Prologue

Life goes by so fast that if you’re not careful and blink you’ll miss the important events. Little did I know, I could lose everything in a blink of an eye. It’s a sad truth be told, my parents died when I was eight years old. Before all the pain and sad memories and before all of this, all I could remember was my innocence toward this beautiful yet ugly world I call home. I remember the warm smell of sweets that had drifted in the air, along with the sunshine that would peak through as I lay in my bed and glance at the window. Not to mention, the gentle breeze that seemed to welcome the morning dew, as if it was saying;

“Ariel it’s time to wake up and greet the day with a smile”.

Of course, these memories are nothing but pain that had stricken and overwhelmed myself with fear and emotion. How could I, become close to another individual? How could I, learn to love another? Please understand that this is my story of how I rose through the flames and crawled through the the ashes. I used to be a Daughter, a Sister and lastly a Mother. But these days… it seems as if it was all a blur, but do not worry, I won’t bore you with a sad tale instead I’ll tell you my story, the story of ‘The cards I was dealt’.

It was the year of 1994, one week before Christmas, my mother and my father had plans for our family to travel to Connecticut to visit our grandmother in Brookfield. My family lived in Boston Massachusetts, the city that never sleeps. I remember my childhood home being with such laughter that even the neighbors would stand to be jealous. My mother, oh how I miss my mother, she was as beautiful as the midnight sky. Her hair was a beautiful golden color, with her eyes as blue as the sea. I believe, my father stole her from Aphrodite. Of course, father would glare at the sight if another man was to catch a glimpse of mother. All I could do was laugh considering, it was so clear that they loved each other dearly.

My mother you see, was a very kind woman she reminded me of the sun since her warm-heartedness could fill an entire room. I could recall one particular night; I had awoken from my sleep shrieking from the depths of my soul. It was from a sickening nightmare that even the devil had seemed to slither within my night terrors. My mother had always said, I was gifted with a strange gift. That I could foresee the future however, I contemplated, it was more like a curse, in otherwards… a nightmare. But as I screamed out in my sleep;

“Mother, Father please don’t go. Do not… leave me in this world alone. Where darkness can swallow me whole. I do not want to be forsaken.”

My tears are like the never-ending canal, and I couldn’t prevent myself to stop crying. The fear had tormented my mental state of mind so profoundly to where my bedsheets felt saturated and damp. I had visualized disturbing images; it was a puddle of unfathomable red that reeked of iron that appeared to drift near me. As I stand there looking down in interest to comprehend where the unfathomable red subsisted from. I have never seen water in the shade of red before. As I reach down to touch the mysterious liquid, I had noticed a brackish smell. My hands grazed down across the surface causing a ripple effect, the smell seemed to intoxicate and cloud my judgement as to what this could be. I quickly elevated my hand, traumatized while watching the liquid hastening down from my fingertips. Rushing past the palm of my hand, dripping back down to the ground where the unfathomable red puddle kept creeping past. It was at that moment, I looked up… and in the distance I saw two figures resting to what it seemed to be… on the concrete road. A woman with long beautiful hair facing my direction, it appeared as if her vision was fixated in my direction. I could see her lips slowly moving as I tried to make out… what she was, trying to say.

“Run… Run Away, please Ariel run as fast as you can. Get away, they are coming for you and I cannot save you”.

The red moon had casted a dark silhouette upon her face making it problematic to identify her facial features. Yet she seemed so memorable, and I did not… know why.

Of course, It was the never-ending images that was conscious inside my soul. I could not, shake the events as I shudder at the thought of my nightmare. I had felt, overwhelmed with pain, and stricken with grief. It appeared as if my mother was the only one who could subdue my fear. I look up and heard the door to my bedroom slightly opening... making a vague creaking noise. Struggling to turn over, considering the covers were somewhat entangled around my small body. The tears trickled down my face, while noticing a glimpse of light, cracking through the door while her shadow casted upon the floor of my bedroom. It was my mother, her voice was as sweet as honey,

“My love. My sweet child, are you having another nightmare?” “Do not worry, I am here.” “I will cast away the demons, as I shall cast away your grief and your sorrow.” “Because I love you my sweet… sweet child.”

She continued to tell me,

“Do not be afraid because my love is superior to the immense ocean. Where the sun twinkles upon the waters. I shall make you feel warm again.”

She proceeded to ask,

“My sweet child would you like me to sing you a lullaby? Do not be afraid your mother is here.”

I remember her, positioning her hand on my forehead. Running her fingers throughout my hair with such gentleness that had calmed my heart. At that moment, it appeared as if, my tears had melted away within the darkness. I was safe again, and I was home, and at that second, I was unafraid. Not even the devil stands a chance against my sweet mother for she would cast away darkness with just one touch. Along with a smile that would forever ignite a light within my heart. Such sweet memories truly hold a special place within my soul and how I wish I could see my mother again. Just the thought of not seeing her, is overwhelming. I guess even back then as a child I had already foreseen My parents’ death. I repeated to the vast, echoing distance,

“What a strange card I was dealt.”

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