A Broken Butterfly

A stranger in a more modern land, modern people and culture. Patricia struggles to adapt to her new life in New York. In Raleigh, North Carolina, where she grew up, women are respected. But in New York, women are like food or clothes you buy in a shopping mall. So many choices, so many flavors. And one of those flavors is Tasha. The woman who helped her when she has nowhere to go. It's only been a few days since she gave birth and arrived in New York. She was still regaining her strength and calculating her surroundings, in fact, Patricia can't even move comfortably. Tasha gave her all the space she needed. Never even asked her about what happened in Raleigh and respected her silence. Even when she doesn't come out of her room, she still stayed patient. "Good morning!" Patricia's newfound friend greeted her. She just got out of her room after locking herself inside for a whole day. She looks better now than the first days she met Tasha. "Hungry?" She looked at the fo

  "Wow! You're great! I've been married for fifteen years, and I never experienced that with my wife." Patricia just smiled with her customer's statement while putting on her robe. He's her second that day. Having different men in her bed has been a regular occurrence in Patricia's life for the past few months. She looked so different now than the small-town girl who just gave birth exactly one year ago. Now, she only wears sexy dresses and revealing clothes. She already learned how to wear make-up every day and became conscious of her looks. "Here, I hope we can do this again another time?" The man said. Patricia can't even remember his name. "Sure, just come by the club whenever you want," Patricia responded, sh

  After witnessing Dencel's death, Rick became more aware of the doom he brought upon Patricia's life. His conscience is starting to wake him at night. Knowing that the same fate can happen to Patricia made him regret ever mentioning her name to his kingpin boss. "How's Patricia?" Rick asked the maid who brought Patricia's food. "I don't know what to tell you." The maid replied. "I think you better see you for yourself." Rick entered Patricia's room. She was sitting at the edge of her queen-size bed, rocking back and forth. When he walked towards her, Rick noticed the circles around her eyes and her dried lips. Patricia almost looks like a zombie in her current state. "Hey, Pat? Can you hear me?" He

  Tasha's been hiding in Massachusetts for over a week. Although her urges to contact Patricia was too strong, she tried so hard not to. For her and the baby's safety. Jericho is taking good care of them. He visits her every night to bring food and whatever she and the baby might need. "Tasha, can we talk?" Jericho asked in a serious tone. "Yeah, about what?" Tasha asked curiously. "Our chief of police talked to me about your connection to Gonzalo." Jericho sighed heavily. He looks like he's arguing against himself. "He wanted to make you our mole." "Seriously?" Tasha responded. She doesn't sound angry, more like shocked. "Yeah, I said you can't do it. That it's too dangerous. But uhm

Six loud shots echoed on the four corners of the garage. But Gonzalo's men were shocked instead of satisfied. They all looked at each other and then back to their boss. Patricia is panting heavily, waiting for sweet death to take her. But it never came. Tasha, who's standing behind friend, is wide-eyed, and fear-stricken. "Pat?" Her voice is shaking. "No, Pat?" She started crying, thinking that her friend is dead because of her. When Patricia slowly turn around to face her, she expected bullet holes and blood. "Tash, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Tasha cried harder. Even with Patricia's addicted state, she is still the same person who cares for her. But if it's not Patricia who got shot, who? "Jericho! My God!" Tasha fell to her knees as Patricia ran to her. She couldn't look at the man who helped her and cared for her. "No!" Patricia is not crying but she is shaking. Her whole body is shaking. She's feeling a different kind of anger. A kind that she n