Madison Bridges (A Short Story)

WillsGirl

WillsGirl

New member
Okay I had an assignment to write a SHORT story and I'm really NOT good with limitations in my writing so this story is kind of lame and it still isn't finished yet but if you have anything nice or encouraging critisism feel free!


I


“Madi!” 18 year old Michael Deffer ran into the two-story house and called again. “Madison! Where are you?”
15 year old Madison ran to the top of the stairs and stared down at her brother with heavy concern pictured on her face.
“What’s wrong?” She asked quietly.
“Mom and Dad were in a car accident. We need to get to the hospital.”

Madi hated hospitals. The smell and the lights and the over all feeling made her sick to her stomach. She had this overwhelming feeling that something wasn’t right, and that she knew what was about to happen. Her head was pounding as doctors rushed passed her in the Chicago Emergency Room. Michael new where they were going and Madi just followed, silently, trying to keep her thoughts from getting to her. She didn’t know how, but she just knew. She knew that her parents were gone but she felt so numb. She was shocked and sad and still hung on to the hope that she was wrong, but that hope was so small and completely shattered when she saw the look on the face of the doctor approaching them. Her name was Dr. Sangree and she seemed nice except that she was about to tell them something they didn’t want to hear. Madison refused to listen. Everything was silent and slow, like her senses had been numbed. But she didn’t have to hear to understand what was going on. She saw the compassion in the doctor’s face, and the immediate reaction of horror in her brother. Madi wanted to cry but she couldn’t. Dr. Sangree looked at her searchingly.
“Are you okay?” She asked. “Do you understand what I said?”
Madi just nodded.
And so it went. Michael was old enough to care for Madi and their parents had left them everything, but Madi knew it wasn’t a lot. They had recently taken out a loan for Michael’s College tuition and now he was unable to go. Madi didn’t at all understand all of the paper work and technical problems Michael was dealing with but she knew it was stressful. As soon as the funeral was paid for and they had food enough for a few weeks, he went out to find a job. Madi was so proud of him, but she felt responsible for him not going to college. Michael made it a point to talk to her and tell her that everything was going to be fine, and he was convincing at first but no job he could get would be enough to maintain their way of living. It was only three months after their parents’ deaths Madi was transferred to a smaller, poorer school, and they were living in a small trailer park.

Michael continued to work as much as possible and encouraged Madi to do her best in school. Life went on and time passed until two years later and they were not doing much better, except Madi and Michael were much closer. The only fight they had was over Madi being able to work. She wanted to get a job as soon as she turned 16, but Michael had the little beat up Toyota, so she would have to walk, and while she was willing Michael refused to let her work because there was nothing suitable or safe enough. Madi knew that Michael was just protecting her so she let it go and worked harder at school. She did get to do some laundry and babysitting for a selected few families in the trailer park and it helped a little, but Michael wanted her to use her money on herself, or for fun. He told her she could spend it on anything she wanted.
She smiled and waited. When she turned 17 some of the families in the trailer park pulled together some money as a present for her. She scrounged up everything she had and went out. A little ways from her school, there was a church having a big garage sale. She went over and started looking.
“Can I help you?” A large man asked.
“I’m looking for something… special.”

Michael’s birthday was only a month after Madi’s and when he got home from his night job she was there waiting for him.
“What are you doing up so late?” He asked.
“Happy birthday.” She sad giving him a large paper bag.
“Madi, you don’t need to give me anything, where did you get the money? I didn’t get you anything.”
“I had the money just sitting in my room, and you did get me something. We had ice-cream on my birthday. Just open it!”
Michael looked into the back and pulled out folded black pants, and a nice black blazer.
“Where did you get this?” He asked in awe.
“Well, it was at a garage sale. It’s only been worn a few times. I thought you could wear Dad’s gold shirt and I’m sure you have a tie. You can get an interview and a nice job. Mrs. Washington has an iron, I didn’t really have a hanger.”
Michael gave her a hug and tried it on. It was a little big but not too noticeably. He had a new found confidence and it wasn’t but two weeks before he had a big interview. And the company was nice enough to see him in the evening after his day job.
Madi knew that, this day would change the rest of her life. But she had no idea.

Madi woke up to the sound of banging on the door. She took a frying pan off of the stove and went to the door. As she got closer she could understand what was going on. The Washingtons and Pruits at her front door trying to get her attention.
 
II

She opened the door and stepped out into the cold night air, pulling her robe in close.
“Okay wait. I can’t hear you guys at the same time. What’s going on?” She said trying to remain calm. Mrs. Washington was blubbering and tried to tell Madi what had happened. But all Madi got was: “Michael, shot, hospital, bad”
“What!? Where? When? I need a ride!” Mrs. Pruit nodded to her husband and took Madison gently by the elbow. “I’ll take you sweet heart.” She said quietly.
Madi didn’t like the beat up truck that the Pruits drove, but she didn’t seem to notice the sounds, smells, or bumpiness of the ride, all she had on her mind was her brother and a strong hope that he would be alright.
“Madi, Dear,” Mrs. Pruit said hesitantly. Madison looked over at her. “I think it’s only fair to warn you,” She paused and wiped a tear from her face. “There isn’t much the doctors could do for Michael. He was badly injured when Mrs. Washington found him on her way home from the diner.” She paused again and looked away from Madi’s tear stained face. “He may have already passed on.”
For the first time in a good while, Madi burst into tears. Mrs. Pruit blinked back tears and kept her eyes on the road.

The familiarity of another Chicago hospital haunted Madison. This one was worse. Now they were living in down town Chicago and this was the downtown hospital. Madi rushed past the patients in the waiting room and went to the counter.
“I’m looking for my brother, Michael Deffer.”
“I’ll take you to him.” The nurse said signaling to her. Madi followed her down the hall and into an operating room. It was different from where her parents were. Michael was on a small bed in the middle of the room. Medical tools and supplies lined the walls. Madison stepped up to the bed and slipped her hand inside her brother’s.
He squeezed it and opened his eyes.
“I waited for you.” Michael said breathlessly and slow. Madison looked at him sadly, tears filling her eyes.
“I couldn’t go without saying goodbye to you.” Madi choked and tried to speak but no words came.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t take better care of you. We were almost there.” Madison shook her head.
“You always were grateful, and helpful. I love you Madi.”
“I love you Michael.” Madi was so relieved that the words came out. Michael smiled and closed his eyes. The monitors started beeping loudly and a nurse came in and turned them off. Madison laid her head down on her brother’s chest and cried. Mrs. Pruit put a hand on her shoulder and tried to comfort her but she knew that nothing could make the hurt go away.

After that, it was like a domino effect. Madi used most of the money she had left on a small funeral and a burial next to her parents. Soon she didn’t have enough money to keep living at the trailer park so she went to foster care. When she turned 18 a few months later, she was on her own.
She lived for a while in a shelter for homeless people. But even there she didn’t feel safe. It would get so crowded at times that it was easy for a few people to disappear without notice. She had seen it happen. A few teenage boys would get bored and pick on an elderly man. It was sad but she felt that there was nothing she could do.
Sometimes a shelter worker would see it and escort the boys out but there were so many people packed in the building that it was hard to catch.
Madi used the homeless shelter as her home base. They had showers and cots there and sometimes people would donate clothes. But she needed a job to pay for food. So everyday she started walking. It didn’t take her but 15 minutes to walk to a little diner convenient store. And there was the sign she was looking for. “Help Wanted” She tried to fix her hair and smooth her clothes before walking in.
“Excuse me.” She said at the front counter. A large black woman came from the back room. “What can I do for ya suga?” She asked.
“Well,” Madi started hesitantly. “You can give me a job.” She tried to smile sweetly and it seemed to work.
“How old are ya sweetheart?”
“17 ma’am”
“Have you ever worked at a diner before.”
“No ma’am but I can learn.”
“Alright then come on back here.” The large black woman lifted the counter and showed Madi to the back room.
“I’m Darleen by the way.” She said holding her hand out. Madison shook it and replied. “My name is Madi.”
The rest of the day was used to train Madi in the ways of service. She caught on fairly quickly and was to come back the next day.
And so it went for months after. Madison caught on to the life of a homeless person, and she kept to herself except at work where she and Darleen would converse about whatever was on the little TV in the corner. Darleen never asked about Madi’s life and she was grateful. Madi had learned to get on with her life and didn’t really want to bring up her past. When Madi got paid, she spent half of her money on groceries in the store part of the diner, and the rest she would hand out to some of the poorest families at the shelter.
 
III

Madi’s life seemed to be fine, but she felt like something was missing. For a long time she thought it was her family. Then she realized that maybe it was just love in general. She didn’t really have someone who really cared about her. Who really loved her, and as the days went by she wanted it more and more.
Sundays seemed to cheer her up. There was a new ministry that came Sunday afternoons. People would come and give food and clothing to those who needed it and tell comforting stories about a great man. Madi never got to stay for all of it, she was busy getting ready for work when it started and then had to leave to go to work but she heard the stories in the middle and there was just something about them that made her smile.

Madi overslept one morning and was hurrying around on the second floor of the shelter to be ready in time. Bobby and his followers saw it as entertainment. Bobby was 16 and he liked Madi but she wasn’t interested in him so he would make fun of her and tease her.
As she was drying her hair with a towel and putting her shoes on he came into the hall.
“Poor Madi, she’s gonna be late!”
“Oh grow up.” Madi threw the towel over one of the shower rods and headed to the stairs but Bobby stood in front of her.
“Move.” Madi was quickly losing her patience.
“Oh, you didn’t ask nicely.” Bobby taunted.
“Please move.” Madi said exasperated.
“Be careful waitress, don’t fall in your nice new shoes.” Bobby laughed and one of his followers pushed Madi, trying to scare her but she lost her balance and fell down the cement stairs.
“Why did you do that!” Bobby yelled. “Oh my God, what if you killed her!”
“They’ll throw us out.” One of the other boys proclaimed.
Bobby and his followers ran down the stairs and checked to see if Madi was still alive.
“She’s got a pulse.”
“And she’s breathing.”
“Okay, she’s not dead, I’m out of here.”
“What! Come back!”
Bobby was on his own so he ran outside for help. The ministry had most of the shelter’s inhabitants outside under the big bridge.

“What’s her name?”
“Madison I believe, I couldn’t get a last name out of anyone.”
“Where does she live?”
“The homeless shelter a few blocks down.”
“Family?”
“I don’t think so.”
Madison blinked and was soon aware of her surroundings. She was in her least favorite place. A hospital. Standing before her was a young businessman and a petite nurse. They both turned their attention to her.
“How are you feeling dear?” The nurse asked.
“Fine, I’m going to be late for work.” she answered.
“I don’t think you need to worry about that right now. It’s a pure miracle that you didn’t break anything.” The young man said sounding quite astonished.
Madi just stared at him for a while.
“I’m sorry, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ryan Creyborn.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I think you already know my name.”
“What’s you last name sweetie?” The nurse asked.
“Deffer. Madison Deffer.”
“Well, we will have you back at work soon enough.”
“Thanks.”
The nurse left and Ryan stood back a little bit.
“Um, if you don’t mind my asking what…”
“I’m sorry, how terribly rude of me. I was at the shelter for Sunday School on the Street, to help a friend of mine, and he asked me to come and help here. The teacher Mr. Grugh, is an old friend of mine. Do you know him?”
“No, I keep busy at work so I don’t see much of the street ministry but I get to hear some of the stories.”

Ryan spoke to Madison for a while. Asking her questions about her beliefs and what she thought about the stories. She prented to understand more than she really did but soon Mr. Grugh came in to see her and the talking went on. Finally Madison was discharged from the hospital and Ryan and Mr. Grugh took her back to the shelter. When they parted Mr. Grugh gave her a small book. She excepted it and thanked them both for all of their help. When she went back into the shelter everyone looked at her differently. Almost shocked. Bobby came up to her very surprised.
“I don’t believe this.”
“What is your problem Bobby?”
“We had to check if you were dead, and you’re walkin’ around with nothing’ more than a few scrapes?”
“What?”
“You… fell all the way down the stairs… hard… you should be really messed up.”
“Yeah well, I’m not. Sorry to disappoint you.”
 
Do you enjoy making people CRY! :eek: *sigh* Really good story by the way! :D Just don't end this one like WSW. PLEASE! I'd get down on my knees and beg if it weren't for the fact that you couldn't see me! :D I think you're doing a good job consitering the detail constrant. Keep up the good work! :D
 
Thanks but I have NO idea what is going to happen, except MAYBE what will happen in the last page... I have to keep it a SHORT story though so I don't know!
But thank you.
 
Thank you SO much!!!
Unfortunately... this one has a REALLY awful ending... in fact I HATE this story! The only reason I put it up here was to have people TRY to motivate me as it was a school project due this past Monday... it HAD to be a SHORT story so it ended rather abruptly... ah well, I guess if you want it...

When she went back into the shelter everyone looked at her differently. Almost shocked. Bobby came up to her very surprised.
“I don’t believe this.”
“What is your problem Bobby?”
“We had to check if you were dead, and you’re walkin’ around with nothing’ more than a few scrapes?”
“What?”
“You… fell all the way down the stairs… hard… you should be really messed up.”
“Yeah well, I’m not. Sorry to disappoint you.”
“Madi…”
“What?”
“I’m sorry.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Are you serious?”
“YES! I’m sorry, okay! There’s just something different about this whole place and I just… oh forget it!”
“No, I mean, … thank you.”
Bobby just kind of smiled faintly and left. He later became friends with Madi. She even got him a job, and he was able to turn his life around.

Madison began to read the gospel of John every morning before work, and the group organization that came to the shelter became more and more intriguing to her. She made time to attend, and made a point to try and understand it all. Before long she found herself speaking to the pastor of the ministry and became a Christian. She got baptized and started to work for the ministry. She worked hard and helped lot’s of people become Christians. She ended up married to Ryan and extended Christian ministries to the homeless. Ryan even had a group of bridges named after her, and as that part of the city expanded it was known as Madison Bridges
 
Thank you! That is REALLY kind!
You would probably like the story/script I'm writing now.. (Well not really, it got deleted from my computer so I haven't really done anything but I still have the notes and I'm working on it.)
It's about these teenagers back in medieval days. Sam is this girl who is VERY headstrong and courageous, a leader among many and Dom is her friend, older than her, he makes sure she doesn't forget to take care of herself.
Well, they are stuck in this oprphanage because the evil king has murdered all their parents because they were starting an uprising. Their houses were ruined and they all fall ill under some deadly chemical which was rumored to be the drug of the King's own wizard! Now they suffer from constant headaches, lack of memory, and dizzy spells, all the time they are questioning something but don't know what it is... then something DREADFUL happens, so they decide to go to war against the king! What will happen! DUN DUN DUN!
Are ya interested! LOL
 
LOL, oh of course, my loyal fans!
I'm even in NARNIANKNIGHTS sig! YAY!
LOL, I'm never so flattered as when I am with my forum friends. LOL
sniff*sniff* I luv you guys!
 
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