"I survived to live, he survived to kill. Little did we know, only one can survive this story."
Reality is a prison.
I had ambitions, hope and freedom for whatever my future holds.
What I didn't expect, was for all that to be viciously snatched fro...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
L U C I A
THE AIR WAS DEATHLY CHILLY IN NEW YORK CITY. It was nothing like this before. Bitterly cold and sharp - such an ominous combination. The frigid air has a way of keeping us Yorkers, eager to return to our sanctuaries and deep in our frilly, warm socks. Some didn't have a place to go. Some just endured the harshness on the streets, and that's what made reality seem harsh.
I dug my hands deeper into my coat pocket, and closer to my body to suppress any heat from escaping. The tip of my nose was surely numb, and I had no doubts that I resembled to Rudolph's red nose. The faint snow danced it's way into the wintry air, and laid it's bed on the earthly ground. It covers the rich, deep wood of the trees in perfect white.
In about twenty-four hours. New York City was about to become a winter wonderland.
I slumped my head against the cold window bus, waiting for my next stop for work. I was weary with the burden of keeping my eyes open today. My brain was on five percent. Pain coursed through everywhere around my body, and has been for the past week. I endured a gruelling training session at work, and my body never seemed to recover within the endless days. My attention span was getting worse at college, from the lack of sleep I upheld last night.
Exam season was approaching, and already the anxiety and preparation was eating at me at two am. I hated exams with the passion of my heart. I'm not sure why, but I have always found studying to be tedious. Maybe I didn't have patience with reading. Or maybe because I was worried with the thought that my fate will be sealed one way or other, with two hours to spare.
It was my last year in college, and I have to give it my all. The internships and workload may suck, but I wasn't going to give up my hopes of being an interior designer anytime soon. My interviews were coming up, and I can't deny the daunting feeling rising in my gut. I had to see the light at the end of this tunnel. No matter how hard life is right now. I can't give up.
Not now.
My mind recollected to what my landlord, Marco said to me this morning.
"Lucia, I don't want to hear any more bullshit, about your sob story. But you better have my money ready. He stressed. "You're about two months behind and I can't afford to let this slip away. I don't care how you get it, or where. But it better be at my desk. Otherwise, consider yourself homeless!" He walked away from my front door and stomped down the stairs, leaving me tangled in a web of worries.
After that encounter, my mood was dampened for the rest of the day. All I wanted to do now, was to be cooped up on my couch and watch the latest franchise of the Real Housewives.
I yearned to dispose all the worries I had in the world.
The strain in my legs were intensifying, after I overworked myself from the busy shift at The Dollhouse. I wanted to call in sick today, but I knew I couldn't. I had bills to pay, food to eat and sleep to survive for the next day.
