Beauty from the Broken

Bloody fists flying towards me, people yelling incoherently, someone screaming in pain…wait that’s me screaming, my hip feels like it is on fire, why won’t the pain go away? Please, make the people stop yelling!....then its silent all you can hear is a baby crying. Then I see him….NO GOD NO!!! PLEAS…

“STOP!!!!!” I wake myself up screaming, my hands instinctively go to my left hip and stomach. “Tay?....Tay love, it’s alright you were just dreaming hon. I am right here baby” Alex says trying to comfort me. She looks sad and worried. As soon as she sees that I am fully awake, she reaches over and wraps me in her arms. All the tension I felt disappears the moment I feel her touch.

You are probably confused right now huh? Alright let me start at the beginning….My name is Taylor Kristol. I am now 21 but I guess all the important parts of my life story start when I was 19 and working as a waitress at a local hotel. I went into work one day not expecting it to be any different than any other day; little did I know it was the day that would forever change my life.

*2 Years Ago*

Damn it! I am going to be late again! I jumped out of my car and ran as fast as I could into the employee entrance of the hotel. I clocked in as fast as I could….”1 minute to spare, sweeeet!”

“Damn, Taylor. In a hurry much??”

“Oh….Heeeeyyy Spencer! Didn’t see you there, sorry” I admitted sheepishly to my coworker who I have come to consider my friend.

[Spencer] “I figured. So are you working in the dining room or the ballroom tonight?”

[Me] “Ballroom, you?”

[Spencer] “Same. I finally get to work a party! Yay”

[Me] “haha, nice! It’s gonna be fun! We are working with Amy too, it’s like a reunion!” Amy is the parties’ manager. Her and Spencer were the people who trained me and we worked parties together for like 3monthes before I stayed with parties, Spencer moved to the dining room, and Amy switched to day shift. It has been about 3 weeks since we have worked together which means it’s been about three weeks since we have seen each other for more than just passing by.

*2 Hours Later*

I still did not suspect anything, the night was still as normal as ever. The bar staff were all arguing amongst themselves about pay, workload, and anything else under the sun. Gossip was still flying around, the general manager was still coming in trying to take charge when he didn’t know what was going on, and me, Spence, and Amy were still working our asses off.

[Amy] “Taytay” Amy is always calling people by everything BUT their real name it doesn’t bother me though, I actually think it’s kind of endearing. “How is section B doing? Do you need any help?”

See the party we were working was in the Ballroom. Now the Ballroom is broke up into four sections; A, B, C, and Floor. Amy was working floor and A, Spencer was working C, and I had B.

[Me] “Um, it’s about done. I can handle it, thank you though” J

[Amy] “Okay, well as soon as that’s all done you can head home since you work first in the morning. Spency and I can handle the rest” She looks over at Spence who kind of appeared out of nowhere it seems “Right spency?”

[Spence] “Definitely Aims”

[Me] “Alright well then I will go get that done and see yall tomorrow. Thanks Spence Aims” hmmm…I guess Amy rubbed off on us. We seem to be using nicknames a lot too J

I walked over into B and finished it all up. I put the oval tray full of dirty dishes and napkins on my shoulder then expertly balanced it with one hand while using the other to clear myself a path through the semi or completely drunk people who were too into the music, drinks, and/or their dates to notice me.

As I was walking away I heard yelling…and it was not the normal yelling that you hear at parties. You know the yelling that is just to be heard over the booming music? Yeah, this was definitely not that kind! I cannot tell you what was being yelled because I can’t remember it at all; I can only remember it was very angry sounding.

I turned around to see a young guy probably about 22 or so with an expression that I can only describe as hate and anger. He seemed to glaring at me….what?? Oh wait there is a guy to my left.  He looks just as angry if not more….oh no wait, now he looks scared actually more accurately terrified. Why is he scared?? I look back at the first guy, HOLY SHIT!! He has a fucking gun!