All Kinds of Kinds

New Hope

Maria had this yearning. A yearning that no one person could meet. For years she had heard of that free

country called America. A place to

worship freely. To be wanted. The

land of second chances. Wanting to

escape the old, crumby orphanage

and abuse, this new land seemed to

Be calling her name.

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Here I am again. In that same little world where no one cares, loves, or appreciates you, whatsoever. This is my only alternative to escape the reality of my life.

She hit me again. When will it stop?

Please, help me. Someone. Anyone.

Bruises mark myself up and down my arms and back. I cry myself to sleep.

Let's face it. I'm completely defenseless against the world and everyone and everything that's in it.

"Maria, come here?!" Mrs. Sheens demanded wondering where I had gone of to.

"Y...yes ma'am?" I said in a hushed tone, and avoiding eye contact.

"Go to the cellar and bring up all the glass jars immediately. I dare you to ask for help again! Last time that happened, someone didn't finished their job and it was all your fault." she hissed at me.

"Okay. I won't. I'm very sorry. That won't happen again." I hesitantly started walking backwards.

"Of course it won't." She murmured. "If it does you'll regret it. Let's get with it now!"

I carefully opened the door. It's creaking frightened me horribly. Ever since my mother died three years, it's been hard to cope with the fact that the comfort she gave me, won't be here anymore.

"Ahaaaaa! help, I can't get up!" I shrieked. Gasping for air, I called up the steps hoping someone would come. No one did. After twenty minutes of straining to catch my breathe since piles of boxes buried me on the ground, a cleaning worker heard me and carried me to my room.

I was left with a bruise on my calve. Mrs. Sheens never checked on me once. It hurt so bad. I wanted to be held, comforted, secure.

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Late that night, she quietly climbed out of bed and went outside. About a quarter of a mile away was a well that Maria went to every other night. This was the last place she had ever seen her mother.

I arrived and sat down and looked into the glistening water. I slipped my hand into my pocket and removed the weathered piece of paper from it. On it, was a map of America. Down in the left hand corner was the words:

" My dear sweet Maria, this is the land of second chances. A place where we will live one day. The place where we can call our home. Forever."

These were the only words I had left of her. The only thing left to hold on to. I wanted so badly to go and reach my mother's dream. I felt like it was my job to carry out her dream. Even if she couldn't now.

Remembering all this was heartbreaking. Tears started rolling down my face. I started out in space. I hugged myself and cried myself to sleep. No one will care where I am. They won't be looking for me that early in the morning. No one ever did seem to care anyway.

By the time I woke up the streets were streaming with people. I quickly made my way back to the orphanage.

Once I stepped in the doorway, a maid rushed in and scooped me up in her arms and started stripping me of my clothes. The next thing I knew was I was in a tub of steaming hot water and was being scrubbed down.