Crossroads

I just got home from school. Tired and exhausted, I lay down on my bed trying to ease my 15-year-old mind from the stress of studies and teenage life, until I fall asleep. I wake up to the sound of my phone ringing. It’s mom. The last time I saw her was in the kitchen when I was running late for school this morning. I have a somewhat atypical relationship with my parents. They are extremely overprotective of me and it drives me crazy. There isn’t any bonding or “family time” whatsoever. I admit that it’s me who never wants to spend time with them just because it always ends up in an argument. I am the only child of my parents, Bryce and Claudia. I pick up the call, “Well hi m

om.” I begin “Beatrice... listen... do not panic... just do as I say. Get out of the house now and—” My mother spoke, almost screaming in a very tense voice until I interrupt. “Hold up... what’s up... and why do you sound so panicky? And first off, where are—” “No time for questions. Just get out of the house and run to any nearest store, mall anything indoors. Please, for once, listen to me. And do call me once you reach.” “But—” Before I say anything, she hangs up and I run to get my shoes. There was urgency in her voice which meant I HAD to leave. I wear my shoes and run for the door but I fail to do so, as an intense pain hits my left leg and travels its way up my whole body. The last thing I remember is collapsing to the floor out of unsteadiness and suddenly, everything’s black.

I wake up with a piercing pain on my left calf and a mild headache. As my vision clears, I realize that I am not at home. I am in a small room with wooden walls and flooring. Not an ideal place for a claustrophobic individual to be in. I quickly scan the small place. There’s a dim white lamp sitting in one corner of the room, just across from me. It gives the room an antiquated ambiance and is the only source of light in the room. It suddenly occurs to me that I don’t recognize this place. My focus quickly turns to my leg. There’s a small dart-like thing sticking out of it. I close my eyes and grit my teeth as I take it out and throw it on the ground. I get up to my feet and limp towards the door, with my leg bleeding. I ignore the pain, get to the door, and turn the doorknob twice, clockwise and anticlockwise, in a vain attempt to open. “Is anybody out there? Get me out of here! HELP!” I yelped in agony and perplexity.

After some time, I give up and sit next to the lamp, hopeless. “Why am I here? Why me?” I ask myself as I continue to sob. I hear footsteps and then the door opens revealing two figures. Two unfamiliar faces of a man and a woman come into focus as they approach me. The woman quickly examines my calf. “Andrei get the first aid kit! Hurry!” She orders the man. “Who are you? Why am I here?” I ask the lady. There are a bajillion questions in my mind right now, but that is all I manage to blurt out. Andrei returns to the room with a small box.“Oh, sweety, I am your biological mother, Jeanine. ” It takes me several minutes to comprehend what this woman just let out. She grabs the box from Andrei and tends to my wound. “No, this can’t be! I don’t know who you are! Where are my parents?” I bellowed in tears and backed away from her. I fall into a haze, as this woman, who’s claiming to be my mother continues to throw these piercing words at me, “I am your mother.” A part of me wants to believe her but how could she be my mom? Who are Claudia and Bryce then? As if Jeanine read my mind, she narrates the story of how I was kidnapped years ago, and Claudia and Bryce rescued me and kept me as their own daughter. Even the thought of losing me terrified them. This explains their protective nature. I silently pondered. They went to great lengths to keep even my biological mom away from me. This new knowledge hits me like a truck and I take several minutes to absorb this. I break down in tears as I embraced my mom, Jeanine. Andrei introduces himself as my uncle who has been helping my mom search for me for the past several years with no luck, until today. They were finally able to trace my school and follow me on my way home. Apparently, our neighbor noticed this and notified my parents.

A few days pass by and I ultimately get to confront my adoptive parents. Their remorseful faces led me to eventually forgive them and thinking back, I don’t want to blame them for what they did. Circumstances led them to be so overprotective and restrictive towards me. Now I stand at crossroads; who should I choose to live with?