said “Thank you for saving my life”

“You are not going to die, okay?” he said, amused by the so much innocence of the girl. He just allowed Patricia to shake his hand. “I am Jake Ross” he whispered.

“Where are your parents” she asked and let go Jake’s hand.

“My father died last month. My mother is locking herself in her room.” He said with a hint of sadness. He was biting his lower lip, trying not to cry again.

“I am sorry to hear that. Do you want chocolates? My mother bought many chocolates yesterday” she started dragging him.

On their way to her house, a good friendship started to form. Jake found a family to the Amsterdams that he will never have again. Jake enjoyed the innocence of the small girl, the care of Mr. Robert Amsterdam that reminded him his father and the cook of a very sweet Mrs. Linette Amsterdam. He felt that he will never be alone again.