FOR ZOEY

My love, someone hurt you. They left you in a coma. They took you from me. They almost killed you. A sweet loving lady like yourself shouldn't be fighting to live.

You know where you should be my beautiful Zoey? You should be laughing at my jokes with your infectious laugh. Showing me those pearly white teeth. You should be painting those beautiful pictures of nature.

I know you love animals. The cutest ones even the most dangerous ones. My Zoey, you once told me all animals even the most dangerous ones are a gift from God to make the world a beautiful place.

You love everything around you. The gray clouds not even the rain could dampen your mood. When people don't like you, you would always find ways to change their minds.

Why would someone do this to you? You love the world around you and the world loves you. I hold Zoey's hand. I tell her to fight and that she's a fighter.

I stay at the hospital for a few more minutes. My anger is building. Revenge is swelling in my heart.

I kiss Zoey on her forehead. I promise her I would come back. I leave the hospital. I go for a walk. I don't even know where I'm going. I end up at the place where Zoey got hurt.

My heart is broken. Tears threaten to fall. I push the tears away. My heartbreak turns to rage. My rage turns to revenge when I see dry blood on the ground. Zoey's blood.

I see red. I don't see the sunshine or the beauty Zoey sees. I want justice for Zoey. No one is going to give me the kind of justice I want for Zoey.

I believe Zoey was targeted by someone she knows. I believe someone was so jealous of Zoey that he or she wanted to hurt her. I believe this person knows Zoey intimately.

The police believe as well as the people in City Park believe this was a random attack. Zoey was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I don't believe this. My Zoey is a smart woman. She doesn't go to any dangerous places. Zoey doesn't like to go out at night alone. She calls me whenever she wants to go out at night.

The cops are not taking me seriously. They brush me off. Rage keeps building. Zoey didn't deserve what happen to her. The cops are not doing their job.

The cops are saying Zoey had secrets.Secrets she didn't tell me or her family. I tell the cops over and over again "Zoey didn't have any secrets."

I'm tired of talking to the cops. I'm going to find out who did this to Zoey no matter what.

Zoey is not going to like what I'm going to do. Zoey is a forgiving person. She wouldn't want me to act on my impulse.

Zoey would want me to forgive. I don't want to forgive the person who put her in a coma. I want revenge.

Zoey is a giving person. She gives as much as she loves. There are so many people around Zoey. There is Jack, Missy and Lina who help Zoey renovate the park.

The park was in bad shape. Graffiti was on every wall. The swing and the slide were damaged. The courts were in disarray. Zoey made it her personal mission to make the park beautiful for the kids. She succeeded.

Jack, Missy and Lina are friends Zoey met when she worked at the local market. They volunteered to help Zoey at the park. She introduce me to them. They seem like good people. I know they love Zoey.

Then there are the people who volunteer at the community center. The director of the center Nora and the volunteers Autumn, Anna, Audrey, Sienna, Nathan and Luke. They also seem like good people who like Zoey. I trust her instincts.

The community center is another one of Zoey's projects. The community center is a place for the kids and adults to go and have fun. Not to wander the streets getting into trouble.

Zoey only gets volunteers who want to help the community. Those who want to do good. The volunteers who I met seem like the kinds of people Zoey needs. The kinds of people she like to be around.

I pass the park. I see Jack, Missy and Lina hard at work. This is what Zoey wants. For life to go on. Make the world a beautiful place.

I wave at Jack, Missy and Lina. I see in their faces how heartbroken they are. I know they didn't hurt Zoey. Now, I walk to the community center.

The community center is designed by Zoey. She wants to make the center welcoming and homey to all who come. Zoey loves bright colors. She wants colors that would make everyone smile.

Zoey always comes up with new ideas to make the center a better place. One of the things Zoey did was to set up a reading and writing corner to help children learn how to read and write. She also set up a story corner so the kids could tell stories.

Zoey has a heart of gold. Always helping people. That is her passion and somebody wants to take that away from her.

Rage keeps building inside of me. I reach the community center. I get a hold on my anger. The center is beautiful, just the way Zoey left it.

The center is packed today. Zoey loves it when the center is full. I walk to Anna and Sienna who are outside with a group of girls.

I look at what they are doing. "They are making cards for Zoey. The girls miss Zoey a lot and so do we. Autumn, Audrey and Nora are inside making flowers with the other girls. The ones Zoey liked." Anna tells me.

I smile. Zoey loves making paper flowers. The art corner is another one of Zoey's ideas. Zoey always says "Art is a doorway to creativity. Art is a cure for the soul."

I thank Anna for keeping Zoey in her heart and to the others for keeping Zoey in their heart. I see Luke and Nathan with the boys painting the courts with bright colors. The way Zoey likes it. I wave at them. They wave back.

Nobody at the center hurt Zoey. They all love and miss her. I leave the center thinking who could have hurt Zoey?

I walk throughout City Park going to some of Zoey's favorite places like the museum and the theater.

Zoey loves watching the performers practice for their performance. A smile lit up her face whenever they did something grand.

Zoey loves taking the tram. It's on the tram high above the city where Zoey gets inspiration. I'm going on the tram to help me think about who the person is that hurt Zoey.

I buy the ticket and board the tram. I take a seat in the back. The tram begins to move. Up the tram goes, high above the city.

I realize why Zoey loves the tram. It's freeing and an escape from every day life. I sit thinking and thinking and thinking about the people in Zoey's life. Who is so jealous of her?

One person comes to mind. I didn't think of this earlier. Zoey loves this person so much. Her sister Molly. Somehow, I knew this would happen.

I've seen the way Molly looks at Zoey. How she was always so envious of her. No one saw it. I saw bits and pieces. Zoey didn't see it nor her parents.

I feel so stupid I didn't see the truth about Molly. Zoey always sees the good in people including her sister.

The tram goes back to City Park. The doors open. I run out the door. I go to the train station and board the train to Zoey's parent's house. I need to see for myself Molly's reaction to her sister fighting for her life.

Four stops later, I get off the train. I calmly walk to Zoey's parents house. I always loved this part of City Park. Zoey believes every section of City Park is beautiful.

I reach her parent's house. I look on from across the street. Through the window, I see Zoey's mom sitting on her rocking chair looking at pictures of Zoey.

I see Zoey's dad working in his garage. He loves building things. He can build anything.

I move closer to the house. I hear Molly in the backyard. I move closer. Molly is taking on the phone.

"My bitch sister got what she deserved."

"Yea, I know. When she saw it was me tears started to come down her face."

"People think she's sweet and caring and kind. I know the truth."

"Zoey is a wolf in sheep's clothing. She got what was coming to her."

"No people like her always want something in return. Zoey was no better."

"My parents are sobbing like little babies. They will never know it was me. They think it was a random attack. All accept Noah. He won't know it was me."

"It felt great. That first blow felt like a weight was lift off of my shoulders. The second and third blow fell awesome."

I can't listen anymore. I record every word Molly says. I leave Zoey's parents house with proof. The proof I need to show who the real attacker is.

Maybe on some level I expected Molly to lash out by all the attention Zoey has been receiving but not to this extreme level. Zoey loves Molly to pieces. What am I to do?

I don't believe the police will act on what I found. Molly would buy her way out of any punishment.

Revenge is what I want. What I need. Forgiveness is what Zoey would want me to do. How can I forgive Molly? Molly is supposed to love her sister truly and unconditionally. Not try to kill her.

I end up at the hospital. I go up to Zoey's room. I sit by her bed and grab her hand. She looks so beautiful and peaceful.

"My dear Zoey. I found the person who hurt you. The person who tried to kill you. You are not going to like who it is."

"This person is someone close to you. Someone you love. I don't know how to say this to you because you always told me forgiveness is the best medicine. My love I know what I have to do. I hope you will forgive me. I know you will forgive the person who did this to you. I can't."

"I can't be like you at this moment. All I see is rage. I feel anger burning inside of me. I need revenge my Zoey. Please understand and forgive me."

I kiss Zoey on her forehead. I leave the hospital planning my revenge against Molly. Nobody is going to like it. This is what I must do. For Zoey.