October 2nd, 2006

Kalie Shepherd

Melrose Apartments - Apartment 126A

Bronx, New York

Kalie crossed her legs Indian style and slipped farther under the water's surface, allowing the hot water to caress her features. The small bathroom was filled with filtered light that had managed to break through the gathering clouds outside, creating shadows in the corners facing the young girl, and illuminated the numerous walls that were in need of patchwork.

The mirror above the sink adjacent to the bathtub was quickly fogging, with a diagonal crack dividing it into two jagged sections. The sink below it was partially covered in grime, a sink like you might find at a mechanic's shop, as they never seemed to clean them.

Today had been the worst in a long line of bad days, and Kalie tried hard to erase the memories from her mind.

Echoes lingered in her thoughts, however. There was the usual, Angie and her "Blonde-bons" harassing her for being different, for not being them. "Drip" they always called her, maybe because she had no certain distinguishing features. Or maybe they're just stupid. Worse however was the situation at home.

Kalie's parents continued to fight, about what she didn't know. She had came home to an empty house, which was not unusual, except for the fact that there were pieces of broken dishes strewn about. Clothes also laid unkempt about the living room, in what Kalie assumed was a futile effort to get her father out of their lives.

Kalie's father was not an unreasonable man, and had actually been a good father - in Kalie's opinion - for most of her life. That was before he won the… contest. A letter had arrived in the mail that stated they had won a trip for two to Las Vegas.

Something had happened out there, although her parents never spoke about it, but rather continued to use the tired what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas idiom, although they said it with much less enthusiasm than the commercials.

They had not been the same since though, and it seemed the place her father worked for also took a dive.

There was the big layoff, and then the drinking started. Once drunk, the father Kalie knew became the real-life Jekyll and Hyde that should have stayed on the pages of books in need of reprint.

Kalie managed to ponder why the scene at home hadn't managed to upset her as she sank beneath the water's tension which struggled to resist, then failed. Refreshing water washed over her face and attempted to remove the impurities of her thoughts, but was once again thwarted by Kalie's pigheadedness.

The muffled sounds of motors turning and people walking about the apartment building resonated through the water and into Kalie's ears. Kalie tried to use their noise as a means to forget the argument going on in her head; the one she was imagining her parents had had.

The fights always centered on the same things, her father's lay off from work, his subsequent drinking, or why he just couldn't forget what happened in Vegas, what she did in Vegas. Kalie couldn't decide if she wanted to know herself.

Her mother had never been an angel that was for sure. It was an amazement to all that knew her that the then twenty-year-old blonde stopped using drugs when she discovered she was pregnant with Kalie. It was just another thing that Kalie promised herself that she would not let happen to her.

Kalie allowed herself to rise and take a breath of air, then decided she liked the peace the watery vessel offered her. Once again the warm liquid embraced the sandy-haired seventeen-year-old as she plunged into her own abyss, to be alone with her thoughts.

The beginning of a rhythmic ka-plunk, however, interrupted Kalie's thoughts The light but viable sound began to strike a nerve with each repeat, causing Kalie to squeeze her eyelids tighter together, trying to ignore it.

Finally fed up with the unwanted sound, Kalie's head sprang from the water, sending a wave down toward her feet as droplets of water escaped her hair and fell to the floor.

"Stupid leak." Kalie looked at the small drop of water forming on the faucet's exit as it gained sufficient mass to break free and drip to the basin below. Her father had promised to fix the drip, but always managed to stay it in favor of drinking.

Kalie continued to watch the water drip, however, and soon became entranced by its rhythmic nature. The world seemed to silently move away as Kalie focused on the droplets, sinking into an almost hypnotic state.

Suddenly Kalie snapped back to reality, as the dripping had ceased. Kalie cocked her head sideways and looked in amazement at what she saw. A single droplet hung motionless, trapped by some unknown force in mid air. Another droplet formed and fell, only to get trapped by the same invisible web.

Reluctantly the sandy-haired girl reached out with the tip of her finger and touched the droplets, which clung to her skin and then began making a trail toward her palm.

Kalie held her hand up vertically as she moved it in front of her face. The water proceeded at a faster rate until it reached her palm. Looking at the water intently once more, the girl was fascinated to see the drop begin to travel back up her finger, collecting itself as it went, until it broke free and was once again suspended in air.

Not really sure what she was seeing was real, Kalie blinked heavily, and when her eyes reopened the droplet was gone, with a tiny ripple emanating in the water between her legs.

"I think I need to lie down." Kalie mused as she pulled the washcloth she used to stop the drain up. The normal plug had been missing for some time, and Kalie had lost hope of it being found or replaced.

The water created a small cyclone as it sped down the drain, and Kalie noticed the leak had returned as more water fell from the faucet, this time not impeded by some imaginary force. "Just like God intended."

The young girl reached out and grabbed a purple towel and planted her face into it. The air about her face heated as she let out a muffled sigh, and then began to dry off.

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Kalie sprang upright from the sound of the slamming door. "Dammit." Darkness was outside her window- save from the illumination from traffic and street lamps below, patronizing the young girl for being asleep too long. Rain also cascaded down her windowpanes in thick sheets.

Another door slammed and the yelling started, a scenario Kalie was now all too familiar with. Muffled cries for her father to change his ways and shouts that her mother should mind her own business filled Kalie's room as she rolled her eyes. Don't they ever shut up?

Having heard enough, Kalie rose from her bedside and hastily began throwing her clothes on. Her hand-me-down jeans from someone her mom knew had long ago faded, and one knee had worn out, so Kalie had cut the other to match.

The girl then put on a black halter top awkwardly fast, then threw on a grey rain jacket. Looking in the full-length mirror that adorned the back of her bedroom door, Kalie quickly flipped her hair into a ponytail.

Come on, let's go. Kalie coached herself as she slipped on her shoes, a pair of worn out black Skechers that were probably never in fashion.

The front door was only twenty feet from her bedroom, but the walk across the living room felt like an eternity. There were more yells and screams between her mom and dad, but she made it a point not to listen to what they were saying.

"Where the hell do you think you are going?" Kalie turned to see her father hanging out of her parent's bedroom, using the doorjamb as a support to keep him from falling.

"Out." Kalie barely gave her father a chance to hear the word as she closed the front door and headed for the stairs. Normally the elevator was fine, but she knew that if her father wanted to come after her, the stairs would slow his drunken stagger enough for her to leave.

Even though she knew it was raining outside, the amount of sheer downpour gave Kalie pause as she flung open the side entrance to the Melrose and stepped into the alleyShe immediately noticed a rat scampering over boxes and trash looking for a dry place.

"One of these days I am getting out of this place and away from all this crap!" She shouted at the rat, who stood on its hind legs and sniffed toward her briefly before disappearing behind a dumpster at the dead end of the alley.

Kalie sniffled a little as she leaned back against the Melrose's wall, tears beginning to form in her eyes. What a sucky week.

Kalie walked aimlessly down the sidewalk as people passed her by uncaringly. The honks from car horns and the occasional shouting match between drivers didn't register; neither did the rain that continued to pour.

Kalie neared the next intersection, where she would take a left to go to Ashley's apartment. How she wanted to talk to her friend, and assumed she would probably stay the night there, due to the fact that she was not going back home.

Ashley had problems of her own, but at least her family was pretty stable, and they seemed to share a bond of sorts with Kalie. She was truly one of the only people in the world that Kalie dared to call a friend.

Kalie stopped next to the walk signal on her corner and looked to the other side of the street for the OK to cross. The red "Stop" that shone seemed to be fashioned with a red halo, a trick that was brought on by the amount of water it was reflected off of.

Kalie looked down and noticed the storm drain on her corner was apparently clogged, as water had managed to pool to the depth of several inches to her left, which was growing by the minute.

What Kalie didn't notice was the blue sports car that was racing its way down the street toward her, either gleefully unaware of speed limits or just caring about only getting where it needed to go.

Kalie heard the sound of the car as it got closer, and then realized she was about to get a second bath as its front wheel impacted the pool of water, sending a tidal wave of water, dirt and oil racing toward her.

Not having time to react, Kalie threw up her hands and prepared to be doused. Some small amount of time went by, and Kalie realized she had not been impacted. Slowly opening her right eye, Kalie was shocked at the sight before her to the point of gaping her mouth open.

The entire wave of water hung in midair, clearly on an intercept course with her, but motionless. There were bits of cigarette butts and assorted trash that were littered throughout the wave, but they were held still as well.

All around her rain continued to fall and people who were close by began to gather, pointing at the scene and muttering, some covering their mouths in astonishment, while others ran back inside restaurants and stores to gather more onlookers.

Kalie suddenly felt the weight of all their eyes upon her as she slowly turned around to meet their gazes. Countless thoughts and emotions ran through the young girl's mind as she tried to think of something to say, something to do.

Snapping her head back around she noticed the walking signal glowing green, and decided on her option: Run. Kalie broke into a sprint as she darted across the street. As she moved away, the wall of water and filth broke free from its suspended animation and doused the sidewalk, soaking people who had gotten too close in their amazement.

The young girl flung open the door to the Longwood apartments and headed for the stairs. Taking two at a time Kalie ascended to the second floor and exited out into a long hallway. Tired but not slowing, the seventeen-year-old darted to room 104 and began to knock on it. No, calm down Kalie. If they see you upset they will just call dad.

Kalie stopped and took a deep breath, and noticed her hands were shaking a little. A few more deep breaths and she felt she was calm enough.

A few knocks on the door and it opened to reveal her friend Ashley, whose auburn hair was crumpled up on the back of her head, held in place by two crisscrossed pencils. "You look like hell." Ashley tugged down her glasses slightly as she smiled at her friend and then motioned for her to come in.

"It's been a hell of a day."