Chapter 1: Escape

Being followed by a Wildflower                                                 2:40- After School        

Everyday passed so slowly. It was like God wanted me to feel pain for just living. Sometimes i wonder if he ever leaves me. It's hard to tell since i cant even see him. And today was no different. Except for the fact that a flappin' wild flower was chasing after me. A Wildflower is someone who's weird or different and looked down on. I walked faster, she walked faster. I could hear her footsteps right behind me. I could tell that she was now up to a jog. Doesn't Marcie get it? I don't want to talk to her. If someone saw me talking to her they would totally question my beliefs and i'd probably end up being found out. She caught up to me. Only because i let her. If i had actually tried she would have never caught up to me because i'm one of the fastest runners in my school.
"What!" i was furious, didn't she get it? I didn't like her. At least not outside church.
"Well.. I-I, was j-j-just," She was surprised. Or shocked because she stammered on like a little worm that was getting squished and only had 10 seconds to ask for life. I rolled my eyes and stared up at my short, unnaturally black hair and noticed that my purple highlights were wearing off. Great, just another thing to make my day even worse. I rubbed my hands on my jeans; something i do to calm myself. I smiled "So what was it that you wanted?"
"Ummm... well i was wondering if you wanted to hang out sometime?"
"Do i look like the type of person who would say yes?" She was totally clueless.
"Well you were kind of nice at church. And you tell the funniest jokes. Like that time when paster James was all like..." She rambled. I was so happy that i lived close to the school because if i had to listen to her for another minute i would have exploded and started swearing and i know some pretty bad swear words. I quickly ran inside my house thinking that i would be relieved in there. But you know my house condition, dontcha diary? My mom was yelling at my dad, he was throwing things at her. You know, the usual. The only thing that I have to do when my parents are in a fight like that is to dodge the thrown objects. Yeah, it's definitely a normal life. Mark (the elder) always told me the best place to go when all hope is lost, or when you just need a big bear hug, is the bible. So that's where i went.
I usually just read a verse or so from the bible because my eyes can't stay open for any longer.
The verse that i read today was found in Psalms 28:7.
It said,
The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,And with my song I will praise Him.

I guess i haven't been rejoicing much, more like complaining really. I guess i should go now and "rejoice". Whatever that means- the lord will probably help out. 

 

Chapter 1: Escape

Monday, June 13       4:00pm       116 Tenth Av. North- Cathy's House    NewYork City

As I was walking up my very small driveway, and my very small house which would probably look like a shed to most of you, I heard shouting. Arrrgh! My mom and dad were at it again. If anybody knows anything about my family, it's that I dont have one. My mom is always cheating on my dad with a different guy every month, my dad is using mom to make money since he's made none his whole life; all he knows how to do is pass GTA in  a day (he's been practicing all these years). Anyways, I decided to step in and break up the fight , because i was tired of being so embarrassed of my family, i mean why am i the one who has no "real" family. Family means love, this family has absolutely no love at all, and i mean it. So as i was dropping my school bag on the ground I yelled. Actually it was more like screaming. 

"Whats the matter?" My mom came running to me, followed by my dad.
"You guys are the problem, you always will be. I mean, why can't you guys ever get along. I'm sick and tired of this.. this.. this disaster. We are not a family. Family means love. Dad is using you mom and you are always cheating on dad. Like really, do we have to?!"
"Well cupcake we were only arguing, everybody does that" My dad was hoping my mom wouldn't divorce him because without her he'd be nothing.
"Dad," I said, taking a deep breath trying to calm myself."We are not a normal family. We never were and it would only be a dream if we became one."
"You. Are . Right." My mom said sneering at my dad. "I. Want. Out."
"No mom, that's not what i meant. I said you and dad should work it out not-
my mom cut me of. "We are working this out. Once I leave, there will be peace all over the land. At least in my heart." she added. I rolled my eyes and stomped out of the house. I took out my cell phone because I needed to talk to somebody. Brittany? no. Angela, no? Who could I talk to that could actually help me?! Mark, no, this was crazy, I was tuning into one of those christian freaks. But for some reason my hand clicked call when I scrolled over his number on my phone.
"Hello" He answered with a soft calm voice.
"Hallo, it me, Cathy?" I was wondering if he would remember me at all. I'm sure he saved so many people in  his lifetime, what would make him  remember me?
"Oh, hey Cathy!" Well at least he remembered me," How's it going?"
"not good, actually terrible. I need your help."
"You know you don't have to come to me whenever you have a question. you always have someone who will understand you, and who is with you all the time."
"Really?"
"Yeah, he can help you, not me. I can't do anything, all I can do is pray."
"You're talking about God, right?" i mean who else was everywhere, all the time.
"yep. So i want you to go home and pray. Talk to him as if you were talking to me.And i'll pray for you too. okay?"
"Sure, what do i have to lose"
"Nothing"
"Well, except for time"
"Ha ha. So what do you want me to pray for?" oops, i almost forgot to tell him my problem.
"My parents, they're having problems. I tried to step in but  now my mom wants to divorce" i said in a sarcastically happy voice.
"okay, ill pray. And God bless. Bye"
"Bye"  I said shutting my phone.
I ran to my room once I got in my house, trying to avoid my dad who probably hates me right now. I sat down on my bed and prayed. I actually don't know if I really prayed or not because i'm new to this thing. So basically i sat on my bed, looked up at my ceiling and talked. It  felt kind of funny talking to the ceiling but Mark told me i'll get used to it, although he also told me that i should read the bible everyday- and i don't. So of course Mark could be wrong. It's not that i don't want to read the bible, it's because my parents would kill me if i even mentioned the "b" word(bible).
Aaahhhhh!!!
It was my mom and dad again. I think m y dad punched my mom, like he always does. :(
I dropped my head in my pillow and ended up sleeping till dinner, which by the way, was t.v. dinner- again. I always dreamt that my mom could cook. It's so embarrassing when you friends come over for dinner and eat t.v dinners. Especially guys- who wants to have a date in a shed, eating t.v dinners?
oh, well. I went to sleep right after dinner. It wasn't that i hated dinner it was just that i couldn't stand another glare from my dad. I thin k he hates me at the moment. So diary, today i tried to step in and save my family but instead i broke it apart, just like that, in less than an hour. Yay Me?

Chapter 1: Escape

Monday, June 13         11:05 am          Hawk Nelson Secondary School           NewYork City


Today at school it felt like everybody was watching me. It seamed like they all knew and at any given time they would rat me out. You might think that i was worried about my reputation, but that's not it. I mean, sure, i wouldn't mind having friends and not being an outcast but that would be the least of my problems. Nowadays in America christians get killed. The only christian i know of is Marcie, the girl who led me to the lord. I really don't care about her but i'm surprised she's still alive. Now i don't care about Marcie because of my rep. Anyways, I had that sick feeling that i couldn't trust anybody. My friends noticed that too because at lunch they seamed very concerned.
"Hey girl!"Brittany chimed as she jumped up onto the picnic table in the middle of the courtyard."You were awfully quiet today, is something wrong?"
"Ya!" Janett, my othery friend joined the conversation."Usually you're blabbing all through English. But today you were all quiet.
"Yeah, well, I'm feelin' sick today," I lied.
"Aww, probably getting all worked up about exams," Brittany placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Don't stress yourself out," Janett assured me.
"Oh. My. Goodness." Janett pointed at Marcie- the girl who had invited me to the conference where i got saved. "Look at what she's wearing!" she snickered.
"What's the shirt say?" Brittany asked. 
"It says 'I'm a princess; Daughter of the King of Kings', What a freak!"Janett replied.
"Well if you're such a princess, then why are you so ugly," Brittany called out to her laughing. 
Normally i would have laughed along but i coudn't, something inside me kept me from laughing. Angela, Olivia, and Emma, a few of my friends and the prettiest, the preppiest, and the most popular girls in our school, came up to join the conversation as well. They hated being outside a joke. At my school, money doesn't matter that much because most of us aren't wealthy, actually most of us are poor. "Did you guys see Lewis today?" Angela asked us with wide eyes. Before any of us could answer she started talking again," He totally threw up in science class today."
"What did you do to him?" i asked with curiosity written all over my face.
"You would not believe it-" Olivia started, but Emma couldn't hold herself and interuppted her."WE made HIM eat a frog. Now how mean is that?"
"Top of the list." Brittany congratulated them and we all high-fived. Olivia stopped mid way to highfiving me and a smile spread across her face.
"What?!" I asked.
"Watch out girlfriends! Bruce is needing me," She said pushing us aside.
"Bruce!" We whisper-shouted.
"Since when does Bruce need YOU?" Janett asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Since he needed a new girlfriend."  Olivia answered as she walked towards him.
"Oh, yeah. I heard Maria and him broke up at the party last night," Angela hesitated then asked, "And where were you Cathy?"
"When? I asked. I was getting that sick feeling again that they knew.
"Oh, don't play around with me. You must have been doing something important to have missed the most amazing party of the year."
"Make that the century." Emma added raising an eyebrow and putting a hand on her hips."We're waiting..." She said tapping her foot even harder.
"Umm... it's kinda complicated because you know... i was sick" I started.
"You shoulda still came" Janett rolled her eyes." It was a total drag without you."
"Yeah! There was like over a hundred people. And college guys too!" Brittany squealed.
"'Drat" i lied again..
"Duh! I told you guys, Cathy is far from jealous," Angela said, proud that she was right, again.
"Jealous of who?" I needed to know what this rumor was about.
"Umm.. well Ryan was all like 'Cathy won't stop drooling over me and i need a break' and i was like wah? But apparently like your jealous of Jasmine for dating him" She concluded.
"Uhh... WHAT!!!" But before i had the chance to go and beat up Jasmine for spreading a rumour like that (we all know Jasmine luves rumours)....
Dddrrriiiinnnggg!!! The lunch bell rang. We waited impatiently for Olivia to finish chatting with Bruce. We were surprised that she didn't come back screaming from excitement especially since she's been sweet on Bruce since she was 12, five years ago. We all stared at her mentally thinking, "whats the matter?"
"Umm.. Bruce wanted to talk to you" Olivia said rudely giving me the look that said,"He's mine, not yours so don't play around."
"Uh, why?" I'm not close to as cute as Olivia, why would Bruce want to see me. Man, Olivia had it all. Blue eyes, mine were brown. Blonde hair, my natural hair colour was brown. Full lips, i hardly had any. Why would Bruce want me?
"Well, he was wondering where you were at the party last night, his party," She added.
"Yeah, 'kay, whatevs" I walked over to Bruce and stood there, just stood there- why does Bruce want to see me?- I kept asking myself.
"Hey!" He said when he finally noticed i was standing there infront of him,"Where were you last night?" he asked, crossing his armes over his perfectly toned chest.
"Well i had strep?"I lied.
"Aww, you missed the most amazing party of the year!" He was surprised.
"Yeah, stuck in bed the whole day too" I was getting good at this lying thing.
"Well I feel bad for you," He said nodding his head," You coulda called and I would have came over too see ya. Well anyways to make up I was wondering if you wanted to go to the theatres next saturday?"
It wasn't that I didn't like him, and it wasn't that it wouldn't be fun. But it would be wrong for two reasons.
One- Olivia would hate me for life- and a guy is so not worth losing a friend for.
Two- He'll probably ask me why I'm so different now.
"I'm I'm kinda busy," and when he didn't buy it , I added,"Exams?"
 "Oh, yeah- forgot. Maybe we can hang out this summer"
"May-be" I said bye and ran to catch up to my friends.
"So?" the asked me. Olivia eyed me and raised an eye brow.
"Nothing! He just wanted to know where i was the night of the party and i told him the truth- nothing big."
"Really that's all?" Olivia was the most surprised one.
"Yep!" I lied.

And that was my day, diary. Actually school day. Don't get me started on my home life.

Chapter1: Escape

Friday, June 12    6:20 pm    Newham Church    NewYork City


"Here's the last bible available," Mark, a church elder whispered. "Cherish it and don't let your parents know."
"Okay," I nodded.
"You know they'll kill you if they find out."He said looking down at me.
"I can't live in hiding all my life," I insisted. He looked at me for a while then leaned in and whispered in my ear," Okay, there's this commercial that will be like," wanna get away to this foreign island. call 999 666 1212. Call that number and they'll ask you for your ticket code. Tell them John 3:16. Okay."
"Ummm. And..." I didn't really get what he was saying. 
" They have found this island and they are escorting all christians there. They'll give all the info when  you call them. So if you ever feel like you can't hold the secret any longer call that number." He looked at me very seriously.
I was starting to feel scared. "Can we pray?"
He took my hands in his and we prayed the longest prayer ever. Well i think it was the longest prayer ever. I just became a christian today and have only attended a couple church services before. That's where i had first heard about God.
After praying i looked at my watch 6:40 pm. I had been here for 2 whole hours. "I have to go home now or my mom will freak." I told Mark.
As i turned to go Mark touched my shoulders. "Wait!" He whisper-shouted." I forgot to tell you something very important. When you have called that number and are ready to leave leave at night."
I gave him a confused look so he talked a bit more realizing I had never heard of this. He was acting like i had never heard of Brittany Spears.
"There are people who if they find out about what you are about to do, will kill you. They dress up like average people during the day and like police men during the night. Watch for them .If a police man stops you run , if he's a real police man tell him you thought he was a kidnapper- don't tell him the truth."
"Didn't the lord say not to lie?" I was getting really confused about this religious stuff.
"I'm sorry Cathy, But this world is a lie."
My hand were shaking as i drove home. I didn't even make a noise when I walked in  the house. I slept without saying goodnight. Why should I? It was a scary night, not a good one. I ended up sleeping in my clothes because I was more than scared, I was terrified! I don't know how I'll live any longer. Oh well, everything is in God's hand- I think that's what i learned at today's sermon. Church was actually more exciting than i thought it would be. They always describe church as a boring place, but it's not. It all advice on making the right choices and living your life to the fullest. It's actually very interesting. I have to go to sleep now cause i'm so terrified I can hardly hold this pen still.