05-02-2025, 01:58 PM
Anna smiled as Mary’s joined her. They weren’t leaving the building, but Anna thought that she could get to know Marta better. Marta was a good if troubled kid. Elyse was close to her as well. They walked into the main stage area.
”Is there where you and Elyse dance?” Marta asked.
Anna nodded. ”Most of the time. We dance in other places too.”
Marta surprisingly took the lead and went to the main stage and leaned on it, resting her arms on the lip of the stage. There was silence for awhile. Anna could see the gears working behind her eyes. ”You said your parents were from Mexico right? Have you ever been there?”
Anna shook her head. ”They were. They moved to the States before I was born. I’ve never been there. Do you miss it?” Marta apparently had some things on her mind, and Anna was more than willing to be her confidant.
”No, but I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. Ever since - “
”The wolf inside calmed?” Marta nodded. ”Does it make you sad?”
Marta shook her head again. ”Not anymore. It used to. There’s some sadness about missing my parents, but Now I just get angry. It burns inside.” Marta turned her eyes to Anna, and she could see the girl’s anger - not at her. ”It’s different though. I don’t feel anger because of what they did to me. I’m angry because they’re still doing it to other people.”
Anna looked at the girl in surprise. It made sense that she had those feelings, but at the same time, it was incredibly mature of her. She wasn’t focused on her own pain. She worried more about other people. ”Thats…hard to do. To move past your own pain.”
”Its weird. But it feels right. I just wish I could do something about it. Elyse says that I can use my stories to do it. The superheroes I draw. But it doesn’t feel like enough. It’s just…no one should have to go through what I did.”
Anna put her hand in the girl’s back in a comforting gesture and Marta leaned in. Anna gave her a hug.
”Is there where you and Elyse dance?” Marta asked.
Anna nodded. ”Most of the time. We dance in other places too.”
Marta surprisingly took the lead and went to the main stage and leaned on it, resting her arms on the lip of the stage. There was silence for awhile. Anna could see the gears working behind her eyes. ”You said your parents were from Mexico right? Have you ever been there?”
Anna shook her head. ”They were. They moved to the States before I was born. I’ve never been there. Do you miss it?” Marta apparently had some things on her mind, and Anna was more than willing to be her confidant.
”No, but I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. Ever since - “
”The wolf inside calmed?” Marta nodded. ”Does it make you sad?”
Marta shook her head again. ”Not anymore. It used to. There’s some sadness about missing my parents, but Now I just get angry. It burns inside.” Marta turned her eyes to Anna, and she could see the girl’s anger - not at her. ”It’s different though. I don’t feel anger because of what they did to me. I’m angry because they’re still doing it to other people.”
Anna looked at the girl in surprise. It made sense that she had those feelings, but at the same time, it was incredibly mature of her. She wasn’t focused on her own pain. She worried more about other people. ”Thats…hard to do. To move past your own pain.”
”Its weird. But it feels right. I just wish I could do something about it. Elyse says that I can use my stories to do it. The superheroes I draw. But it doesn’t feel like enough. It’s just…no one should have to go through what I did.”
Anna put her hand in the girl’s back in a comforting gesture and Marta leaned in. Anna gave her a hug.