Dream: WELCOME, READERS, TO THE HOPE PROJECT, STORY 3!
Hyper: YEAH, WHAT SHE SAID! :D
Dream: Just to recap, the first one, Man in the Mirror, (PJO) is about poverty. The second one, Pray, (TKC) is about just hoping. And this one is about...
Hyper: Child abuse.
Dream: *nods* It's...I'll lecture about it at the bottom A/N. But this is a songfic to Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift, if the summary didn't just let it go and I recommend listening to the song while reading.
Hyper: Oh, and we don't own TKC or Safe and Sound.
Dream: Or Taylor Swift.
Hyper: Oh, don't we wish? xP
Dream: That, my friend, would be weird.
Hyper: BUT EPIC!
Dream: Shortest A/N we've ever written...TO THE BOTTOM ONE THAT IS SURE TO BE LONGER!
Sophie limped down the streets of Brooklyn, wincing every time she had to put weight on her twisted ankle. People passed her on their way to wherever. Their faces all blurred together, her exhaustion rendering them undistinguishable. She wondered how nobody noticed the 12-year-old girl limping along with a jagged scratch on the side of her face like a bright red flag.
Her eye caught sight of a shimmer. She turned her head, wincing, to see inside a CD store, and the shimmer was coming from a blond girl with a slim figure, looking at one of the CDs. Something was coming off her, like an sort of power, which confused her. What was so important about a regular old blond girl who was probably just a cheerleader?
Sophie shook her head. She was probably delusional.
Still, something about the girl in the CD store seemed to draw her in. Maybe it was the friendly set of her face that made her seem so approachable that before she knew exactly what or why she was doing it, Sophie was reaching for the knob on the door, turning it, and stepping inside. Forcing herself not to grimace with pain, she made her way over to Blondie.
"Where is that freakin' CD?" Blondie was muttering as she looked through Demi Lovato CDs. She finally pulled one out and smiled widely, before turning her head and spotting Sophie. Her eyes immediately went to her cheek, and Blondie approached her and gently began, "Hello."
Sophie hesitantly murmured a greeting. She bit her lip hard and studied Blondie closely before deciding that maybe she could help. Swallowing her fear, Sophie whispered, "Help me. Please."
"Of course." Blondie put the CD back in it's place and held out her hand. "I'm Jaz."
"I'm Sophie." Sophie slowly reached out her hand and put it in Jaz's. For a moment, she felt almost...safe. And then she leaned forward and fainted.
Jaz caught her, frowning. She finally set a glamour on the mortals and took the girl, Sophie, outside and called a taxi.
/*\*/*\
When Sophie woke up, the first thing she was aware of was a throbbing in her head. She moaned quietly and immediately heard the sound of footsteps rushing over to her. Blondi- Jaz's face loomed over her. "You're awake. Thank the gods. How do you feel?"
"Like I got clocked over the head with a baseball bat," Sophie murmured before shuddering when she realized how close to the truth that was.
Jaz nodded and turned to the cart next to her. Sophie studied her. She had changed her jeans and t-shirt for a yellow cotton sort of pajama-dress. Her hair was pulled back and her arms were decorated with bands as her hands picked up vials, then dropped them back to the cart.
"Where am I?" Sophie croaked. She felt panic rise in her chest. "I'm not in a hospital, am I? Oh, please say you didn't take me to a hospital..."
"You're in an infirmary," Jaz answered, looking puzzled. "In a mansion on top of a warehouse."
"Mansion...warehouse...i-in Brooklyn?" It was Sophie's turn to be puzzled.
"Yeah. Long story. Here, listen to this while I treat you." Jaz handed her a recording with earbuds. "You're okay here."
"Thank you," Sophie whispered. She slipped the earbuds into her ears and pressed "play". She listened to this guy, Carter, and his (rather annoying) sister, Sadie, about their adventures as Jaz treated her head with care until it felt as good as new.
"But why am I here?" Sophie asked when it was done. "I-I'm not a blood of the pharaoh, or whatever."
"Liar." Jaz held up a small bag that had blood in it. "I took a blood sample while you were unconscious. Our systems registered you as blood of the pharaoh." Sophie's eyes widened.
"Want the second?" she asked softly. "There's two so far."
"Y-yes, please."
Jaz took away the first and handed her the second. "Does anything else hurt?"
Everything, Sophie thought, but out loud she said, "No, I feel fine now."
Jaz nodded and went over to a fountain with a lioness lady statue, and she scooped up some of the water into a cup. Sophie looked at her, before beginning the second tape.
/*\*/*\
"So...that's all real?" Sophie marveled.
Jaz nodded, helping her take sips of water. "All of it. I'm a healer, as you might've noticed."
Sophie nodded. "Well...erm, thank you for healing me, then. I don't know what would've happened if I hadn't found you..." She looked down at the frayed hem of her t-shirt, praying Jaz wouldn't ask the questions Sophie had been avoiding her entire life. Because Sophie knew she wouldn't be able to lie to Jaz.
"Sophie," Jaz asked softly, "something has happened in your past, hasn't it? You didn't believe about it at first, and your face was bleeding, and you insist on never meeting Egyptian monsters before."
Sophie swallowed, keeping her eyes on her shirt as she nodded slowly. Maybe Jaz wouldn't ask her to elaborate...but her luck was never that good, was it?
"I don't want to force you into telling me, okay?" she continued, voice still soft, as she grabbed Sophie's hand. "But if your past ever bugs you, I'll always be here to listen. But please do tell...someday. Keeping it all in will make your life miserable."
Sophie looked up. Tears brimmed in her eyes and for once she didn't have to hide them to keep from looking weak. "I can't tell you," she said, already miserable, "because if I did...b-bad things would happen."
Jaz gently tucked a piece of Sophie's hair behind her ear. "No one can hurt you now," she insisted. "You're safe and sound here. I promise."
I remember tears streaming down your face when I said I'll never let you go, when all those shadows almost killed your light...
The tears began to trickle down Sophie's face while she nodded silently. Bravely, she took a deep breath and launched into her story.
"I was five years old when they first hit me," she told Jaz quietly. "I remember not really registering the pain. All I felt was shock. Shock that the woman who had rocked me to sleep only the night before was now hurting me. Shock that my daddy was looking at me like I was something awful and despicable. Something that he hated."
Jaz listened in quiet, her eyes softening, and then she carefully wrapped her arms around Sophie into a hug. She tried to pass the message to Sophie: you're alright now.
Just close your eyes, the sun is going down, you'll be alright...
Sophie leaned her head on Jaz's shoulder, crying quietly as she continued. "And after that...it didn't stop. They hit me when I got bad grades. They hit me when I wasn't fast enough to get them drinks. They drank so much. They were always angry after they drank, too. I never understood why until in school my teacher told us about alcohol and what it does to people...and I realized that alcohol was why they hit me. I was happy when I realized that."
Jaz's arms tightened. She stroked Sophie's hair, and it calmed her slightly.
"I thought...I thought I could change them," Sophie admitted softly. "I thought that if I broke all the bottles of alcohol then they would love me again. S-so I broke all of the bottles. But they didn't love me...they hit me. Harder than ever. I-I thought I was going to die, Jaz. Everything hurt."
"You didn't know," she whispered painfully. "You didn't know alcohol was addicting, Sophie. Don't blame yourself."
"I did blame myself, though," Sophie mumbled. "I thought something was wrong with me. Everyday was the same, for so long. I had no friends at school, no siblings-actually, I'm glad that I had no siblings. But I was so lonely. I started to think that maybe death would be better...so I tried to kill myself."
Jaz pulled her into big but soft hug, eyes closed as she continued to stroke Sophie's face. More tears were pouring out like a waterfall, now that the dams were broken.
"But they stopped me." Her voice was a hiss now. "And they hit me again. So I ran away. Last night, I ran away."
"Good." Jaz's voice cracked. "Oh, Sophie...a girl your age shouldn't be having this past." She made Sophie look at her. "But remember that you're safe now. Just close your eyes. You're safe and sound here with me. No one is going to hurt you now."
"Promise?" Sophie choked out.
"I promise."
"Don't leave me alone, Jaz," Sophie begged. "Please."
I remember you said "don't leave me here alone"
"I'll never leave you alone, Sophie," Jaz said softly, stroking Sophie's hair. "Never."
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight...
"Thank you," Sophie said simply.
"Now...do you want to see some magic as I'll heal you from everything that poor excuse for family you had did to you?" she asked. Sophie nodded, smiling slightly. Jaz released Sophie and pulled out a boomerang - wand, Sophie remembered.
While Jaz worked, Sophie hummed under her breath, feeling that maybe, just maybe...if such a thing as magic was real, maybe a second chance at life was real, too.
The wand glowed, and so did Sophie, and then she felt...new. Complete. It is hard to describe, but she was definitely cured.
"Safe and sound," she repeated, looking at Jaz with bright eyes.
"You and I will be safe and sound forever, even after death, okay?" Jaz met Sophie's bright gaze, her hand in hers.
"Okay, Jaz." For the first time in years, a large smile spread across Sophie's face. Safe at last - and with a friend.
You and I'll be safe and sound...
/*\*/*\
Hyper: Hi. I feel emo now.
Dream: IKR? :(
Hyper: Imma go beat up Child Abuse now. *beats it up*
Dream: Child abuse is all around us, sadly. Parents just don't respect their children, treat them like nothing. Why have children if you won't even love them?
Hyper: So that the stupid, evil parents have somebody to beat up. Because they suck like that.
Dream: They are bullies. Now, after reading this, (which I am rather pleased with - if you flame it, I'll beat you up, something I normally do not do) don't you feel like beating up Child Abuse as well?
Hyper: I know I do. And I'm not even subjected to physical Child Abuse.
Dream: Me neither, which I'm relieved of. But I do know some kids that are from orphanages (AYA, of course) are not really orphans - emotionally, they are. But their parents have abused them in every way - what are supposed to be cute, innocent kids, are replaced with terrified and not-innocent kids with minds of grown-ups. It breaks my heart to see that happen.
Hyper: *nods* Agreed. Child abuse comes in all forms, but mostly it's physical abuse that is illegal. Which sucks, because I think all forms of child abuse should be illegal.
Dream: Especially the *grits teeth* sexual form. It has happened, and as soon as I'm home, I start destroying my room - throw pillows, nearly rip apart teddy bears, yell at the top of my lungs. It hasn't happened to me, but I know a kid or two that have.
Hyper: *winces* And verbal abuse. Trust me, if verbal abuse were illegal, my parents would be in jail.
Dream: That, for me, is the worse abuse someone can ever get, especially from their parents. *wants to beat up Hyper's parents*
Hyper: But anyway...if you are being subjected to any form of child abuse, TELL SOMEBODY! Don't hide and cower in the shadows! Tell a doctor, or a school teacher, or an aunt, or an uncle, your grandparents...Oh, hell. TELL ANYBODY!
Dream: Keeping it in you will just make the pain worse. Telling someone takes a lot off your shoulders. Having true friends that will protect you will make you feel safe is a great start.
Hyper: But not telling anybody could be very bad. It might even get you killed. Yeah, kids have died from child abuse, and they do every single day. Don't end up like those kids. Save your own life. "You have every right to a beautiful life..."
Dream: Don't try to commit what Sophie tried - suicide. Death is something we will all get, but it would be better at an old age.
Hyper: Suicide isn't the answer. And it's certainly not the way out of your problems. Take it from somebody who knows.
Dream: *puts arm around Hyper's shoulders* Go against child abuse. Don't pretend that everyone has a good life, because most of the world's population doesn't. Create polls, campaigns, anything! Just try to make it stop. "Here's to the crazy ones. The rebels. The troublemakers. The ones who see things differently. While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do."
Hyper: Exactly. So...go change it. Like, NOW.
Dream: Write a song and post in on YouTube! Who knows what will happen. Post it in your local newspaper, or school newspaper! Stop standing around and do something.
Hyper: Here's to the crazy ones. *raises bottle of Coke*
Dream: *raises chocolate milkshake* Listen to Apple Inc.'s words and do so. Now, since that's that, I'm going to do something more and write an article about child abuse to send it to my school newspaper.
Hyper: Great idea, Dove. :-) And I'll start a chain email about child abuse and send it to everybody I know.
Dream: You flame this story, then you are heartless. Just a solid truth, and you know it. Don't go complaining about Sophie being a Mary-Sue - millions of real kids have a past like hers at her age.
Hyper: Millions of kids younger than her have a life like hers right now. Right this second, somewhere, a mother is hitting her four-year-old daughter. Yeah. I am not even exaggerating.
Dream: On a lighter note...must be longest A/N ever. O.o
Hyper: :3