C7 The walk

Early the next morning, Paige woke up a little worried about her brother. She decided to forget about it and focus on cleaning the house. The whole place was a mess since she stared write her college entrance exams. She put on a pair of shorts and an oversized T-shirt she got at the thrift store. She took the dirty clothes and put them in the washing machine. She went back to brush her teeth before making breakfast. She helped her mom take a bath and wash her hair. "Mom, why were you so nice to Uriel yesterday?". She asked in a tone that made it seem like her mother was snatched away from her. Mrs Warren placed a hand on her head, and said "He's a good kid. He reminds me of my first love". Her eyes looked dreamy as she spoke. "And why didn't you tell me the both of you were dating?". The bottle of shampoo fell from Paige's hands at the sound of her mother's question.

"M-Mom I'm - we aren't dating. You know I'm too busy to think about guys. Is that what he told you?". Mrs Warren smiled. "No child - but he said he wanted to take you to prom. And I said yes so you've got to go with him". "But mom....Paige tried to argue. "No buts - you're going with him. Don't break his heart". Paige didn't protest anymore she just let it slide. After the bath, she helped her mother change into a blue cotton dress, then she brought her downstairs for breakfast. After breakfast, Mrs Warren went out with her wheelchair for some sunlight.

Paige continued cleaning the house. When she was done, she took a shower and layed down to rest. She felt hungry since she only had a glass of juice for breakfast. She went to the kitchen and made a bowl of cereal. Her mother came back after a while and went to her room to rest. Paige made lunch and left it on the table with a note. She put on a pair of sneakers and left the house for a walk. It was almost evening, and the sun felt nice against her skin. She tied her hair up in a bun and put on her headphones. She accidentally saw Camilla and some guy who looked like a college student, making out in the park. She instantly felt disgusted and walked away.

She walked into Starbucks and ordered a drink. When she left the café it was already 5.p.m. On her way back, she heard the screams of a girl coming from a house that had been abandoned ever since the old couple who lived in it passed away. She wondered what was going on. She ran into the building, only to see a guy who looked to be in his 40's trying to assault a teenage girl in one of the rooms. She was startled for a moment. The man had used a pocket knife to cut up the skirt the girl was wearing. "please don't". She begged him, her tears rolling down to her ears. "Help! Somebody please help me!". She cried helplessly. "Haha! No-one is going to help you. You can scream for as long as you want. If you cooperate I'll make you feel good". He said with a sinister grin on his face.

Paige came to her senses as the man yanked the bra off the girls chest, and threw it across the dirty wooden floor. She searched around for what she could use to save the poor girl. No woman should lose her dignity in such a way. She found an old mop. She took off the wooden handle and walked stealthily into the room. She hit the man with the wood, and he fell to the floor groaning in pain. She pulled the girl off the floor and told her to run. She was awfully young - "why would anyone want to hurt a cute child like her?" Paige thought to herself. "No! I can't leave you here". Said the little girl. "He's a monster!". She held on tightly to Paige's sleeve. The man go up from the floor and pounced on Paige. The little girl screamed in fear.

The man put the knife against her throat. She closed her eyes and braced herself for the worst. She almost gave up, then an idea came to her. She kicked between his legs and punched his nose. She took he stick and gave him a good beating. Her neck was bleeding a little. She opened one of the wardrobes and took out a white dress that was fit for an old lady.. She helped the little girl pull it on and they ran out of the house together.

Paige took her to her place and helped her take a shower. Then she treated the injury on her neck. "How old are you?". Paige asked while drying her hair. "I'm fifteen and my name's Gabrielle". Paige put the girls hair in a ponytail and went to get some clothes for her. She took out a box which contained a blue flower patterned dress. Her dad got it for her on her sixteenth birthday, but she had never worn it. She made a fresh bowl of noodles for her, while she ran to the supermarket down the street. She got her a pair of underwear and quickly ran back.

When Paige got home, Gabrielle had finished the bowl of noodles and washed the dishes. She found Gabrielle asleep on her bed. She went to her mother's room to check on her. The woman sat in her wheelchair with her back to the door while facing the floor-length window. "Mom you're awake!". Paige said as she walked into the room and gently closed the door behind her. Karen quickly wiped the tears on her face and turned to smile at Paige. "Mom I made lunch for you and put it in the insulation flask.. Why didn't you have any?". Paige asked as she walked closer. Mrs Warren's eyes were swollen and red. "Mom have you been crying?" Paige asked as she walked to the bedside drawer and took out the first aid kit.

"No child - I just got some dust in my eyes that all". Mrs Warren said while looking at the floor. "Ha!...you think you can lie to me mom? You can't even make eye contact. Tell me why were you crying? You were thinking about him again right?" Paige unscrewed the cap of the eye drops. "Here drop this in your eyes. It'd help with the swelling". She avoided Paige's question and said she was hungry. Paige looked at her for a long minute. She placed the kit back in the drawer. "I'll go heat the food for you okay".

She got downstairs and poured the food in the pan to heat it up. She went to her room and found the little girl still asleep in a position that made Jr look like she was ready for combat. The poor child was still terrified. Paige decided to let her sleep at her house.. She'd help her find her family tomorrow.

She fed her mother dinner and helped her take her pills.. She put her to sleep and went downstairs to study.