Hidden Appearances

Chapter Six:The Power to Live

Chapter Six: The Power to Live

Every single day after school, Anna and I would hang banners, balloons, and ribbons. On Friday, Anna put the new disco ball up with the help of Sam. Of course, Sam, had to be there. He always was, never leaving my side. I really had a feeling that he might be my very own personalized stalker; he is always watching me, I felt exposed.

“Come on Ginger!” I turned away from Anna’s three sided bathroom mirror and slowly navigated to the door, opening it as cautiously as I could.

Anna pulled me out of the bathroom and looked at me with awe. She loaned me her eighth grade confirmation dress, that surprisingly was a tint darker than lime (avocado green). The sleeves were down to my wrists, keeping me cozy from the chilly May weather. Her dress drooped low, barely covering my bra and swaying a little past my boney knees. Some glitter sparkled as Anna looked me over again, smiling. She was proud of herself and I was happy on how I looked.

“What do you think?”

Anna pulled out three different dresses, asking me to pick. Two of them were pitch black and short, I mean extremely short. So short that if she bent down, she would be showing the world a new picture with her always wearing designer panties. Once in awhile she designs them if they weren’t, ironing on butterfly’s or famous sayings by Susan B. Anthony. I thought it was a little strange, but didn’t even think of telling her. She was my friend, so she was perfect for me, as I was for her.

The one that popped out at me was the third dress which to my belief looked better and wasn’t all gothic and short. Yet, it was my least favorite color: pale yellow.

I threw my hands down and picked the yellow one. “But,” I knitted my eyebrows in concern, “only if you wear a sweater or tank underneath.”

She gave me her irritated look, but I knew she wasn’t mad at me. She instantly grabbed the dress and hurried into the bathroom. It was going to be awhile. Anna always took forever to get ready.

My internal instincts told me to sit down as I did on Anna’s bed, sucking in the loving air that smelt of coconuts and pineapple. This time I had enough sense to think about how I was going to explain my bruised back and ribs. Frank got kind of upset with me on Wednesday, but gave me Thursday and Friday off. He slapped me, but didn’t stop there. My punishment that time would be something I hadn’t felt in years.

He locked me inside the bathroom upstairs for four to five hours, while I coward by the bathtub sobbing. My punishment didn’t stop there as the bathroom door slammed open, revealing a red faced Frank and him grasping a belt. What he did with that belt hurt more than anything I’ve experienced. I didn’t remember the last time Frank used a belt to punish me, but it had been awhile.

Long gash marks popped out of my pale skin. My back was the worst, where he repeatively belted me till my bones were seen through my already scare infested skin. I had never felt pain like that before and hoped it wouldn’t happen again. My life would be a lot better if I behaved and been a ‘good little girl’. Except, I never fully did get the behaving part down.

I spotted the High School lights two blocks away as Anna drove by Fogthorn Forest. The sight of that forest gave me the shivers. If I could escape that forest, I would, but I live right by it and it is located right smack in the middle of town. Only if I lived somewhere else.

Anna’s concerned girly voice broke my trance, “We are here. Are you ok?” My first instinct was to tell her that there was something terribly wrong. That that man was going to be there and when he found me-- Well, I could only hope that he doesn’t find me. But knowing how persistent Sam was, he would grab me the second he sees me alone. My only hope was to keep to a crowd, even if it was with a complete stranger.