Scarlett, A Gift From The Gods

Catalina walked down the empty hall of the Blue Sky General Hospital. It was another day at her job as a nurse and she was glad her shift was almost over. She and her husband Paul decided to move to Miami to "Start over". Paul had been running his photography business for 2 years now, but there wasn't enough money coming in for them to pay their rent and support their baby on the way so Catalina decided there needed to be two sources of income now. The baby would be here in about a month and she hoped they'd have enough to support it.

She knocked on the door and entered once she heard her patient approve her entry.

"Good news Mr. Wilson. You're free to go. Now would be the time to call a relative or a friend for a ride home. Can I get you anything to drink?"

"Some water please," The old man replied. Catalina nodded and left the room. She walked down the hall and into the kitchen. Another nurse walked in and grabbed a soda from the vending machine. Catalina grabbed a plastic cup from on top of the water dispenser and filled the cup halfway with water.

"I'm sorry to bother you but do you think you could cover my last patient? I have a family emergency at home to take care of . . ." Said the nurse.

"Of course, which room?"

Catalina tried not to sound so disappointed. Although her day wasn't terrible, she wasn't looking forward to having another patient. She was ready to go home.

"Room 203. Thank you so much!"

"No problem . . ." Catalina muttered under her breath.

The nurse scurried out of the kitchen. After Catalina returned to Mr. Wilson's room and gave him his water, she went to room 203.

She poked her head in the small crack in the door. The patient looked to be a 13 year old girl. She was asleep and appeared to be in perfect condition. Catalina started to wonder if there was even anything wrong with her.

She stepped into the room and further examined the patient. According to the hospital band on her wrist, her name was Scarlett Archuletta and she was in fact 13 years old. Scarlett started to wake up and Catalina let go of her wrist. Scarlett stared at Catalina clearly confused as to why she was so close. Catalina backed away.

"Who are you?" Scarlett asked. "Where am I?"

"You're at Blue Sky General Hospital. I'm nurse Torres."

There were a few moments of silence then Catalina finally came up with something to say.

"So what happened? If you can remember . . ."

"I remember sitting in my backyard reading a book and then out of nowhere, this huge gust of wind knocked me over and everything went black. Then I woke up here. I guess a neighbor saw me and called the police or something,"

Catalina was confused. The wind in Miami wasn't strong enough to knock someone out . . . right?

Catalina glanced over to the other side of the room. There was no parent or guardian here with her.

"Where are your parents?" She asked.

"They died a long time ago."

"Oh . . . sorry for your loss,"

"Anyway, am I gonna be able to go home soon?"

"Right, yes you will . . ."

Catalina helped Scarlett out of the hospital bed.

"So who's picking you up?" She asked. It was strange how whoever brought Scarlett here didn't care enough to stay.

"No one. I was just gonna walk home."

"Sorry but you can't leave without an adult."

Scarlett looked so disappointed. Catalina felt like she'd just taken candy from a baby. Scarlett sat down on the bed. She looked as if she was going to say something.

"I don't have a family . . . not a stable one anyway. In fact, I live alone. My aunt and uncle disliked my mother her whole life and eventually killed her and my dad. They killed my sister too and I'm the only one left. I know they're after me too which is why I chose to live at home by myself. They'd never expect me to do that."

Scarlett broke into tears and Catalina sat down on the bed next to her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Oh my god that's awful," Said Catalina. She could feel tears starting to form in her eyes. She didn't know much about Scarlett but she did know how it felt to be hunted.

"I think they found me today," Scarlett pulled away from Catalina's hug and wiped her tears.

"What do you mean? How?"

Scarlett took a deep breath.

"I can't tell you. You won't believe me a-and you'll think I'm crazy and next thing you know I'll be in a mental institution,"

"I can't help you unless you tell me,"

Scarlett took another deep breath.

"Promise me you won't tell anyone," Scarlett held out her pinkie finger.

"I might have to--"

"--Promise. Me. You. Won't. Tell. Anyone." Scarlett repeated, cutting Catalina off.

Catalina held out her pinkie finger and they locked them together, creating a pinkie promise.

★ ★ ★

As she took the keys out of the ignition, Catalina knew this was the last thing she should be doing. This wasn't part of their timeline. They didn't have enough money for two kids. She knew Paul wouldn't be happy when she told him that Scarlett would be staying with them, but she couldn't leave Scarlett to fend for herself in some cabin in the woods. Especially not with her crazy relatives breathing down her neck. She would never be able to forgive herself if something bad happened to Scarlett. No child should have to live the way Scarlett did.

She opened the car door for Scarlett and they made their way up the stairs to their apartment. Catalina unlocked the door and walked in.

"I'm home!" She called out.

She spotted Paul setting up the dining table. He made arepas for dinner.

"Hey," Said Paul with a slight grin on his face. "I made your favorite--"

Scarlett stepped out from behind Catalina.

"Who's this?" Paul's grin quickly dissipated.

"Yeah so, we need to talk . . ."

"Go on. Talk." Paul demanded.

And so Catalina told him everything--From the death of Scarlett's family to the crazy aunt-and-uncle duo wanting Scarlett dead--except for the one thing she promised Scarlett that she'd keep to herself.

"Why didn't you just call the police? They'd get arrested and she can get fostered," Paul argued.

"Because she wants to live here,"

"We can't afford a second child right now and you know that!"

"Well she's staying here and I'm not calling the police just yet."

"Why not?"

"Because--"

"Stop!" Scarlett stepped in.

Both Catalina and Paul whipped their heads around to look at her.

"Please don't fight over me . . . by the looks of it, I'll probably just be a temporary placement . . . you won't have to deal with me for too long,"

Scarlett gave them a fake smile and walked down the hall. Catalina turned back to Paul, gave him a nasty look, then started down the hall.

"You're not gonna eat?"

She stopped walking.

"I'm not hungry."

She dropped her purse on the couch and stormed off.

Catalina pushed open the door and let Scarlett take a look inside the small room.

"It's the nursery for the baby, but I'm sure you won't mind,"

"It's fine," Said Scarlett.

Catalina didn't know if Scarlett would be staying here temporarily or if she would eventually live here , but whatever the case was, Scarlett would need a place to sleep that wasn't her and Paul's room. The nursery looked halfway finished with its boring blue walls and the lonely white crib in the corner. The small window next to it was the only thing giving the room life.

"Wait, I'm not gonna sleep in the crib am I?" Scarlett giggled.

Catlina laughed.

"Of course not! You can use the air mattress."

"Will it fit in this tiny room?"

"It's a twin size so it should."

Catalina made her to the hallway closet right outside the room. Scarlett walked around the nursery. If it had baby blue walls, a nice rug, and some toys lying around, then it might not have looked so boring and sad. She looked out the small window. All there was to see were pine trees surrounding the backyard and the moon above them. Scarlett turned away to look at something else. She found a closet behind the door and decided to explore it. It's not like the room actually belonged to anybody yet since the baby wasn't born, so technically it wouldn't be an invasion of privacy. She opened the closet door out of curiosity. She expected it to be empty, but it wasn't. There was a black trash bag with a piece of paper taped to it. The paper read "Stuff". Scarlett didn't think too much of it until she saw a blue light shine through one of the few holes. Just as she was about to untie the knot, Scarlett heard the sound of heels clicking and clacking against the wooden floor. They were getting louder and louder which meant Catalina was coming back. She quickly closed the closet door and backed away from the closet. Catalina set the heavy box on the floor and went back into the hall. Scarlett contemplated whether or not she should go back to the closet but before she could make a decision, Catalina was back with a pillow and a comforter. She sat the pillow and the comforter in the crib and pulled the air matress out of its box.

"If you need anything my room is right next door." Catalina smiled and walked out into the hall. She wanted to keep walking, but she paused instead. She suddenly had a strong urge to confirm that what Scarlett shared with her in the hospital was real. She turned around and walked back into the nursery.

"So is it true? Do you really have abilities?" She asked.

"Yes . . . why?"

"It's just . . . you don't exactly have proof . . . so I'm having a hard time believing you,"

Scarlett's face fell into a slight frown.

"You don't have to believe me."

"But I do,"

"You can get your proof tomorrow. I'm exhausted and I'd like to go to bed please,"

"Okay, yeah. I'm sorry. Goodnight." Catalina left the room again but this time actually left.

Paul wasn't in their bedroom like she thought he'd be. Catalina checked the living room and the kitchen which were right next to each other. No paul. When she checked the bathroom and had no luck there, she thought of one other place: outside. There was no guarantee he'd be there, but it was somewhere to look.

Catalina stepped outside the apartment and to her surprise, he was there. Paul sat on the steps with a bottle of beer next to him. Catalina moved his bottle of beer to the step behind them and sat down next to him. Paul turned his head and Catalina felt like a piece of her heart had cracked. All she did was help a girl in a dangerous situation and give her a home. Maybe it was the fact that she didn't tell him beforehand or just the fact that Scarlett was a complete stranger, but whatever it was, she had to sort it out.

"Hey," Said Catalina.

Paul didn't respond.

"You can't be mad at me forever,"

Catalina waited a few seconds before speaking again.

"The baby's gonna be here in four weeks. We have to be in a good place relationship-wise--"

"You brought a stranger in the house that I know nothing about to live with us for god knows how long. I'm sorry but I'm just not comfortable with having a complete stranger hanging around our baby." Paul cut Catalina off.

"Paul come on! She lives alone and has a crazy aunt and uncle coming for her neck left and right . . . where is your compassion?"

There were a few moments of silence before one of them spoke again.

"Fine. But I want her out by friday."

"What? Paul . . ."

"I'm serious. Find somewhere for her to live by the end of the week."

". . . Okay." Catalina sighed.

Paul gave her a weak smile followed by a peck on her forehead. He grabbed his beer and went back inside. Catalina stared at the moon and let the cool night breeze take her away. She could tell there was something off about the moon. Instead of its usual white luminous glow, the moon was blue. Something about tonight felt oddly familiar and Catalina knew exactly what it was.

15 years ago when Catalina was just 13 years old, the most shocking thing happened to her. It was a cold and chilly night in Maryland. Catalina stood in her backyard admiring the woods that lay ahead. She looked up at the moon and saw it was blue. It was the most unusual thing she'd ever seen in her life. After a few moments of staring, she noticed it was slowly turning back to its normal color and when it finished, a strong wind knocked her off her feet and caused her to lose consciousness. When she woke up, she felt different. Something had changed within her. It was like an awakening. A few days later, she discovered her abilities.

Catalina watched the moon fade back to white and when it did, she felt that same gust of wind she felt 15 years ago hit her--the same gust of wind that Scarlett described. Then, she saw and felt nothing.