Girl In A White Dress

by Giovanny Rivas

Hi my name is Giovanny Rivas, growing up as a kid I had one brother and two sisters but we all had different last names. I never paid much attention to that fact. One day out of curiosity I asked my mother why was that so. She looked at me with tears in her eyes,she grabbed me and held me tight. She asked me to please forgive her. I said for what. My mother told me that my real mother had died when I was three years old, and she had found me alone. From that day on she raised me as one of her own. I was 11 years old when she let me know.

I am 19 years old now and have to kids of my own; they are twins. From then til now I had experienced situations I thought only existed in movies or folk tales. I was supposed to die I believe in the situations that I was in. I have no idea what gave me strength to survive or the will.

About three years ago I was racing my friend at night on a scooter and he was on a bike; I was very competitive and always confident. We were racing to my house I was ahead of him from a good distance. As I got to the sidewalk I passed a parked car, out of nowhere four pit bulls and a huge boxer came out from the side of the car. I looked over to my friend for one second but he was at the end of the block screaming "run Gio run" but as I turned back for a split second they charged at me. My reflex reacted and I used my scooter to try to fight them. At one point they had me surrounded; two of the pit bulls were ferociously trying to bite my legs and they were all barking so loud I could not hear myself think what I could do. I tripped and lost grip of the scooter. I swear everything happened so slow as I was falling. I looked over at my friend and I could hear him crying screaming "no!!no!!" Before I hit the ground I saw what was going to happen to me. I could see all the dogs going for my neck. When that flash of sight happened I snapped back into reality. When I was on the ground they started biting my legs. I could actually see my life flashing through my eyes; I could not even feel the pain that was being inflicted on me. The moment came that what I had seen was going to happen. They came at me three at the same time and two on my legs before they were able to finish me of a heard a loud voice in my head telling me to get up because it was not my time,the voice in my head kept telling me get up and fight!! Get up and fight!! I have no idea were I got the energy but I used it. I extended both my arms like hooks in front of me like bait; I'd rather let them bite my arms than my neck. Two were on my arms as I was standing and the other two on my legs. The other one was just barking like crazy to intimidate me. The two on had my arms in a lock with their mouths. I was not thinking just reacting so I swung both my arms as hard as I could and they lost grip but I was also losing blood. I started hitting and punching the two on my legs. This lasted for a period of time of 15 to 20 minutes. They eventually let go but I know the punches I was hitting them with hurt me way more; I felt like I was hitting concrete their heads were so hard. I knew if they dashed for me again I was not going to make it. I was already feeling woozy, dizzy and weak. I saw the scooter two feet away so I grabbed it as fast as I could and started to swing at them. They got a couple of feet away I started to back away then I turned around saw my house down the street so I took of running for my life. When I turned around they were not after me they went to Ward's, my friend. I got inside the house my father in shock asked what had happened to me but I had no time so I grabbed two big kitchen knives and went to my neighbor who was a very good friend I told him I needed his help that my friend was in danger immediately he grabbed a knife. We ran to were the spot were he was at but we only found his bike. I had tears in my eyes thinking the worst had happened. On the way back to my house to tend to my wounds we could hear someone crying on the side of my house it was my friend. He was in shock he could not belief what he had witnessed he was just shaking and telling me "sorry I'm sorry don't stop being my friend. I said to him "not in a lifetime."

I have experienced so many out things of this world. To whispers saying my name in my ear every night and visions of clouds descending from the sky to the ground and out of the clouds come out this huge black looking wolf with red eyes coming after me. None of that compares to what happened to me this year.

Just a couple of months after my kids were born I moved in with my girlfriend. One night I felt something in the room like a silence. I was laying down with my girlfriend, I was trying to go to sleep but before I got a chance to I heard a crying throughout the room. The crying became louder and louder. As I turned to see what or who it was the cry sounded more like an echo. I saw the door from my closet open. I tried to wake my girl up but no one could hear me. When I looked back a young girl in a white dress was coming out of the closet but I could not see her feet; it was as if she was gliding slowly. I was staring at her and she was starring back. I could see her face and everything just except her feet. She started to cry loud saying "my son my son"; she was so sad. She was coming my way with her arms out. I tried to move but I felt like some type of force was holding me in one spot. I could not scream for my girl. I could not move at all. I actually got to see her face to face and when I did for some reason tears started pouring down my cheeks. I was on the bed then she got on her knees in front of me crying "my son Giovanny my son." She was right in my face; I could see how black and sad her eyes were. She put out her arms in front of me. As she did I was just so frightened I turned away and held my girlfriend so tight like there was no tomorrow.

I had recently got the courage to tell my mother about this. I let her know how she looked - every detail - she went silent for moments. My mother then told me that my birth mother had given birth to me when she was 15 years old and died at the age of 17 giving birth my sister. To this day I have not met her or seen a picture of her but I love her with all my heart either way. I love you Maribel always and forever. I named my daughter after you. R.I.P. much love.