Hidden Masks

Little Red: The Beginning of Being On Your Own

  Her favorite story of what she always heard from her parents at a young age with her older sister. "Little Red Hood and the Big Bad Wolf " was one of her many favorites as she was always the little girl that loved many fantasy books that were read to her when it time to go to bed. Marina was once in a part of a happy family that she loved very much and never wanted that life to end. Being the happiest one of the family as her sister was the quiet one who stayed by her side, The parents she loved very much, didn't know what was their real course of action for them to do something like that. There was a lot of things kept for Marina Elizabeth Archfield and her older sister but they never bothered to pick up something like that at a young age. Her parents were the ones that kept many secrets from them in order to keep them away from danger. All that mattered was that she had everything that she ever wanted just like any other children, she was happy and nothing could ever change that. Well that's what she expected it to be in her book. 

A Simple Disappearance Can Change Everything

  Left behind with her older sister of just eight years with Marina being half her age. Being in the kindergarten and her sister in the third grade, to be left alone at those ages was nothing but a puzzle that couldn't be solved. Confusion struck first when the first day came by with their parents not coming home. Why did we get picked up or what aren't they here at home they asked in their minds. They thought it had to involved with the job they had and had to stay behind because of it. There was nothing to worry about at sometimes because she had her sister by her side to keep her company.

"They'll come back home soon, I promise you, Marina. Our parents would never leave us,"

  The words that are constantly repeating in her mind as the day went by. There was nothing to worry about once she heard those words from her big sister. She put her trust but deep down she knew something was going on and she had no clue of it. She wanted to find out why was her sister looking more anxious and desperate for the need of their parents. But until that will hit her slowly as time tends to fly by. 

  The second day passed and no sign of them returning back home safely. While the girls are still going to school and the teachers not taking notice in the disappearance of their parents as well. Once gotten home, the both of them patiently waited for their parents to come home so that anxiety would go away. They never knew that depression would hit one of them and anxiety to the other.

  The days turned to weeks, months until they could only survive by the little money left and food. The desperation grew and grew for the need for the return of their parents but they didn't come back to them. Starting to run down on food supplies turned into a big concern as the girls barely survived on whatever was left in the refrigerator. Bigger life-threatening problems would sooner be one the of many things that they have to worry constantly. Despair could soon hit them any day and slowly eat the hope they had of their parents coming back home to them. 

 Those questions slowly became frequent of her asking the only person that she could rely on and last possible family that Elise know. But she didn't know that her sister was slowly breaking down due to the questions and not knowing what to do at all. She knew that her sister did not have any plans what so ever and the pressure to not have her sister be worried about it. To her not being the only one but Marina as well anxiety always being her top friend when alone.

"What are mom and dad are doing right, Valerie?" She asked her sister when they were heading off to bed, staring at the ceiling in the middle of the night. 

    She always asked but no answer was given at all which only brought anxiety and with that being her being her biggest challenge while growing up. Hiding behind that mask was nothing but a girl worrying terribly and breaking down when she alone from everyone else. No one sees the broken girl in the need of desperation to see her parents just one time to know that they are doing okay. The endless thoughts of what could of happening and they were always death no matter what which only worried the four-year-old.

 But the one thing that causes the attacks were nothing but being separated from her older sister. The one thing she wished that would never happen but of course, not everything can go as planned. 

"We'll never be apart, nothing will do that." Her sister always said to her to make calm but she knew that it would happen.

 Once they were found out about not them having parents no longer, the only option that was left for them was a foster home for them to find a so called family in her eyes. The foster place that always seems suspicious to her as it has depressing vibes to it. To some of the brothers and sisters being separated from each other so the one would be feeling sorrow for it. That would only separate them for the age difference and would go for her instead, leaving her sister behind. Fearing for that day to happen, she stayed as happy and calm to be with her sister for the time being. With her given a red small hoodie that she always wanted to get her small hands on it. The smile she made to her sister and relaxing her sister with her anxiety, she was finally little red and her sister always read that story to her for bed. She was quite happy to live in an orphanage, as long as she had her sister there was nothing that could make her sad. Of course, some days do not last that long with that happiness that she believed would stay with her. 

 Unfortunately, that day she thought wouldn't come at all had arrived when a couple were coming to pick a child. The day came sooner than she thought to herself and she was not ready to be herself or be without her sister at all. If only she could do something to change the path that was waiting for her without her sister. There was no turning back or no running away from this situation, only had to see her sister vanished for her life as she is being taken away from her. To find out that this is going to be the start of moving to another family to another until she feels safe. Not stopping until her sister would able to find her again and reunite once again. She would not forget the words that were last said to her before she left. 

"I have failed to keep us together, Marina," My sister looked at me with teary eyes as she hugged me. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But one thing I can promise is that I would not stop looking until I find you again. We will be back together so wait for me, Marina."