《•Let me help you• (Lin Manuel Miranda)》Chapter 5
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As days and weeks passed not much happened. Vanessa went by the bodega and told Sara we were there for her if she needed us, but that we would leave both of them alone. I always made sure to keep an close eye on Sara whenever I got my coffee. In the beginning everything seemed alright, aside from our little interaction on a daily basis being tense and uncomfortable. But soon she started showing up with marks on her body.
First bags under her eyes and occasionally grab marks on her neck, but those quickly started to turn into real bruises. She also started covering up more. Even though it was summer she never wore shorts or crop tops and most of the time she made sure her arms were covered up. She often showed up with quite some make-up too. Which was clearly there to cover her face up as well.
V and I kept track of the marks updating each other on them. It sounds insane, but we simply didn't know what to do. Vanessa tried to talk to her but she always acted dismissive and she was definitely not telling me anything.
One morning I showed up at the bodega, but Sara wasn't there. Instead Antonio was behind the counter.
"Hey Lin, it's been a while! How can I help you!"
"Hey! Where's Sara" I asked a little confused.
"Oh, she called in sick last night. Why?"
"O nothing, just curios."
"So, can I get you anything."
"Cafe con leche, please."
As I paid for my coffee and walked out the bodega I started getting really worried about Sara. I mean, she could actually be sick, but my gut told me something else was going on. If her bruises got too bad she probably wouldn't be showing up to work. Not wanting anymore customers 'bothering' her. I hated the fact that I couldn't check up on her.
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As walked passed the grocery store I thought I saw a glimpse of Sara inside. I went in immediately, eager to talk to her. As I sprinted through the big store I finally saw her standing in front of me. Her back was turned to me, so she didn't notice me. As I took a deep breath I carefully thought my next actions through. No touching her shoulder Lin, you know how that went last time, I thought to myself.
"Hey Sara." I said finally. She froze.
"Antonio told me you were sick." I continued in a somewhat questioning tone.
As she slowly tuned around, her head down, my worst fears were confirmed. She was beat up. Seriously beat up. I understood why she hadn't gone to work today. It was far too noticeable. There was no way she could have covered this up.
"Hey." She said softly. She couldn't meet my eyes.
"Sara, this needs to stop. What that man is doing to you is wrong and you can't let this continue." I was done with this and I needed to talk to her.
"Lin, it's nothing."
"Nothing!? Sweetheart look at yourself!"
"Don't call me sweetheart." She said firmly.
It was quiet for a moment.
"I'm sorry." I said finally. "I just want you to know that if you ever need a safe place to stay, our door is always open." "You don't have to decide anything now, but I just want to make sure you know that."
By now she had started crying and it broke my heart.
"Can you promise me, that you'll seek help if you need it." I said trying to meet her eyes.
Finally, looking up, she nodded.
"I promise."
A week later V and I sat on the couch. We jus finished dinner and the boys were in bed. We both had been busy the last couple of weeks, so it was nice to have a quiet evening. We were watching a romantic movie with wine and popcorn as the doorbell suddenly rang. Vanessa sighed, slightly frustrated with having our night interrupted.
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"I'll get it." I said, walking towards the door.
As I got closer to the door the bell rang again.
"Yeah, yeah i'm coming. Jeez...." I muttered annoyed. As I opened the door my eyes went wide with shock.
"My god....." is all that came of my mouth.
She was covered in bruises and blood. Her clothes were ragged, her hair messy and her eyes red from crying. I had never seen anyone that beat up. She was trembling with fear.
She slowly looked up at me, meeting my eyes. She spoke up, her voice shaky and desperate.
"Lin..."
It was quiet for a moment
"Help."
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The City of the Dragon Twisted
. 🐉 . The City of The Forever-Peace witnesses a pale young Buddhist Monk fighting his fearful thoughts of whether to cross the borders to Nepal and India against the death penalty. Why would that matter? In that September Autumn night of circa A.D.655, Emperor Táme’ Tie’-Zeon has been ruling an empire spanning 13,000 miles from the East to as far as the Baikal Sea in the Western Regions bordering the Middle East kingdom and the Rome Empire. Meanwhile, news has traveled that his Dharma-Son, Pan G. Monk faces an incredible Guillotine Execution that will chop off his waist in halves. The Empress Wǔl Zénder-Tan’ couldn't be careless. Why would that matter to the imperial family? Monks are just officials with equal vicarious duties and privileges. She would then spare her resourceful energy to maintain the fruitful relationship intertwining The Grand-Khan Jurchen-Warlords Clans in the North-East Desert in attempts to affirm her fate as the first and only female-Emperor, in the Medieval Ages of the Great City of the Dragon. Whereas The Abbot Master Xend'-Zeon of the Jade-Lotus Temple faces factions of religious politics. Particularly in the present, the Empress needed to manipulate the Master’s reputation to desperately seek life and/or the after-life merits. She decreed to be addressed as The Old Buddha Grand Father. The Master has had ideals of service to sentient beings since he was young. He could have traveled the Silk Road to the Far West entrance-point bypassing the five beacons as shortcuts save that he lacks the pertinent travel documents. Instead, he chose to cross the 800-mile овь-Gobi Desert that is as vast as the Baikal Sea, on foot. A route that is impossible in the history of the Buddha dharma. His heart never withers to support the mage of the red lotus that promises the Enlightenment of the Buddha-Land. Except that no one has ever endured the latitude of the heat. The pain. Alive, out of the desert sea. But he is also vulnerable to recognize the un-staticity of The Truth, The Truth itself, and the truth of seeking passion and mission for compassion in humankind. The mind and body reciting The Sūtra and The Heart, A phenomenon they knew better as if souls in chemical layers of their physique. Realizing enhanced mind training attaining controlling powers of life and death. Realizing the transformation of the unbearable pains and grievances he thought possible. . 2 . 🐉 . Meanwhile, dreams have been watching him to open The Third Eye, at The City's Amethyst-Jade Palace of the Second Emperor, Third Emperor, and Fourth Empress. Old Monks at The Nālandā Temple at the Far West Buddha Land; Householders Masters and Kings of the Jeek’-Foot Mountains of The City of the Naga-Dragon Twisted; in the Far West of The City of the Ever-Peace witness adventures of The Master. Lives at brinks of suicidal choices slaughtering ordeals. Who have inadvertently neglected the Master's karmic inflictions that would paradoxically affirm in a point of Near-Death Experiences; The Two-Profound-Reflective presented upon attaining The Deep-Active-Meditatitive Flow of Equanimity Samādhi. Eventually, The Seer Consciousness sees the Active Heart that is replete with The Latent Unconditional Love, Compassion And Empathy; that had been so close to us that we could not see it; as if one cannot see her own face. . 3 . 🐉 . Meanwhile also, the Imperial Criminal Affairs Clerk Ewen Hawk-Jean suffers too much seeking possession of desires and relief from a certain situation. Pan G., the Assistant Dharma-Translator to the Abbott Master Xend'-zeon has voluntarily or otherwise fallen into the supposed conspiracy or plain indifference. The imperial family's agenda of the Imperial Family of The Fang’-Chucks of course longs for a waist cut in halves not simply as souvenirs. Awaiting the Abbot Master is to come out from the disturbance. Incredibly transformative factors of the Mind-Transcendence-Samadhi are profoundly desired to spare the Monk Pan G. from the Post-Autumn Guillotine Execution that will chop off his waist in halves...... …But why would it matter to You?
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