Fighting the Grave- Prediction Piece

Author's Note: Here is a prediction piece I wrote, and in the beginning is what I think will happen after the novel Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James, sort of like an epilogue. After the epilogue is a small essay explaining what I did in the text and why I did so.

As I sink my feet into the cool sand, ocean waves lap over my toes. I'm all alone, watching the sun be reborn another day with it's beautiful crimson red hands extending my way over the Pacific. Wrapped around me are my blue pajamas and white bed sheet that I tore from my bed to come out to the dramatic seaside. Off into the distance, near my welcoming home, I hear the delicate little voice of my sweet Sarah, "Mommy!" She shoved her thumb into her mouth, while the other arm is occupied by hugging her blanket. Sarah's tiny feet splashed through the sand coming towards me.

"Mommy, what are you doing out here?"

"Just enjoying the sunrise sweetie," I explain, "Isn't it beautiful?"

"Yeah it is, but daddy's making breakfast now. You comin'?"

"Yes, I will be right there, okay honey?"

"OK," Sarah concludes and strides back to the house.

Everyday I'm reminded from the simple conversations with Sarah, like the one we just had, how thankful and blessed I am to have her. Even though I know Sarah is her own unique self, she significantly reminds me of how my little sister, Rachel, used to be. With Sarah by my side, I feel like she is a sign from God to give me a fresh start to accept the past, while molding my future into something I've always wanted. Perhaps it wasn't only Sarah being born, but myself too; there is nothing more I would want for the loving family that I was saved with. I digest these thoughts as I walk on Sarah's imprinted footsteps she left behind. 

Roughing my feet against the wooden steps, I continue to climb home. Once I open the back doors, a warm hug of cinnamon and thick maple syrup invites me in. "Mom! It's your favorite," Sarah smiles excitedly like she's more thrilled for me to eat breakfast than herself. She's too cute, with her messy hair, glowing eyes, and all. I feel a smile tickle my cheeks and I can't help but let out a brief laugh, "why, yes it is Sarah." My husband, Robbie, dished me a plate with two perfect pieces of french toast surrounded by sticky maple syrup and powdered sugar sprinkled over, just how I like it. 

Shoving pieces into my mouth, I reawaken the feelings of Alice and how soulless she was. These random occurrences of her popping into my mind need come to an end. Some parts of me regret not going to her funeral, you know for not seeing with my own two eyes that she's positively dead. Maybe this is why she reappears in my mind too often. From the desperate desire for all of this mess to be over and done with, I decide it's time for me to visit Alice Parrie's grave. My thoughts must have really reflected how I appeared due to the inquisitive stares I received from Robbie and Sarah.

"What's on your mind, Katherine," Robbie asks.

"Oh, it's nothing," I respond, "but I think I'm going to take a drive to clear my head this morning. I'll talk with you later in the afternoon."

"Alright, lucky for me, I get to spend some quality time with my buddy Sarah," Robbie understands and gives Sarah a tight squeeze.

Acknowledging that I am leaving, I nod and snatch my car keys from the counter heading out the front door. The soft summer breeze whispered into my ears things I can't explain, but is clear in my brain. How I'm making the right decision and everything will go as planned. Sliding into the car, I cranked up the air conditioning since sweat is starting to build up in the creases of my body. Assuming I would eventually visit Alice's grave, I memorized every turn and swerve I would come upon. From the city lights, to an off-road covered in trees branching over my car as I drove; the drive is diverse. Rocks crumbled beneath my tires on the beaten path as I parked the minivan. When I pushed my door open, I noticed the sun higher in the sky staring down at me. When I curved around the car, I could clearly examine the shape of the graveyard. 

Alice was buried in a shadowed graveyard containing no more than twenty tombstones. Placed in the front row, farthest to the right, was a man named John Kendrick who died in 1982. The year of each death increases as I move from one row to the next. Finally, I come to the very last row to a tombstone that is more clean-cut with shriveled up roses lying at the foot of stone. A frosty patch of air cuts through my skin as I read in my head "Alice Perrie". Those two chipped in words make my heart stop, and I can feel the blood rush from my face to the pit of my stomach; creating a knot that makes me want to regurgitate my breakfast. I'm not one to believe in ghosts or anything, but the chill in the air doesn't reflect the summer's day I was sweating over moments ago. Alice's hideous spirit lingers in the air, and I wanted no more of it.

"Alice," I firmly state, "I don't want you in my life. You killed parts of me that were so important, and I'm sure you knew that. Don't hate me for a second, because, I have done nothing to you or your family while yours destroyed mine for the longest time. I had to change my name, Alice, because of your brother and what he did, and I learned quickly that you were no different. I can imagine that you are expecting an answer from me to the question that you were oh-so-concerned about. So here it is," I say choking back tears, "I am not happy that my sister died, I loved her for the death of me and it was not my fault." My voice crackles as I add one last comment, "Oh yeah, Alice, forget me. Forget that I ever lived on this earth. I don't want to feel you chasing me anymore. You got to follow me when you were alive and now your time is over and done with, leave me alone and enjoy your time living in the dirt."

Finding myself gasping for breath, and I realize that I don't think I even took a breath while spilling out my most dragging secrets. Although, nothing happens. No more cold spot, no more heaviness inside, and no more regret. My mascara is smudged, no doubt, but overcoming this makes me lighter. Alice weakened me more than I could ever decipher. Furthermore today, I feel as though she officially died off and I didn't know what to do with myself, having this burden lifted. I ran my fingers across the top of the stone feeling the small icy ridges vibrate beneath my fingertips. Thereafter, I turned and walked away not taking one glance back, except one up to the sun, seeing that it was hanging directly above my head. For one thing I know, I will never return to this place again.

Closing the car door, I notice that I'm still wearing my blue pajamas. My teeth shine as a grin rises upon my face. "Let's get outta here," I say to myself laughing. Starting the car engine, I pull off onto the road that escorts me home. Before long, I open my front door to the remaining scent of french toast and an embrace from Sarah. She clung onto my shirt and jammed her face into my stomach saying, "Mommy, what took so long?" Responding carefully, I look up to Robbie standing in the hall and say, "Oh I just got caught up with a few things. Are you two ready for lunch?" There was a quick response of yes, so I began making some soup with crackers. 

While making lunch, I absorb the day so far. The sun rises and falls as days go by, and that won't change. Whereas, if I glimpse up with another perspective, maybe that will make all the difference. I begin to recall the visit to Alice's grave, the poisonous response of it all. Having the grave out of the sun made me feel like she brought this upon herself, you know, being in a shadowy area for the rest of her life. Despite the sickening emotion that this evokes, I am content because somehow I know that this is the last time Alice will ever appear in my mind. Here and now, my smile beams across the stove top and I stir in the final ingredient of my soup, love.

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Shown here is a prediction as to what will happen next after the novel Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James. There are many things that I would like to point out that I did specifically in this piece to show the development and change that happened or happens through what I wrote. Representing these things through the motions Katherine goes through, the way her mind thinks differently, and the karma of Alice in the end. 

Notice how the piece starts out having her watch the sun as it rises and throughout the piece, she looks up at the sun. What I am trying to get across from constantly saying this is that she watches it rise as her fears disappear and her spirits are lifted with the sun. Additionally, I have her living on the beach because it represents her always being with her almost-fiance boyfriend, Mick, since he died in the ocean and personally I think a beach represents fulfillment and happiness which she has now that Alice is gone. With that, I have her walk in Sarah's footsteps in the sand because it is representing her growing as Sarah grows, too. Also I have her married to Robbie who was a extremely loyal friend to her in the past when Alice was against her. Furthermore, he was neglected many times in the book and now Katherine loves and cares for him so he finally has something he's always wanted. 

With looking at the insight of her motions in play, her thoughts are just as important. In the beginning of the epilogue, I have her standing alone, keeping herself to her thoughts, but it is mysterious as to what she is thinking deeply in her heart other than how wonderful the sunrise is. Whereas in the end, as soon as she visits Alice's grave and says a few words, her mind is more open to things than they ever were previously. Moreover, in the piece, she explains how she thinks parts of Sarah remind her of her younger sister who died named Rachel, whom she loves both dearly. With this she's delightfully welcoming Sarah and Robbie closer into her life, along with the love-filled soup.

While considering Katherine's thoughts, Alice's fate is vital as well. Alice always would follow Katherine when she was alive and in this piece it explains that Katherine believe she's followed by Alice when she's dead through cold spots. Although as soon as Katherine "speaks" to Alice at her grave the cold spot immediately vanishes and Katherine is left alone. Alice is also destined to be in a shadowed graveyard with no sunlight seeking through, symbolizing no happiness or contentment after she died. Lastly, she was left out of mind to Katherine after the final thoughts, in other words, she was forgotten. 

From mental to physical actions, during the whole piece different details were added with individual purposes. Whether it be involving the horrendous Alice, or her beloved daughter, Katherine always has a story to tell. Bear in mind, what I did for the epilogue helped display my point I was reaching for. Katherine can watch the sun rise each day after a hard life thus far, and she still looks forward to the positives to come.

Bruiser- Character Development

Author's Note: Bruiser by Neal Shusterman was an incredible novel about overcoming major struggle. This is a analysis of the main character, Brewster, and how he develops throughout the story. 

Sometimes I find myself waking up with bruises, but their origin is unknown to me. The main character in the novel Bruiser by Neal Shusterman, Brewster, wakes up with these kind of bruises all the time, almost daily. Occasionally, it may be more than a bruise, perhaps a fracture in his arm. Why? Well, Brewster can steal without the desire. Although, he doesn't steal groceries or pointless toys, he steals wounds from those he loves. Brewster was born with this disadvantage and he will live with it forever. The catalyst, Bronte in this story helps him through his struggles that he goes through and helps him turn into a more loving person, rather than filled with forced and unwanted resentment. This book helps explain his overcoming of the power and how to control it in order to make friends, undo a relationship with an abusive and alcoholic relative, and truly waking up from the coma bringing a promising future.

 

From Brewster's many transformations throughout the novel, one aspect was befriending people. Starting the book, Brewster was known as the person "most likely to receive death penalty" due to him not wanting people to look to him as a friend. He wanted to shut out the world so there was no chance for him to produce additional wounds. Throughout the book, Bronte helps him realize friends are for the greater good, no matter the pain. Bronte promised to him that she, and others who know of his condition, would learn to want their pain so his suffer would be limited. Her friends become his friends and his heart grows as if it's the roots of grass in the springtime. For instance, Bronte was comprehending, "Brew was embraced by my friends and was finally able to feel a part of a circle larger than just his immediate family." Notice how the quote said: "finally", and said his only friends in the past were his "immediate family". If Brewster didn't have Bronte, he wouldn't have known to open up to friends, let alone meet the charming companions that Bronte has.
 

Now that Brewster is beginning to make new acquaintances, his eyes open up a little wider and he realizes that loving his uncle needs to be abandoned. Uncle Hoyt caused Brew excruciating pain without even laying a finger on him. In this story, Brewster's brother, Cody, was referred as a "rag doll" because that's who Uncle Hoyt would aim for; it is him who takes the real hits. "My uncle. Who left me battered. Yet never laid a hand on me..." With time, Bronte taught Brew how unacceptable his uncle's actions are and he learned this in just in time. Uncle Hoyt's drinking problem was outrageous one day when Brew returned from school. Without even entering the house he could feel the pressure on his chest building up; Brew sensed the sinfulness of Uncle Hoyt. Immediately when he saw him, he was aware of what was going on, he was having a stroke. Changing wasn't just an option now, it was a life or death situation at this point. Throughout this branch of the novel, Brew overcomes an immeasurable mountain, he finds strength to tell Uncle Hoyt how abhorrent he is. "Can I find it in my heart to NOT find it in my heart? I dig down, down, down, to make the numbness taking root in my body invade that place in me that still cares about you and purge it so that I can leave you," convincing himself it's not worth dying over Uncle Hoyt. 

 

Stronger than ever now by overpowering his uncle, farther along the lines of the book, Brew trips into a coma from saving Bronte before she drowned.  I'm convinced that this coma he's in is more of a symbolic reference. For instance, he isn't completely transformed yet. Despite the fact Brew woke up from his coma on the very last page of the book, there is no doubt that he has developed from the foreshadowing due to what Bronte's brother offers Brew through thought, "So open your eyes, Brew. Open your eyes, and talk to us. We'll keep our pain, but I promise we'll share our joy. Talk to us, Brew . . . because we're finally ready to take your call." This is letting us know, not only that his past has been tough, but his future will be bright with this family along side him. From this promise, Brew will gain an insight on the world filled with more pleasure than before. 

Bruiser's story line is weaved through another novel titled Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez. Within each novel, the main characters both have an intense guardian. The protagonist, Carmen, has a mother that is incredibly controlling and demanding because she wants to live through Carmen and have her be a violinist that the entire world knows. Feeling as Brew did toward his Uncle, Carmen wanted to breakout of her house and decide for herself what she is and isn't passionate for and doing this all while her mother is unaware. Eventually Carmen meets her catalyst, Jeremy, who leads her away from her mother and into his arms. Nearing the end of the book, Carmen is given the option to be content and do what suits her. Reflecting back towards Bruiser, Brew has the option in the conclusion as well to decide what his heart is really set for.
 

Virtuosity has an extremely similar design to Bruiser in which both characters changed dramatically. Essentially, Brew changed by creating new friends, separating from his Uncle Hoyt, and lastly awaking from a symbolic-type coma all through Bronte. Once Brew's eyes are opened, it is that much easier for him to see the opportunities that his life is welcoming. If it wasn't for the catalyst, Bronte, Brew would have been dead and his life would be over. Although, with her, doors are opened and his future is glimmering with everlasting hope.