Gateways

A Sparkle in her Mind

"Where the hell do you think you're going?! Get Back here!" A loud voice screamed down at a young woman.

She turned and shot the person a dirty look. She wiped the blood from her nose and screamed back. "No! Fuck you!" 

The girl then took off running down the street. Everything she owned shoved in black garbage bags and thrown into the back of her 1999 Honda Civic. The only thing she had left from her father. She let that bastard hit me again! And she thinks I'm coming back?! Fuck her. Shitty excuse for a mother. She thought to herself as she shoved her stuff into the backseat.

After struggling to make sure nothing expensive was showing, she locked the car and walked into the Chinese take out. The woman behind the counter smiled. "How are you today? The usual?" She said sweetly.

The girl smiled and nodded as she sank into her usual spot by the window. She noticed her reflection and saw that the bruise was coming up. Ugh... That ones gonna take a few days to go away. I hope I have enough makeup to last me... my boss won't like it. She thought winching at the pain of her poking the bruise.

"Honey Chicken Wings with French fries and a homemade ice tea.... its on the house today, April. When you're done, head upstairs and take a shower. Don't let Baba see you like that though. He may kill your stepfather this time." The woman said softly to April as she sat the tray of food down.

April nodded and began to eat. She winched again at the pain in her mouth. Oh right... he socked me in the mouth as well. She tried to fight back the tears that welled up in her eyes but she couldn't stop them from falling. "Thanks again Mrs. Zhao. I'll pay you back... one day." April said hiding her tears.

Mrs. Zhao sat next April and smiled. "Feeding you every once in a while, will not kill me or Baba. Your father was like a son to us. Which makes you our granddaughter." She said.

April tried once again not to cry but couldn't stop. She dropped her food and threw her face into her hands. How can outsiders love me and my own mother hate me? She thought.

Suddenly the backdoor slammed open and a middle aged man came to the counter. "There's my April... What happened?! Did that beast touch you again? That piece of shit!" Baba said out loud as he raced out of the storefront. 

"Oh no! April go get Xavier! I'll try to stop Baba!" Mrs. Zhao shouted as she ran out of the store.

April locked the door and then ran towards the back of the store. From there she ran up the fire escape and into the apartment building where the Zhao's lived. She reached their apartment and ran to Xavier's room. He was the Zhao's only grandson. "Xavier! Xavier come quick!" April screamed while banging on his door. 

Xavier swung open the door and glared at April until her noticed her bruise. "Did that prick hit you again? SHIT! BABA!" He shouted as he took off with April running right behind him.

When April and Xavier finally made it back to where April's mother and step father lived, Baba was arguing with the man. It was a strange scene. Baba was about 5'8 and weighed less than 150 lbs. April's stepfather was around 6'4 and was easily double Baba's weight. Though that didn't stop Baba from dropping April's stepfather. With a quick right to the chin, Baba dropped him. "I told you to stop hitting that girl! She is 17! And you are a sorry excuse of a mother! That is why you have not been blessed in life since CJ's passing! You disrespect his honor by allowing this DOG to hit her!" Baba screamed at April's mother.

April and her mother locked eyes. April quickly turned away. She's gonna try to make me come back. Then he's gonna really beat me up. April thought to herself frightened.

April's mother saw the fear in her daughter's eyes. She wondered if she saw the fear in hers. This man is gonna kill one of us... I'd rather it be me. One day she'll forgive me. One Day she will understand. I didn't choice this. Her mother thought quickly. "Y'all can have her ass then! She ain't worth a damn anyway! C'mon Damien! Get up!" She said as she helped her husband to his feet.

The stepfather pushed the mother away causing her to fall. He turned to April and barked "Don't let me ever see your dumbass around here again! I'll blacken the other eye! Fuck y'all looking at?! Get inside Sheree!" He shouted as he pushed April's mother inside the building.

April knew that it was likely she would never see her mother again. Tears welled up in her eyes and she tried to take off running only to be stopped by Mrs. Zhao. "It's OK. Let's go home."

The next couple of weeks were stressful for April. She had heard that Damien had beat up her mother twice. Each time the neighbors called the cops and each time Sheree said there was nothing wrong. Can't save those who don't wish to be saved. Is all April could remember hearing her grandmother say. 

"Mrs.Zhao, I'll be back later! I'm going to the pier with some friends from school! It's our last senior outing!" April said while running out the door. She glanced up at the kitchen window as she was getting in her car and saw Mrs. Zhao waving to her. She waved back happily and drove off.

She decided to call her friend Wendy, to make sure that she was going to the right place. "Hey Wennie, Is everyone meeting at the docks still? which one again?" She asked as she was trying to set up the directions on her phone.

Wendy laughed "Nah no docks today. Trevor is afraid someone, aka Anthony, is gonna push him into the shallow water again. So where going to meet by Central Park. Is that cool?" she asked.

"Umm sure. I'll see you guys there!." April said as she hung up. She let out a groan and thought Wish they had said something earlier! I would have taken the train. Now I'm going to have to waste a couple minutes and hope I find some parking. 

After driving around for nearly an hour, April finally found parking. The only problem was that it put her nearly a mile away from where her friends said to meet up. As always, I am going to be late due to them changing the plans last minute, again. Watch Jess claim this isn't true. It probably was her who decided to switch at the last moment... AGAIN! She thought angrily to herself. Soon she found herself walking through a part of central park she had never seen before.

"Wow. This is pretty as hell. Is this a garden or something?" she asked out loud. 

She was standing  in front of a strange garden she had never seen before in central park. 
The garden had many statues of people she could tell weren't supposed to be human. "What is this a fairy garden? In the middle of central park?" she said.

As she was walking through the strange garden, she was in complete awe of all the flowers that where everywhere. Roses in colors she had never seen, daisies, lily's, giant sunflowers and soo many colorful bushes of flowers she had never seen before. How have I never seen this before/1 this place is sooo beautiful and serene. She thought to herself. 

After a few minutes of walking, she found a strange pond in the middle. She noticed beautiful koi fish swimming around in the pond but, they were unlike any she had ever seen. Koi fish come in these colors? Since when did they come in vibrant pinks and blues? She thought bewildered at the sight. She also noticed a silver frog and golden turtles. "Ok, I need to get the hell away from here. Must be a gas leak somewhere!" She said out loud to herself as she turned to leave.

When April turned, there was a very handsome young man blocking her path. She couldn't help but stare at him. He was tall, with brown skin that had strange silvery markings, "Yea I need to get away from this gas leak. I'm hallucinating elves or some shit." She said out loud again as she turned to run. 

Unbeknownst to her, Vulas had heard her, although he could not see her. He spun around wildly and yelled, "Please! Come back! Are you from the City in the Sky?!". 

April stopped and turned to stare at the man again. It was weird. She didn't understand him but somehow did understand him. She shook her head and ran off. 

Vulas stood still trying to listen for her again but realized he could no longer hear her. He sat on the edge of the fountain and ran his hand through his hair. He was confused but also intrigued.