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“Common clay must go through
the heat and fire of the furnace to
become porcelain. But once porcelain,
it can never become clay again.”
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It was three o'clock on a blustery Monday afternoon. The Bradford pear trees had their white blossoms, and petals scattered everywhere. Bluebells were blooming, and everything was green again. The only thing that detracted from the heartwarming spring scene was the gray skies overhead. A storm was approaching.
"Be safe on your way home, Children!" the fifth grade teacher called out to her pupils, who were much more interested in the freedom of getting out of school than what she had to say.
Caterina was one of those students. With her brown hair in braided pigtails and her school uniform, she looked like just another sweet little school girl. That was because she was, although most would argue with the 'sweet' bit. Indeed, Caterina was a sharp one. Smart, analytic, and confident, she didn't have many friends. So while kids stood together chatting or ran off together, she walked past them, not a word uttered. No one asked to come over to her house to play. No one asked her if she would like to join them at the park. That was okay though. They were all just stupid.
At least, that's what she told herself.
Caterina lived in a nice neighborhood. Her father was an investigator for the Destiny city Police Department, and ever since she could remember, they had lived in the two-story cream house on the corner of West Warner Street. The chain-link fence around the small property didn't keep in any dog, nor was it really meant to keep anyone out. The hedge bushes lining the perimeter were neatly trimmed and the flower garden was weeded by the kind old man her daddy paid. He took care of the pool in the back yard too. The old man wasn't her grandfather, but had been a long time friend of her late-mother, so he was kind of like family.
Her mother had passed away when she was four. It wasn't any sort of horrific accident, but a kidney transplant gone wrong. Uncle Lloyd still felt guilty to this day.
Caterina had an older brother too. His room now sat empty, but not for any sad reason. He was in college now! Full-ride scholarship, too! Her brother had always been a smarty, well liked, and athletic. The perfect big brother in her eyes. Together he and her father had spoiled her silly. Indeed, Caterina was spoiled. You didn't become as bratty as her without being spoiled.
She had always gotten just what she wanted, and been indulged in so much by her father and big brother. If was hard when he left for college, but after a few temper-tantrums she finally bucked up and embraced her new-found independence. Father worked much of the time, always busy with all the rising crime in Destiny City. For the past two years it had been largely her brother taking care of meals and the bulk of the house hold chores, and helping her with her homework. Now all that was on Caterina. She didn't like it at first, but after a while, with her father's praise, she became proud of what she could do. Caterina could add 'independent' to her list of traits. She was growing up quick.
So once she got home she unloaded her backpack and did her homework - leaving the math work out for her daddy to check over when he got home. Now it was time for dinner. Caterina opened the refrigerator and frowned. She checked the cabinet and again, she frowned. When had daddy last gone grocery shopping!? With a sigh, Caterina hopped down from the stool she'd used to reach the cabinets with and ran upstairs. Grabbing her piggybank she plopped on to her bed and pulled out the cork on the bottom and began shaking out the change and bills.
It looked like she had just enough for a burger and fries.
Gathering up the money, Caterina stuffed it in her little denim purse and headed out. Daddy wouldn't be home until at least nine, so she had quite a while to go and get back without him knowing... Because if he knew she was going out by herself he would be furious with her. But she couldn't just starve! And oh, she would just waste away in to nothing if she didn't eat! Caterina could be a bit dramatic.
It wasn't even dark yet. The sun was going down later and later as the days went on. So, she happily booked her little tail towards the more densely populated part of Destiny City, away from her Suburban neighborhood, not knowing that more awaited her than just a simple little trip to McDonalds....
