Blue Bloods

In George Orwell's Animal farm, he writes, "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others." In today's society we are taught "all men are created equal," and yet this quote still holds true. We are plagued by our desire to follow so much that when one strays too far from the herd we outcast them, and still as another follows we draw up our white picket fence and dehumanize them. It is only when a majority of the herd leaves do we finally acknowledge the change in precedence. We say, "We are not like those before us" despite the fact that we would do it again should the opportunity arise. We are so adherent to our lack of individuality that should our leader ask of us to slaughter ourselves we blindly follow. This is why Orwell's words are true even to this day. When a dramatic event takes place, we do not look twice if it is an outsider. But if it is our neighbor, friend or colleague we say "how can this be?" As a species, nation and person, we will never all be truly equal until we all stop following the one person who has made themselves an individual.

Susan Matthews became a mother at 19 years old after she chose her daughter's life over her boyfriend's choice. He abandoned them both in a small house outside of the capital. She never wanted to be a mother, however her sanctity for human life gave her the choice to continue onward. For 18 years she struggled alone as society changed and unraveled before her. The child, Azizah, grew to overcome many adversities during a time when women were thought to be no more than traded like cattle. She was taught by her mother how to read complex literature and advanced courses not allowed to be taught at the local schools. She expressed individuality through her public readings of banned books such as Mark Twain, Hemingway and Ray Bradbury. She excelled at the piano, passing beyond others in physics, chemistry and biology.

One cold November evening, Azi returned late from her classes. The darkened entry way brought a sense of unease to the already solitude surroundings. Rain salted the air and coated the vehicles. She dropped her book bag next to the bright yellow door. Azi remembered the spring her and her mother painted it. All the neighbors complained that it would decrease the value of the already decomposing neighborhood. In protest they painted the house from a slate gray, to a bright blue. Susan always said, "They can tell you to act a certain way, take away your rights and make you believe that you are nothing, but they can never take away your soul."

Azi thought it was odd for the porch light to be out. Even in these dark times her mother would leave it on incase a stranger needed help. Cautiously Azi unlocked and entered the blackened corridor. Pictures from her childhood littered every inch of wall space, some even scattered on the floors. She followed the mirrors of her past through the hallway to the kitchen in the back. Both the doors to the kitchen and sitting room were strangely shut and locked. She called out for her mother only to be echoed by the empty house. She tried again at the door, shining the light from her cell phone at the painted glass. Drops of an unknown substance was caked onto the door handle. She pressed harder against the door, but only able to slightly separate from the frame. Taking a few steps back, she gave it a running start.

The door broke open with a thunderous clash, Azi finding herself face first in a thick, sticky puddle on the ground. Lightning flashed in the distance, revealing the massacre which had unfolded. Several knives were stuck in the wall, blood sprayed across every surface, and of course the puddle which laid beneath her. Thunder rolled across the city, roaring over the terrified shriek which erupted from Azi. Rain clattered down as Azis' tears fell. Her voice trembled. "M-mom?" She called. She curled herself in a corner asking herself, why. Were they still here, she thought.

The floorboards above her groaned. A voice growled from above, "Where is it!" A crash erupted.

"We gotta go! The cops are on their way." A second voice warned. As lightning flashed, two bodies appeared in the kitchen. One man had his foot out the door, looking back at the second. "What is it?"

The second man stood frozen amidst the chaos. He sniffed the air, his crimson eyes glowing in the darkened room. A low growl echoed from deep in his chest. "I smell something."

"We don't have time! Let's go Marquis!"

"Where are you little girl." His eyes scanned the room like a hawk searching for its prey. The other man had disappeared into the night. The man, Marquis, swore under his breath as sirens wailed in the background. "I'll come back for you."

His promise chilled her. A new voice could be heard through the front door. A stranger announcing his presence ordered for the door to be opened. Azi couldn't move, the room started spinning around her as the lights came on. "C-can't. Breath." She gasped out.

"Hold on, EMT is on its way." A tall man in an officer's outfit grasped her shoulders. "Dispatch this is Rodriguez responding to a possible 10-16, we have a 23-19 at 1408 Dolphin drive. Possible 11-3, requesting a bus."

A gruff voice responded. "What in tarnation are you talkin' 'bout ya damn Mexican? You knows we don't got no damn codes!"

"That domestic disturbance. It's a fucking bloodbath in here. I need EMT, there's a girl here who looks like she's in shock. Hell... send everyone you got." He responded, his face reddened. "Fucking redneck." He mumbled.

Paramedics showed up quickly. She was cleaned off when it was realized that she was not injured and sat in their ambulance until the police could question her. She was unable to tell them anything, Azi was still terrified from the promise Marquis had left. Many officers tried to get something, anything out of her.

"She's in shock, she probably won't be much use to you while she's like this." The paramedic warned.

"We need something, for all we know she's responsible for what happened." One officer claimed.

"I understand, but she is shut out like a light right now. Probably doesn't even know what happened to her mother. Poor girl." He mumbled. "She needs to go to the hospital."

A black SUV rolled onto the scene. Three people in professional attire climbed out. A tall white man got out of the driver's seat. His dark hair matched the night sky. His face held strong features, his eyes ever piercing the scene. He whispered into the other man's ear. His skin was of a mixed decent, uncommon in this area. His bald head shined in the light of the street lamps. Azi recognized his soft features. She sprinted out of the ambulance, officers yelling and chasing after her. She couldn't help herself, she needed to be close to someone she knew, someone she loved. She rushed into the man's arms, remembering his scent of the ocean overwhelmed her. She felt calm and safe in his arms. "Jason," she whispered. Azi felt a warm hand on the back of her head as he embraced her.

"Azizah." He kissed her forehead.

"I'm s-sorry J-Jason. I c-couldn't stop them." Tears welled up within her, unleashing the stream of tears on his gray shirt.

"Shh, baby girl it's alright." He comforted her.

"You know her?" An officer asked.

"Yeah," he replied. "Come on Azi, let's go sit down." She couldn't though, before she knew it she was spilling every detail she could remember from the night. When asked to identify the two men, all she was able to remember was Marquis' crimson eyes. Other officers scoffed at that detail, and wondered if I was delusional. When one asked if she was on drugs, Jason quickly made him feel worthless.

"I'm so useless." Azi cried. "I can't even help you find the bastard that did this." He gritted his teeth, but let the swear slide.

"You're not useless," he comforted her. "You've been so helpful. Now let's get you to the hospital, get you checked out.