By: Cowgirl A.K.A Brooklyn's Angel
Every story has a beginning and an ending. Stories are like lives. They too have a beginning and an ending. Life can take many unexpected turns and you never can tell what life is going to throw at you. Sometimes it could be a bad thing or a good thing. You never know. Many lives are full of glitz and glamour others are filled with heartbreak and tears. That is how I will describe my life. One day it was great and the next day the life I had once known was torn from me in an instant. However, the life I lead was great until I hit 14 years old and that is when my life took a turn for the worst. My life begins like everyone else's. I am born. I was born to Nicholas and Victoria Harrison on December 12, 1869. It was a cold day the day I was born. It was snowing madly in the Bronx. That is where I am originally from. The greatest city I ever knew. We had the most beautiful house. It was a two-story brick house that had 3 bedrooms one for me, one for my parents, one for my nanny and the other my father used as a study. We also had a nursery, which I used to play in, a living room, a kitchen and 2 bathrooms. I was an only child and I was spoiled rotten. I wasn't a snotty stuck up rich brat I was a normal child that was spoiled. My family wasn't very rich yet we weren't very poor either. We were in the upper middle class neighborhoods of the Bronx. My parents loved me so much and I always felt so lucky to have them. My father was a businessman that was away a good most of the time because his job called for him to travel a lot. I was daddy's little girl through and through. Every time he came home from one of his business trips he always had something new to give me. Whether it be a new doll or a book or a music box my father always knew what to get me. My mother on the other hand was a stay home mom. I loved it because we were very close. A lot of times the only time my mother left the house to go further than to take me for a walk in the park was when she went with my father on one of his business trips. She very rarely went with him she only went if she knew a shopping opportunity would arise. When they went away I had to unfortunately stay home with my nanny. But they always came home with new dolls and dresses for me. However it only took one night and one trip that would change my life forever.
******************************************** On one fairly chilly evening in April of the year 1883, I awaited my parents arrival home. I was sitting on the floor of my nursery with my dolls and their clothes scattered around me. I had been playing with my dolls for the last 2 hours while I waited. I ran full speed down the stairs when I heard the doorbell sound.
"Mama! Papa!" I yelled as I ran smack dab into two police officers. I heard my nanny come up behind me to see who was at the door.
"May I help you gentlemen?" My nanny, Mrs. Bale asked.
"I assume that you are the caretaker of the house while Mr. and Mrs. Harrison are away?" The first officer asked
"Yes that is right." She answered him.
"Justine go play. I will come to get you once your mother and father get home." She told me.
"Ok." I told her as I ran up the stairs to my nursery to once again wait. Meanwhile downstairs Mrs. Bale was still talking to the police officers.
"Can I ask why you are here gentlemen?" She asked them.
"Well unfortunately one of the trains coming in tonight must have been tampered with. Because while crossing over a gap in the mountains the last two cars unhitched from the front of the train and they then derailed and fell off a cliff. The people in the car were killed." The second officer said to Mrs. Bale.
"You mean Mr. and Mrs. Almonds car?" She asked as she brought her hand to her mouth to stifle the sound of her gasp.
"Yes I'm sorry for your loss however we have to think of the child. If you do not want her we have to bring her to the orphanage." The first officer explained.
"No I'll take care of her I've been a family friend for almost forever. I'm probably the best person for her to be with." She said to them.
"Alright thank you ma'am and we are once again sorry for your loss." The second officer said as he tipped his hat and motioned for the first officer to leave. Meanwhile, when they thought I was upstairs playing I was right around the corner listening to what they had said to my nanny. My parents were dead. I was an orphan now. That night Mrs. Bale treated it as though my parents would be home the next day. Their train was just delayed. But I knew differently. That night after Mrs. Bale went to bed I quietly packed some things to runaway. I was not going to stay in a house that held so many memories of my parents. I packed a small suitcase of clothes and a small over the shoulder bag in order to carry a blanket and pillow. I then grabbed my favorite doll and put her in her trunk that held all of her dresses and accessories. It was then that I seen my two favorite books sitting on my nightstand. It was "The Adventures of Robin Hood" and "The Adventures of Peter Pan." A tear crept to my eyes as I remembered when my father had brought me these home from his last trip. I put the books in my over the shoulder bag as I grabbed my suitcase and small trunk. I said goodbye to my room and I crept down the stairs to the front door. By the front door I noticed the family picture we had taken on my birthday. It was just the three of us. A perfect family. A perfect picture. But that was four months ago. I silently took the picture from the frame and stuck it in one of my books. I then opened the front door to leave but I turned around and took one last look.
"Goodbye Mama. Goodbye Papa. I promise to make you proud. And maybe I'll come home one day. I love you. " I whispered into the darkness as I shut the door behind me.
That night all I could do was walk. I didn't stop to sleep in fear that someone would either kill me or rape me while I slept. But the problem was that at that time I didn't care if I died because I would be with my mama and papa up in heaven with all of the angels. However I soon got over that feeling. I think it was when I seen the sun rise the next day I realized that something good was going to come out of this. Only because I had seen the sun rise and that symbols the start of a new beginning. I walked for three days straight until I could walk no more. That was when I finally fell asleep on someone's porch not knowing that my life was going to change the minute I woke up.