I was 5 years old. Nobody that age should experience anything close to death. My parents were towed away on a gurney. I stayed away. I managed to survive the crash, just before the explosion.
Why me? Why? I laid underneath a bench across the street. Until I saw the red and blue lights disappeared, I moved my self out from under the bench. I had no idea what to do. I mean, what should a 5 year old do when they're parents are gone. I'm just a helpless toddler.
I sat alone on the bench, just waiting, and waiting, and waiting. When winter came around, I roamed the streets. Looking for warmth, and comfort. I come across this fancy restaurant called "la salle à manger." As a small child, I had no idea what that meant but I stayed by the window. Hungry as I was, I just stared at the people eating their gourmet food on a silver platter.
The couple at the window stared at me, in a disgusted look. They pulled down the curtains, to keep me from staring straight at them.
I looked down at my old shoes, black and torn up from walking almost everywhere. My shirt was dirty from wearing it for months. The jeans I was wearing rose above my ankles. I was growing, but that's normal.
Digging through the trash cans was my only hope. Food, clothes, maybe even shelter. Who knew a little box could make me so happy. I laid under there, wondering... What am I doing? What am I suppose to do? The same questions. Over and over again.
I heard footsteps walk by. People rushing by. I watched the snow fall slowly. Shivering, holding my knees to my chest. I caught a snowflake onto my finger tip. I then saw a shadow tower over me.
It as a woman, with bags in her arms, staring down at me with awe. She wore a dark red cloak and a pair of black earmuffs, she had a scarf wrapped around her neck and mittens on as well. I scoot back farther into the box like a scared puppy. She kneeled in front of the box, setting her bags down, holding out a hand. She gave me a careful and gental look.
I took her hand slowly. She rose me from the box into her arms. I heard her heart beating as my ear gentally rested on her chest. She looked at me in her arms, she grabbed her groceries bag.
She smiled at me. "Do you got a name young little man?" Her voice was soft and calm.
I just stayed in silence, not wanting to say anything. She just kept smiling at me, as for me I leaned away sort of in fear because of the way she was staring at me.
We walked into a clothing store. It was warm when we walked in, the people greeted her, like she's been there before. She set me down beside her, grabbing on to her cloak, not wanting her to leave me. She chuckled as she looked through the racks of clothes. The people were staring at me, it was creepy but there was nothing I could do about it.
The woman held down a small blue tee shirt with a rocket on it, down in front of me. I looked up at her, sticker out my bottom lip and nodded.
She also bought a green jacket, new dark gray jeans, and small black converse. New clothes? I smiled as I kept hold of the woman's cloak. We waited in the check out line till it was out turn. "And how did you find everything?" The man asked as he scanned the clothing, placing them into a plastic bag.
"Just fine thank you Jake." She smiled, pulling out her wallet. She slide her card into a machine, pushing a bunch of buttons. I watched her, she picked up the bags, leaving the store. I followed her to a car close by. She buckled me in the back seat and then hopped into the drivers seat.
We arrived at a small yellow house decorated with lights and stars. I stayed in the car, quietly. She unbuckled me, holding me in her arms. "Now don't worry, I'll get ya all cleaned up." She smiles, poking my little nose.
She warmed up a bath for me. I sat on the floor playing with a toy boat that was red and white. I played around with it for a few moments till the woman slipped off my dirty tee. I walked around shirtless with the boat still in my hands. Once I was fully undress she set me in the tub. The water was shallow where it badly touched my shoulders. I splashed around in the tub floating the boat around.
The woman looked at me. Pouring a cup of water over my very dark brown hair. "My name is Dalilah." She spoke, squirting shampoo into my hair.
I closed my eyes and held my breath. She finished rinsing my hair, then began to brush the dirt off my skin.
"How long have you been out there darling?" She asked softly. Picking me up from the tub and wrapping me in a blue soft towel.
I yawned and rubbed my eyes "I don't know..." I said.
Dalilah dried my hair and body. She grabbed a pair of red footy pajamas. "This used to be my nephew's when he was your age." As she slipped them on me she zipped it up and kissed my for head.
After awhile we had some chicken soup and watched a movie.
Dalilah told me that she couldn't have kids and she always wanted one for her own. I couldn't understand what she was talking about, at my age. But I listened anyways as I drank some apple juice from a box. She told me that she worked at a hospital and she won't be home for a few hours, on Monday through Friday. She just assumes I'm old enough to take care of myself at age 5, which is not true. But I nodded in agreement anyways, even though I had no idea what she was talking about.
I passed out later. I was half awake when I felt someone lift me and set me down in a bed. A kiss laid on my forehead and a door sound closed.
Crazy as it seems, I thought I was gonna be dead. But if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be alive right now. I would've died in the cold, freeze to death. I wish I had the guts to say....
Thank you Dalilah.
