Spattering

I knew I was already married. But somehow, all that was left of that marriage was a toddler child. Everything was arranged for me and soon, I was married to another guy I barely knew. Maybe my family knew him.

My heart was pounding at the thought of lying down with a strange man that night. My little one kept distracting me, though. She was wide awake and active, climbing on top of me and rolling beside me. I felt confused.

Little did I know that I was going to be confused even further. I received a telephone call. The voice at the other end told me that this man I married had a girlfriend. She was deeply troubled and heartbroken upon learning that he married me.

I felt so weak I reached out to the wall to steady myself. Suddenly, splotches of ink appeared on the white textured surface and started to spread gradually.

"This was all a mistake!" I thought. The next three words chilled me and confirmed that my soul is as black as the splatters almost covering the wall.

"She committed suicide."

Frantic Mom Escapes

Questions and objectives clung to her mind like the mud and dried leaves did to her shoes. She needed to get to her children as fast as was possible. Who were taking care of them while she's away? Why was she away in the first place? There's a metal footbridge ahead that she knew she needed to cross. Time was of the essence. Power walking, she got sidetracked by something off to the side. There was a stone table and on top of it lay a balding pale man with lots of black patches on his appendages. She realized with a jolt that he was decaying.

She felt like vomiting but she couldn't have that luxury now. Dashing into the warehouse, her strides became longer as she navigated the maze of huge crates. A faceless lady handed her a wrapped baby that she held tightly to her chest. She began to run and dazedly looked for the exit. With a toddler in tow.

Something metallic buzzed past her face. Was that a mosquito? To the right were several college students in lab gowns fussing over a machine. They were making something that destroys the mosquitoes. How she knew they were college students and that they were protecting people from these metallic pests were beyond her. But she's grateful that there are those who care enough for others, especially the children. That's what occupied her mind as she got nearer an opening.

Once her shoe hit the dried-leaf-strewn dirt floor outside, a wave of relief washed over her. She fell on her knees and hugged her baby to her chest.