A Million Men [DISCONTINUED]

Time To Go Back Home

The next morning, Maggie checked the clock and read 8:30 a.m.
She knew she had to be at school by that time but after what happened the day before, she was not returning to her school anytime soon.

Maggie decided to get up and draw portraits of herself. She smiled at the thought of pinning it up on her wall and showing it to her mom.
She went through her drawer and found a pen and paper. First, she drew a circle then followed by a triangle below the head. It's her dress.

She continued to peacefully draw herself or well, the little girl wanted to be.
The little girl that lived with both her parents in a nice and clean house. A backyard that had beautiful green grass and a small playground in which she could play in at anytime. She could possibly also own a pet, a dog or a cat? She couldn't decide which one because she loved animals.

Why not draw both? She giggled and drew both of them standing right beside her.
Pushing her hair back and sticking out her tongue while slightly biting it, she drew the utopia she wished she could live in.

"Maggie!" yelled Mrs. Rodriguez, it's probably time for breakfast.
Maggie ran to the kitchen and saw what her mom made her.
Ramen. Maggie cringed at it but she knew she had to eat it, or she wouldn't eat at all.

She forcefully took spoonfuls of the jellylike ramen that was inside of the bowl that had chips of it broken off. Mrs. Rodriguez on the other end of the table, sipping her coffee .

"Maggie, I'm sorry for what I did yesterday," she let out a sigh, "We're going to have to move back with Cookie down south."
Maggie looked up and smiled.

Cookie or well, Aunt Cookie as Maggie liked calling her, was the main female pimp at the nightclub Mrs. Rodriguez used to work at.
She was way nicer than Mrs. Rodriguez, and Maggie believed that if she had to choose, she would choose Cookie over her mother any day.

Maggie was sad at the fact that she had to leave her school, Alice, and Ms. Rosenberg behind. She really liked going to school, especially since she was able to stay away from her mother. Oh well, time to make more memories with Cookie. She does not really know Cookie that well since she is only able to visit once a month, but that one day Maggie gets to spend with her, she appreciates all of it.

"But mommy, what about my school?" Maggie said in a low tone to her mother while giving a pouty lip.

"I don't know! We'll figure it out once we get there," Mrs. Rodriguez snapped at Maggie. Maggie let out a small sob and put down her spoon. She covered her face with her hands.

"C'mon Maggie, let's give you a bath," Mrs. Rodriguez got up and carried Maggie to the bathroom.

Mrs. Rodriguez gently brushed the loofah over Maggie's bruised back. She felt tears on her eyes.
What have I done?
She thought, this was caused by a monster.

A monster inside of her that she cannot control. The monster that takes over her fragile body that can barely make it through the day. A monster that makes it seem as if it hates little Maggie but in reality, the monster hates Mrs. Rodriguez. It is trying to destroy everything and everyone she holds dearly to. But no, she can't control it. Due to how heartbroken and beaten she is, she cannot beat that monster.

•••

Maggie started packing all her clothes, time to go back home. The place she was partially raised in. Back with the people who she considers family. But little did Mrs. Rodriguez know, there was a drug war occurring in that nightclub. Or well, a drug war that is about to happen in a matter of days. Don't blame her, not even the people in-charge of the place knew. They will get bombarded by drug dealers and they WILL kill for what they wanted and felt hunger for. Which were the money and drugs stolen from them.

"Maggie! Hurry up, we're about to leave!" Mrs. Rodriguez yelled out from the living room.
Maggie looked around her room once more. She's really going to miss her room. The room she would seek shelter in after the monster, that is her mother, would stop hurting her.
She looked behind the bedroom door and grabbed the drawing of her utopia. She bended back the sticker she had stuck on the door with and carefully folded the drawing. She hugged it and put it inside her pocket.

Maggie walked into the living room and saw her mom talking on the phone, two big black trash bags next to her. Mrs. Rodriguez noticed Maggie and smiled.

"C'mon baby, let's go," she smiles sweetly at Maggie. It was strange to Maggie, her mother was usually rude and violent toward her. She also started
to question, why are we leaving?
They were leaving because Mrs. Rodriguez does not want CPS banging on her door and then having to face jail time.
Oh and you're wondering why she's suddenly so nice to little Maggie?
Well, if she does get caught by CPS, at least Maggie will say that her mother had been nice to her.

Just more and more lies caused by the monster as it slowly eats up the understanding, loving, and motherly Mrs. Rodriguez. It's just a fragile white rose that continues to whither and get smaller as time goes by.