I believe in paying it forward, not with money or anything materialistic like that. But with smaller things that some might find worthless, such as kind words, helpful actions or perhaps even generous deeds.
To give from the heart is a rare thing to see in our darkening world, most of the time you might just hear something else like…
“Move your damn ass!” A loud masculine scream shocked me back into reality like a bolt of lightning.
I quickly jolted my eyes upward to a glowing green light above me on the crowded road, honking of dozens of cars behind me roaring to life angrily. My hands clutching the worn out handles of my rusted orange automatic scooter, giving them a sharp twist I should have been off.
But instead the clunk of my battery dying rang out in a somber tone, my heart sinking deep into my chest as palms began the sweat in anxiety. The huge crowd of motorist behind me not getting any nicer, if anything they were getting…
“Do I have to go up there and kick your ass!?” The angry man hissed from his window in a fiery rage, clutching his fist into a ball and waving towards me.
“That won't be necessary sir!” I chuckled nervously flicking my keys side to side, the motor completely dead as I decided to try and pull it off the road by hand.
“One!” He screamed much like a erupting volcano, his car engine roaring ever louder.
I jumped off my scooter giving the handles a rough tug in a panic, the whole top of my steering completely breaking off, sending me back into a filthy green mud puddle in a nearby gutter.
“Two!” His car suddenly zoomed forward, I wasn't even given a proper three count.
I could just sit slumped over in a stench filled puddle in awe, watching vehicle after vehicle crunch over my sorry excuse for a ride. After a dozen or so passing drivers had their way with dignity, I gave a loud sigh in defeat as a new proud owner of a pancake.
As I said, not too much goodwill nowadays.
My name is Troy Creed, I'm in my early twenties but feel as if I'm in my late thirties. I've always been pretty tall around six-one, I have short brunette hair I've been wanting to try and grow out. Though my boss at the furniture plant won't have any of that, one must dress, act and talk one certain way or risk being a fool.
My dad can indeed be quite the ass at times, he has a knack for calling me soft, even if he knows it makes me feel like I've disappointed him. Ever since mom passed away he's become more distant in my life, now I just feel as if I'm taking on the whole world alone.
My chocolate brown eyes glanced upward in front of a old worn out apartment building in the large city of Birmingham Alabama, windows on every floor cracked and the front tagged completely by young graffiti artists.
It wasn't much, but it's home.
Today I wore a now muddy blue shirt with a wave decal on the front, a pair of soaking wet dark blue jeans and of course old beige sneakers. My feet dragging across the cement sidewalk slowly, pulling my now totalled scooter in front of some nearby trash cans before trying to head inside.
Next to the alleyway sat what looked like a woman on the trash ridden ground, it was hard to tell she seemed to be wearing a black cloak of some kind. Her features hidden behind a shroud of darkness, yet I could feel her eyes burning into my very soul.
“Don't worry ma'am, it gets better.” I sighed reaching into my pocket before taking out a crumpled up five dollar bill, leaning down as I placed it in her hand gently.
Silence was the only thing to greet me in return, so flashing a friendly smile I shuffled away, ready to go inside and relax after such a crappy day.
I needed to be extra quiet heading up the stairs towards my apartment on the third floor, I still owed a bit on my rent and the last thing I wanted was Mrs.Kraver to speak to me with her enchanting personality.
I poked my head out of the empty stairwell ever cautiously, silently watching the long hallway for any signs of life whatsoever. When the coast was clear I made a dash for my door with keys in hand, skidding across the faded wooden floors I struggled to unlock my dumb door, it had a thing about jamming.
“Mr.Creed!” Kraver hissed behind me much like a snake on the prowl, turning my back with a groan I could see the forty something woman in the stairwell glaring angrily.
“Yes ma'am?” I did my best to try and stay polite, the angry woman rolling her eyes dressed in a beat up flannel blouse and jet black jeans.
“Where's the rest of your rent!?” Her blue eyes burned into my pockets as I felt my body grow numb.
“I don't have nothing now ma'am, but I'll try and have it by Friday…” My voice cracked as the awkward tension grew thicker between us.
“That's exactly what you are Creed, a plain and simple nothing!” She snorted towards me as if I were a liar.
“I'm being honest…” I stumbled over my words slightly.
“Mm-hmm, quit ordering junk online and get me my rent!” She flaunted a hand towards my feet, my gaze falling to a mid sized brown box beside my door.
How on Earth did I not see that coming in?
“Also keep those damn sissy cartoons down low, I almost heard something in my apartment last night!” Kraver huffed before stomping down the steps in a rage, the door at my side gently swinging open as if to mock me.
My show wasn't as bad as she thought, it taught friendship, tolerance and of course spreading joy. I walked inside my small but cozy apartment holding the box in hand, using my spare to snatch the remote off my kitchen counter and click on my television.
My Little Pony springing to life on the small square box, tonight's episode an old favorite of mine 'A Canterlot Wedding’. I was in luck as well, Chrysalis had not started her Aria just yet and that part was simply killer.
Yet as I placed the box atop my kitchen table, I heard a sudden scream from way down the hallway full of fiery anger.
“Creed!!!” Kraver boomed.
“Grr, yes ma'am.” I grumbled hitting mute on my set, just as the song had begun to play.
My eyes glanced down to the box in front of me, no address was on the box anywhere and it didn't even sport a delivery logo of any kind. My luck this thing was a bomb or something worse, I should just toss it out the window into the alley but a sense of curiosity had begun to build within me.
Just a small peek wouldn't be so bad?
My fingertips pried the lid of the box open carefully, leaning back a tiny bit just in case something unsavory came exploding outward. But no explosions sent me to my maker in the great beyond nor did anything ruin my day with a ill gotten prank such as a stink bomb.
Only silence filled the room, thinking it was perfectly safe to inquire within, I leaned my head forward to search inside the unassuming brown cardboard box. To my surprise it merely had a small pale brown purse hidden away, my large hands scooping up the smooth lovingly stitched object with curiosity.
At first glances it could've been a purse, it sure was small enough to be one. Yet sticking out of the unzipped top were dozens upon dozens of letters, even a few tiny packages and a subscription to Cosmopolitan.
It was a cute little delivery bag!
Scratch that, it was a horrible little delivery bag!!
This thing was overflowing with people's mail!
The mere fact I just searched through this thing, meant I had just performed a federal crime at the worst. I sighed in growing worry my eyes dancing across the room in anxiety, was someone trying to frame me for a crime?
If so, then why!?
I quickly slung the bag over my left shoulder in a bit of a panic, I was the type to freak out about jaywalking on a empty street. Committing felonies was pretty high on my list of things that made me feel panicked, my beat up old cell phone suddenly ringing caused me to nearly jump out of my skin.
“I didn't steal mail!” I spoke in a slight high pitched squeak, my voice cracking a tiny bit as I lifted the cell to my ear.
“Steal what!?” My dad spoke with a gruff voice on the other end confused.
“Uhh…” I squeaked again, my mind drawing a blank.
“Listen I need you to upgrade that hunk of junk scooter of yours, it's embarrassing to see you ride up everyday on that child's toy!” My dad barked out more orders sternly, at this point more of a general than a father.
“It's not a toy!” My voice rang out suddenly in a soft melodic yet joyous tone, my eyes widening in shock from the definitely feminine voice.
“Who's this!? Listen little girl, put my son back on…” I quickly hung the cell up in horror and growing terror.
What on earth had happened to my voice?
Before I could even come up with some mumbo-jumbo to try and save my sanity, the whole room seemed to be growing larger around me. My shirt soon becoming like a tent as pants began to bunch up below my knees, the room wasn't growing at all, I was shrinking.
I gave a loud girlish squeal in absolute fear of what was happening, I had to have been at least five-one now and everything seemed so humongous! I heard a loud knock on my front door, another squeal of confusion escaping my lips.
“Creed, I said no guests can live with you!- Is there a child in there!?” Kraver hissed behind the locked door, my suddenly tiny dainty hands lifting to cover my mouth in a panic.
Everything was changing all over my body, my arms and legs losing muscle by the second leaving behind softer, smoother and weaker flesh. Each leg gaining a slight shapley curve of youth, backside rounding a tiny bit to match as even my hips seemed a bit wider.
I felt so light and frail as I stumbled towards my bathroom feeling sick to my stomach, Kraver shaking my door knob in place wildly, threatening to call the authorities if I didn't comply.
She was the least of my worries as I could feel my waist sinking inward into a hourglass shape, my skin darkening into a odd light ashy grey color. I winced as I could feel my back arching a bit, under the tent of a shirt the odd sensation of growing mounds of flesh on my chest, caused me to feel extremely off balance.
“What's happening to me!?” I slumped weakly against my bathroom sink in confusion, my face seeming to blur in the mirror as if I were out of focus.
Masculinity slipping away as my eyes seemed to widen out into lucious pale pools of blue, brows thinning cutely even as eyelashes darkened and extended. Nose shrinking until it was tiny with a upturned shape, once thin lips gaining a cute sweet pout.
My whole face soon no longer gruff and squared, but more rounded and sweetly softened. My short hair turning a dark grey color quickly with cute specks of a lighter shade sprinkled throughout, my hair usually more coarse and a bit rough.
But now it seemed to gain extreme amounts of volume quickly, softening beyond words but not like silk perhaps dare I say feathers?
A tiny ponytail formed on the back of my head adorably, long wing like bangs cascading down both sides of my face sweetly. This was absolutely unbelievable, my teeth clenching as I felt like my insides were being ripped apart.
Without even having to check, I had a feeling my manhood had just slipped away. Panting weakly with wobbling knees, I gazed to the young thirteen year old girl in the mirror with uncertainty and confusion.
“What's happened...why...who?” I flipped the delivery bag over in my tiny hands, my vision fading in and out of focus wildly.
Gabby Griffin was written under the open hood of the bag in golden cursive stitching, my body was fading quickly while my strength plummeted to zero.
I could barely spin around to see that odd cloaked woman standing in my bathroom doorway smiling, I wanted to plea for mercy, I needed to ask her why.
Yet the last thing I could see before the world went black, was the woman placing a single thin finger over her lips to shush me.
Followed by nothing.
“You're too soft!” Dad's voice called out to me from the empty abyss.
“Chosen…” A faint feminine voice spoke up from behind me.
“A plain and simple nothing!” The voices were everywhere yet nowhere.
“Am I dead!?” I screamed out in a deep pit of despair, tears welling up in the corners of my eyes.
A flash of light bringing that woman into view, she stood over me so tall and mysterious. Reminding me just how small and weak I now felt, her lips curving into a genuine gentle smile as my heart began to calm.
“You're such a spaz!” She spoke in a taunting voice suddenly, everything around me blacking out once more.
“A spaz?” I gave a tiny squeak aloud, my pale blue eyes gazing towards the cloudless clear sky above in confusion.
“Yeah, you were skating then just wiped out suddenly!” A tall girl suddenly towered over my view with a taunting smirk, her eyes a vibrant and glowing golden hue.
Her hair short in style with a snow white hue, except for the streak of pink across her bangs. Her hair seemed to share the matching texture of mine, though her skin was flawless and a smooth cream color. She wore dirty brown boots with extremely tight beige jeans, her midriff completely shown wearing just a simple white baby tee.
She seemed so strange yet familiar?
“Wiped out?” I slowly sat up slumped over weakly, gazing down to see myself wearing a cute pair of grey cargo jeans and only one rollerblade on my left foot.
My oversized shirt gone, replaced by a baggy grey hoodie that was covered in debris and ripped across the front in various places.
“What are you stuck on repeat or somethin’!?” The girl placed her hands on her hips annoyed, her stance becoming more stern and cold.
“Gilda!?” The memory of this girl hit me like a ton of bricks, she was a Equestria Girls version of Gilda the Griffin.
My eyes glanced towards my tiny grey hands covered in scratches, that would mean I was…
“Gabby, get off the ground!” Gilda shook her head softly, her strong grip grabbing the back of my neck before lifting me to my feet with ease.
I had somehow transformed into Gabby Griffin or at least a version of her. I wanted to run for the hills, but knew if I didn't play this smooth, I could risk causing more trouble for myself.
I just needed to stay calm.
“Wow, you look like, I beat you up!” Gilda slapped my backside extra hard, my tiny body slouched over as I stood in a completely ruined outfit.
“I just want to go home…” I spoke in a deflated tone, taking a step forward only to go slipping back to the ground with a loud thud.
I had forgotten about the rollerblade.
Gilda sighed with a roll of the eyes, kneeling down in front of me before gently yanking off my busted skate. To my surprise she wrapped my arm around her neck, lifting me up with extreme ease as she soon began to help me walk off the grass and down the sidewalk.
“C'mon sis, let's get you home.” Gilda grumbled in a grumpy tone, my eyes glancing up towards her with a touched look upon my face.
I had a sister.
Gilda was nothing like I had expected, sure she spoke with a bit of an attitude and had a stern air of seriousness around her. But her touch was beyond gentle as she helped walk me home, which I was thankful for, because I had no idea where I was. This place was so bright and lush, the sun shining in the sky as the grass glowed a healthy green, covered in a rainbow variety of flowers.
This was a far cry from the city, honestly it was a place I thought, I could get used to. Gilda chatted about me being clumsy, that in the family she got all the grace. Those golden eyes looking down to me curiously, I had not said a word since we started walking.
I was in awe of my surroundings and perhaps a bit in shock about the whole becoming a thirteen year old girl thing. My new sister slumped me up against a old oak tree under cooling shade, crossing her arms across her chest with narrowed eyes.
“Ok kid, you've not said a word! Tell me what's on that klutzy mind of yours?” My sister extended a thin finger sharply, poking my shoulder hard.
“Nothing's wrong, do I seem different?” I quickly shifted my eyes side to side nervously.
“Well Gabby, you're usually more gabby!” Gilda flashed a quizzical glance towards me, my eyes shifting down towards the grass in uncertainty.
“I'm fine... really.” I tried to sound calm, but my voice escaped my lips in a off tune melody.
“Mm-hmm, did you break something!?” Gilda huffed.
“I don't think so.” I patted my body gently.
“I meant like an object dummy!” She snapped.
“What no!?” I scrunched my nose cutely.
“Boy trouble?” Gilda smirked with a sly giggle.
“Eww, no!” I blushed a bright pink.
“Steal something!?” Gilda raised a thin brow.
“Ne..never!” I stammered in shock, my eyes looking towards my socks.
“I know!” She cupped my chin, lifting my face up to meet her own.
“You do!?” I gasped in utmost shock.
Had I blown my cover this quickly!?
Gilda smirked ruffling up my hair playfully, her arm wrapping around my shoulders before giving me a huge firm hug. I could just take this confusing form of affection in silence, unsure what it was, she had thought was wrong with me.
“You want a few new outfits, but afraid to ask Gramps for the cash!” She shook her head to the side smirking.
“Outfits?” I glanced over the ripped hoodie and torn pants slowly.
“Trust me sis, you've gone long enough in the bargain bin!” She winked towards me with a mischievous look upon her face.
“No longer just a kid, you're a growing woman! - Need to flaunt it!” Gilda began her walk ahead of me giggling to herself, I couldn't help but giggle myself and follow.
Part of me curious of what she had planned.
“New clothes, absolutely outrageous!?- Truly, truly outrageous!!” Gramps squawked much like an old buzzard would.
He was a gruff old man of an unknowable age, I felt fear strike my soul of even thinking about asking him. He wore a long grey trench coat that nearly touched the aging wooden floor of our house, a dirty old black suit underneath with a matching properly knotted tie.
His wrinkled claw like right hand, clutched a crooked wooden cane tightly, his balding head hidden by a ancient red fez with tufts of dull Raven hair poking out of the side. His left eye a nearly jet black color, the right a silver faded hue that never seemed to blink.
The house was his home, it smelled to stale moldy musk. Furniture of the days passed littering every corner of this place, no lights were turned on either as every room in sight had a dark eerie vibe to it.
I felt as if I had walked into the lair of the crypt keeper, my slender frame shivering in fright as I did my best to hide behind Gilda for protection.
“Yes outfits, she looks like a boy in those oversized atrocities you bought!” Gilda arched wide hips to the side in anger, crossing her arms across her chest as if annoyed.
“They are good clothes, she'll grow into them!” Gramps snapped even louder.
Gilda clutched my shoulder pulling my beat up frame into view, Gramps glaring over me in pure disgust of what he saw. My sister narrowed her eyes and stepped to my side, poking the old man on his chest hard.
“She crashed on the street today, because those dumb clothes hindered her!” Gilda clutched her fist in fiery anger.
“When I was growing up, I had just two and a half outfits, by thunder we made do!” Gramps pushed ahead trying to intimidate Gilda, soon both face to face in a battle of will.
“You also grew up with a six Brothers, Gabby is a girl Gramps! - Girl's need proper wardrobes!” Gilda hissed as the old man groaned in defeat.
“Bah, just make sure she dresses with some class!” Gramps reached into his coat pocket, removing his wallet with shaky hands.
“I don't need two harlots embarrassing me! Kaaaa-ach-aaaa!” Gramps exploded out into a series of coughs and wheezes, slowly shuffling off into the darkness of the living room.
Gilda let her gaze fall to the two hundred dollars in her hand solemnly, a sense of pain built up deep within her soul. I could feel the same pain she felt, my dad was almost a spitting reflection of that horrible old man.
“Gil...sister? Are you…” I slowly reached my tiny hand out to touch her shoulder, Gilda spinning around with Misty eyes.
“Perfectly fine, that old buzzard is just an ass!” She smirked with a quick wipe of her eyes, patting my shoulder reassuringly before heading towards the front door.
“C'mon Gabby, let's get dangerous!” Gilda deviously smiled.
