This was then, this is now.

chapter 3

Wendy wakes up, opens her eyes to her room filled with darkness. she forces herself to get off her bed and turns on the light. she  lets out a big yawn and stretches, walks over to the window and opens the curtains, the summer's sun shines through the window bringing light to the drawing of her mum and her dad holding her hands as a little kid. the walls covered with different drawings, ones she drew and ones she would print out from the library.

After the age of 7, Wendy stopped going to school, she would be called smelly windy because she would come to school with dirty clothes, clothes her mum would get from the trash outside of the apartment. Wendy could go days without taking a bath or brushing her teeth, she did not know what a tooth brush was up till the age of 13 when the state came to her. her father, Michael was the one that had made the call, he was a history teacher in college by he would sneak beer into class, give the students random work on things that would be on the schedule.from the start of the academic year, micheal would have 20 history students to non at the middle of  January. he was fired for his lack of discipline and enthusiasm for the subject he loved the must.

At the age of 14, windy would roam the streets at daytime hiding from the police who would come searching for her to take her back to the foster home. she didn't like the idea of being in a house filled with people that she didn't know, sharing a room , making sure you get to dinning table first so that others don't eat your potion of food or less she would go to bed with an empty stomach. she would get forced to bath,windy didn't see the point of getting yourself wet. she had seen other kids put dome stick in their mouth when she asked what they were doing , they would laugh at her. one girl spilled all the toothpaste on her hair and told her it would make her smell better. this was the first time she was at a foster home, she ran away from there  and never went back.

The day she ran away from the foster home, she found a refuge with a homeless man who had a dog named puddle. she later found out that he was a veteran, who served in the war of Vietnam. the homeless mans' name was Josh, he had made it short after he came back from the war and found out that there had been a big protest against the war. during that protest his house had been burnt down, it was given to him after his father died of protest cancer and his mother had died while given birth to him so he was raised by his father who was a police officer.

wendy was amazed at how a brave man like josh was able to risk his life for his country and get nothing back in recognition. as Josh told his life story, she started to think of her own destiny.

why was i brought into this world for? josh over here seemed to have his life all sorted out but could'nt seem to get any one to support him and now he is stuck over here in the cardboard box as his shelter in this place under the bridge where people driving in the speed way seem to throw their leftovers at.what is my purpose? why did my dad call the state to come and take me? were they not ready to have a kid? was i a mistake?  what am i to make of  myself?

"ey kiddo" josh shove her

"get your head off the clouds they wont help you, you got to face reality, everyone you see out there is busy with their own lives they can not afford to stop living for someone like you . so what ever it is that you are thinking you better wipe it off your head cause no one will come and help you." josh says while searching through the pile of leftovers  in front of him.

Wendy smiles at the thought of no-one wanting to find her. she could roam the streets freely without been scared that the police would get her one day.she thinks of a question to ask josh but thinks against it .He might say something stupid like "beats me, i've done my job in this world and did'nt get no notice of it." despite that she  builds up the courage to ask  the question, one that has been bothering her for a long time.

"josh?"

"hmmmh" eating on a plastic bag.

"why were we brought into this world?" she says it rather quickly that josh make out what she had said. 

After a couple minutes of silence which seemed like hours for Wendy, Josh finally answers.

"life is like a video game where the world has already been created by the player, the player choses the kind of people he would like in his game world, build everything he thinks that they would need to live their lives. what happens to the people he has no control over he watches them as they live their lives and only intervenes when they need help."  Josh looks at Wendy and sees the confusion she has on her face. he smiles.

"let me put it simple for you, we were brought into this world to make something of ourselves take me as an example. i lived my childhood playing football and war video games with my friends we later on applied for the war and they all died and i was left alive. i questioned that. i didn't know the reason why it was them that had died not me. i had thought of so many reasons, maybe God wanted me to witness a change in the world some bullshit like that. or maybe i would be noticed for my bravery and be awarded but no. so to answer your question young Wendy, life is like the battle field you have to fight to survive i didn't do so well and look where its gotten me. nowhere " he bows his head and closes his eyes.

Wendy blamed herself for asking the question, but she wanted to know the reason why she was brought into this world. 

i guess Josh over here does'nt have the answer im looking for. i cant stay here all of my life there has to be something more than this. i want to see the world for what it is not from over here under the bridge. i need to find my way back home pops should still be living  in that apartment.