A Thousand Moments

Special Chapter 6

Astrid Summer Flores

I drove us out of the house, and headed out of town. Alanna fell asleep as I continue to drive, the car was brimming in silence, all we have right now is each other so whatever happens I'll be here for her. Minutes blended together and I stopped the car at a wide empty road. When everything's in chaos at least we're surrounded by serenity. We talked and stayed for a while before finally heading back. Alanna dropped me off at my house and as I look at it, pain was once again embracing me, it felt as if the house radiates this somber feeling making it difficult to even breathe for just a second. As I enter the gate my heart dropped to the floor and then again I was dragging my feet just to get to the door, and again my eyes were full of tears. I mindlessly put my hand on the knob and with all the strength I have, I pushed the door open. Inside there was mom staring at me.

"Why didn't you come back last night" mom asked

"Mom not today please" I begged her as my voice cracks

I couldn't shake this loneliness inside me, my monsters are again the sole being that's inside me.

"I don't want you ever seeing that girl again, she's a bad influence to you" she continued

I tried my best to ignore her, to not let her get the best of me

"Mom please stop" I utrered

"No, I mean it Astrid, you are not seeing her again" she added

No matter how hard I try I couldn't hold myself back anymore

"No mom, I'm not staying away from her" I shouted

"She's my girlfriend and no matter what you say, I'm not staying away from her"

"She's your what?" Anger evident in her voice

"Mom please, she makes me happy, when everything seemed hopeless, she was there, when you failed to be a mother to me she was the one I could lean on, please don't take away the only good thing I have" I pleaded mom

"Go to your room" she uttered in a low voice holding back her anger

"Mom please..." my voice whimpered

She pointed towards my room, without even thinking I ran outside and towards the gate, luckily a taxi was coming my way, all I had with me was a bit of cash enough to pay a one-way trip somewhere, I left my keys in my room as left in a hurry, mom ran after me but didn't catch me. As we drove further and further from the house my tears would flow harder, I'm not giving Alanna up, just once can I please have something good to hold on to?

I asked the driver to drive as far as he can and then I found the taxi heading towards the same place again, the treehouse, it was a place of horrid memories, a place of pain, remorse, guilt, sorrow, yet I always come back, it's as if it has created its own gravity pulling me towards it the second my life falls apart. Memories, terrible ones as I was drawn closer to the tree house, the memories itself was pain reoccuring. I hate this, I hate my life.

As soon as I arrived, I immediately ran towards the river. My eyes were crowded with tears, I sniffled as pain paralyzes my body. I fell to the ground kneeling just beside the river's side. The distorted reflection on the water's surface caught my eyes but all I saw was the dreadful manifestation of an unending nightmare in this hell-like existence.