Warnings: Child death.
Note: This is not meant to attack/demonize any religion.
Blink.
In all honesty, Mari didn't regret it. Not a single bit. How could they? She always hurt them. Mocked them. Shoved them onto the train tracks with the broken level crossing signals. Pushed them into walls. Made others harass them.
Mari never understood what they did to make her so mad. Was it because of their mother? Father? Their family?
"Dumpster Baby"
That's all Gloria ever called them. Not Mani. Not Marina. Not Ina. Not Ani. Dumpster Baby. Maybe their hair is what caused that name. Maybe the way their hair always managed to seem messy no matter the style it was put in. That's what others thought. They both knew better.
Rumors never take long to affect masses, much less a small town. A town of less than 300. Which then led to a nearby town of around 2,500. Rumors were viruses. All it took was for one person to look at Mari. And say a few words. Just a few words. To a friend. And that friend mentioned it to another friend, who mentioned to another and then another. And soon, all the adults knew. Especially the aunties.
They would talk about them. How no one in the family had such hideous and messy hair. I̶t̶'s̶ w̶h̶y̶ t̶h̶e̶i̶r̶ g̶r̶a̶n̶d̶m̶a̶ m̶a̶d̶e̶ t̶h̶e̶m̶ d̶y̶e̶ i̶t̶. Or that no one had such dark eyes. I̶t̶ m̶a̶d̶e̶ t̶h̶e̶m̶ l̶o̶o̶k̶ l̶i̶k̶e̶ d̶e̶m̶o̶n̶s̶, G̶l̶o̶r̶i̶a̶ s̶a̶y̶. Or how their skin tanned to much or not tanned enough. W̶h̶i̶c̶h̶ i̶s̶ b̶e̶t̶t̶e̶r̶ t̶h̶e̶n̶?̶
Then one day, a lady, one who had no place talking about such matters, suggested Mari's mother lied about her father. Gloria just so happened to have overheard. B̶e̶c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ m̶o̶t̶h̶e̶r̶s̶ h̶e̶r̶e̶ a̶l̶w̶a̶y̶s̶ t̶o̶l̶d̶ t̶h̶e̶i̶r̶ c̶h̶i̶l̶d̶r̶e̶n̶ e̶v̶e̶r̶y̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ t̶h̶e̶ f̶a̶m̶i̶l̶y̶. Gloria saw her chance and took it.
You see, Mari didn't have the best reputation. Were they smart? Teachers seemed to think so. The perfect student they'd say. Quiet, polite, and respectful. A̶n̶d̶ ̶b̶y̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶,̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶m̶e̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶M̴a̴r̴i̴ ̶n̶e̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶q̶u̶e̶s̶t̶i̶o̶n̶e̶d̶ ̶w̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶s̶a̶i̶d̶.̶ Just a little too quiet. Didn't talk to their peers much. Were they cute? Just a little too different looking. I̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶M̴a̴r̴i̴'̴s̴' ̶f̶a̶u̶l̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶w̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶s̶m̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶i̶r̶ ̶h̶a̶i̶r̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶a̶ ̶b̶r̶i̶g̶h̶t̶ ̶c̶o̶l̶o̶r̶.̶
Mari's parents were two irresponsible teenagers. Of course they did drugs, of course the father would hit Mari's mother. Of course Mari's mother didn't abort, she needed to learn her lesson Mari's grandmother said. Of course Mari's father later met another woman, later married, and left Mari and their mother. Obviously, Mari's mother left Mari to be raised by their grandmother. And of course Mari's mother had another child,10 years later after Mari. A̶l̶l̶ ̶a̶c̶c̶o̶r̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶M̴a̴r̴i̴'̴s̴ ̶g̶r̶a̶n̶d̶m̶o̶t̶h̶e̶r̶.̶ Mari wasn't like Gloria. N̶o̶t̶ ̶a̶n̶y̶m̶o̶r̶e̶
Blink.
Gloria w̶a̶s̶ is pretty. Long silky black hair. Smooth fair skin and a slim hourglass body. Bright eyes and plump lips. The beauty in everyone's eyes. I̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶a̶d̶u̶l̶t̶s̶'̶ ̶e̶y̶e̶s̶.̶ An angelic-looking girl with an angelic personality everyone would say. So humble, modest, and kind. S̶o̶ ̶b̶l̶i̶n̶d̶.̶ A Heather. Someone who'd only seem to exist in movies, drama shows, or soap operas.
The girl who everyone liked. With a strong mother who rose up after her husband e̶s̶c̶a̶p̶e̶d̶ left them. No, they weren't like each other. Gloria was living up to her name, glory. She'd be a great big sister, her mom says. Gloria repeated those words in false embarrassment, acting as if she didn't enjoy people insisting otherwise.
"Mari is better, she's so quiet and so much better than me"
The number of people who immediately objected and scoffed should've hurt. But should it?
"She knows how it feels to be ignored, she wouldn't let her baby brother feel the same"
The words, dumpster baby, were unsaid. F̶o̶r̶ ̶n̶o̶w̶.
"They look so different"
Mari's hair was bright, Daniel's(Their precious baby brother) was light brown. Both had dark eyes, but little Dani had such cute hazel eyes with little gold flecks that stared up at them whenever they were near.
Mari loved him. Their mom loved him. His dad loved him. Grandpa and grandmother,s̶h̶o̶c̶k̶i̶n̶g̶l̶y̶, loved him. The town loved him. A̶c̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶w̶e̶r̶e̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶f̶a̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶i̶r̶ ̶s̶m̶i̶l̶e̶s̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶g̶r̶a̶t̶u̶l̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶m̶o̶n̶t̶h̶s̶ ̶b̶e̶f̶o̶r̶e̶.̶ Gloria's mom loved him. Gloria absolutely d̶i̶d̶n̶'̶t̶ love(̶d̶) him. T̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶s̶i̶c̶k̶ ̶b̶i̶t̶c̶h̶.̶
Mari couldn't forget. He wasn't even a year old. All it took was for a usual argument to break out. Their mom and their mom's boyfriend. They were upstairs and so was the baby. Mari had been sleeping on the couch when they heard the two shouting. They'd woken up in confusion before realizing the situation and starting to search for Daniel. And then it happened.
A baby crying, that stupid boyfriend screaming, their mom telling him to knock off. Then little Dani's squeaking walker getting a little too close to the top of the stores. Mari had rushed to the bottom of the steps. Only to hear the loud thump and a crack right as they were there. That was forever ingrained in Mari's mind. The puddle of blood and his skull. Dented. The sound that had somehow escaped Mari immediately silenced the argument.
Blink.
The funeral was small. Only immediate family and some extended family were allowed. Gloria and her mother were there. Giving condolences. Mari's mom was silent throughout. Her boyfriend was somewhere else.
An aunt had hugged Mari and then said it would be okay. There was a meaning to this. God had given their family an obstacle to overcome. W̶a̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶h̶o̶w̶ ̶s̶h̶e̶ ̶v̶i̶e̶w̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶i̶r̶ ̶b̶r̶o̶t̶h̶e̶r̶? Mari's aunt walked away to talk to their grandmother. Gloria had approached Mari.
"You were such a great sister"
"It's not your fault"
"Dumpster Baby" Unsaid words before, are now said. The anger felt in Mari seemed to change the air. Gloria excused herself and walked away. The family brushed off Mari's attitude. Life went on. B̶u̶t̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶M̴a̴r̴i̴'̴s̴ ̶m̶o̶m̶. School started. Mari stayed the same. Gloria stayed the same. The adults stayed the same.
"Dumpster Baby" "Dumpster Baby"
Gloria repeated over and over. That didn't bother Mari. The hair pulling, the taunting, the teasing. Didn't matter. What did matter was what that annoying Gloria said next. And in an instant, the air changed to hostility. The hallway was empty with only a few older students walking to other ends. No one noticed Mari and Gloria. T̶h̶a̶n̶k̶ ̶w̶h̶a̶t̶e̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶g̶o̶d̶.̶
"I'm just saying Mari, your mom wasn't very faithful. I'm surprised she even kept him for that long."
"And I'm surprised I haven't shoved down the stairs and ripped out your throat"
The look of shock on Gloria's face was worth her mother screaming at Mari. "My daughter would never say such horrible things!" S̶a̶y̶s̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶.̶
Blink.
Weeks passed. Then a few months. The broken lever crossing signals were fixed. Which leads to a few weeks before Mari ended the unspoken fight between them and Gloria. They had so happened to meet up at the train tracks. Somehow, they managed to have a conversation. Mari knew better than to waste an opportunity. They didn't change, just like Gloria. Just like how Gloria saw her chance and took it, Mari was also gonna take their chance. And complete it. I̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶.
Gloria and Mari are the same? Aren't the same? Maybe they both had issues. Gloria was an angel in everyone's eyes. God intended for that her mother had said. "He wouldn't let anything happen without a purpose" said Gloria to Mari as they stood in front of the fixed lever crossing signals in the dark night a few weeks later. The sound of a train approaching in the distance did nothing to stop the one-sided conversation.
A̶l̶l̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ A̶l̶l̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ A̶l̶l̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ A̶l̶l̶ ̶o̶r̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶
A̷l̷l̷ ̷o̷r̷ ̷n̷o̷t̷h̷i̷n̷g̷.̷
Gloria unknowingly had one last chance to save herself.
"Even a Dumpster Baby like you has a purpose in his plan"
"Dumpster Baby" "Dumpster Baby" "Dumpster Baby"
D̷u̷m̷p̷s̷t̷e̷r̷ ̷B̷a̷b̷y̷.̷ D̷u̷m̷p̷s̷t̷e̷r̷ ̷B̷a̷b̷y̷.̷D̷u̷m̷p̷s̷t̷e̷r̷ ̷B̷a̷b̷y̷.̷ D̷u̷m̷p̷s̷t̷e̷r̷ ̷B̷a̷b̷y̷.̷
She lost the chance.
Mari blinked. It was approaching the girl.
Gloria still faced the tracks.
They blinked. It was closer.
They blinked. It was a few feet away.
They blinked. It was now right behind her.
"Is this also part of his plan?"
They took their chance to vent their hatred on the person who tormented them.
D̷i̷d̷ ̷y̷o̷u̷ ̷t̷h̷i̷n̷k̷ ̷I̷'̷d̷ ̷f̷o̷r̷g̷e̷t̷?̷
They blinked. The train was so close.
Gloria spun around in surprise to meet Mari's face.
They blinked. They pushed the girl.
Gloria didn't even have time to react. She didn't react to being shoved on the tracks. There wasn't enough time. She didn't even scream. N̶o̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶a̶n̶y̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶'̶v̶e̶ ̶h̶e̶a̶r̶d̶.̶ The blaring sound of the train covered the noise from Gloria's body as it instantly met with the train.
̷"̷I̷ ̷w̷o̷n̷d̷e̷r̷ ̷i̷f̷ ̷y̷o̷u̷'̷r̷e̷ ̷w̷i̷t̷h̷ ̷t̷h̷e̷ ̷a̷n̷g̷e̷l̷s̷ ̷n̷o̷w̷ ̷G̷l̷o̷r̷i̷a̷.̷ ̷D̷o̷ ̷t̷h̷e̷y̷ ̷a̷l̷s̷o̷ ̷m̷o̷c̷k̷ ̷d̷u̷m̷p̷s̷t̷e̷r̷ ̷b̷a̷b̷i̷e̷s̷ ̷l̷i̷k̷e̷ ̷m̷e̷ ̷a̷n̷d̷ ̷h̷i̷m̷?̷ ̷O̷r̷ ̷a̷r̷e̷ ̷y̷o̷u̷ ̷b̷u̷r̷n̷i̷n̷g̷ ̷i̷n̷ ̷t̷h̷e̷ ̷f̷l̷a̷m̷e̷s̷ ̷o̷f̷ ̷h̷e̷l̷l̷ ̷b̷e̷i̷n̷g̷ ̷m̷o̷c̷k̷e̷d̷ ̷b̷y̷ ̷t̷h̷e̷ ̷d̷e̷v̷i̷l̷?̷"̷ ̷M̷a̷r̷i̷ ̷l̷a̷t̷e̷r̷ ̷w̷o̷n̷d̷e̷r̷e̷d̷.̷
Mari blinked. They didn't regret it a single bit. The aunts and uncles in their family always said God had everything planned out and to not be sad. I̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶s̶i̶m̶p̶l̶y̶ ̶a̶n̶ ̶o̶b̶s̶t̶a̶c̶l̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶i̶t̶?̶ How it was a test of faith whenever a loved one died. S̶o̶ ̶s̶t̶o̶p̶ ̶c̶r̶y̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶A̶u̶n̶t̶i̶e̶,̶ ̶G̶o̶d̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶t̶e̶s̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶d̶a̶u̶g̶h̶t̶e̶r̶'̶s̶ ̶d̶e̶a̶t̶h̶. ̶D̶e̶a̶t̶h̶ ̶s̶p̶a̶r̶e̶s̶ ̶n̶o̶ ̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶e̶n̶d̶ a̶n̶d̶ ̶l̶i̶f̶e̶ ̶g̶o̶e̶s̶ ̶o̶n̶.̶
Ỉ̶̹͔͈̜m̸̧͈̣͈̓̎̽̕ͅa̸̜̻͗̾̽̈̾n̵͖̮̯͔͙̤̆́͆̐͘͜i̴̻̓̈́
Life went on. G̷l̷o̷r̷i̷a̷'̷s̷ ̷d̷i̷d̷n̷'̷t̷. Mari stayed the same.
Blink.