THE WINDS OF CHANGE THE WINDS OF DESTINY HAS COME FOR RUBY

Seven years ago, in the town of Harbor Bay, a tragic accident occurred involving three teen age girls. Two girls Willow and Amalia were killed instantly. The driver Ruby Collins survived with minor injuries.

The town of Harbor Bay was devastated by the senseless loss of life. The people of Harbor Bay came to pay their last respects to Willow and Amalia including Ruby.

Details of the accident was kept from the residents until after the funeral. Heartbreak and sadness turned to anger and hatred when it was revealed that Ruby Collins was responsible for the accident.

What was a tragic accident turned into murder. Ruby Collins was arrested for driving under the influence causing the accident and death of Willow and Amalia.

In the end Ruby Collins was sentence to five to ten years in prison. Harbor Bay lost its innocence's the day Willow and Amalia lost their lives.

Ruby lost her future, her two best friends and the respect of Harbor Bay. It's been seven years since the accident and seven years since Ruby has been imprisoned. Now at 23 years old Ruby Collins is being set free.

Ruby Collins

Forgiveness is not given. Forgiveness is earned through actions, through words. Actions have consequences and my actions seven years ago have caused so much pain. Pain that is felt everywhere including behind these prison walls.

I have fought so hard for the guards, the warden, anyone who knew Willow and Amalia to forgive me. I have failed at every turn.

In these prison walls, I'm the most hated person. What happens when I leave tomorrow and return to Harbor Bay?

For seven years I have fought with the demons in my head. The voices keep telling me over and over again "You will never get the forgiveness you desire." I try not to listen to the voices.

My own father hates me. He never came to visit me. He never wrote me any letters. He never answered my calls. My mother and father divorced a few years after I got put away.

My mother has been the only one who has been there for me. She has been my rock. For that I will always thank her.

I missed out on so much because of what I did. I missed graduating from high school. I missed out on going to college. I missed birthdays and holidays, summer vacations.

I missed out on so many things. I stay awake all the time about what my former friends are doing. I lost them too. How their lives turned out?

I also think about Willow and Amalia. How much I miss them and how I wish so many times that I can turn back time and stop myself from getting behind the wheel.

Sometimes during the night when I can't sleep, I look out the window and up at the night sky. I wonder to myself if Willow and Amalia are looking down at me. What must they be thinking of me?

I even talk to them. I tell them how sorry I am for what I did to them. That I wish it was me who died instant of them. I pray that Willow and Amalia forgive me. I miss them so much.

I think about what I lost and it can't even compare to talking two lives. I will always have a record. Nothing is going to change that. I look in the mirror and I don't see Ruby Collins.

I see a different person. I see a person who the world hates but the fact of the matter is I am still Ruby Collins. The girl who is now a woman that took the lives of two daughters, two sisters and two friends. No amount of forgiveness is going to change that. But I can wish for it.

The day of my release has come. I change from my prison clothes to my regular clothes. I grab my belongings and follow the guard out of my cell. My mother is coming to get me. I'm excited to see her.

The guard stops at the take-out desk. She signs some papers than I sign the papers. She says all done. I pick up. my belongings. I apologize to the guard. When I don't hear the words I wish to hear I walk out.

What did I expect? The guards hate me as much as the people of Harbor Bay. There's my mom. I run to her and hug her. I get in the car. I look at her. She smiles and drives away.

I look back at the place I called home for the last seven years. In a strange way that place was my safety net. I'm going to a place where the people hate me. To them I'm the devil. Is it weird to say I want to go back. I'm feeling so many emotions right now.

My mother grabs my hand as we enter Harbor Bay. She tells me "I will protect you." I don't know what to say. I don't know if my mom can keep her promise.

Harbor Bay hasn't changed. It looks beautiful especially when the leaves fall. Fall has always been my favorite season. I love watching the leaves fall and the changing of color.

There's my old high school. I have so many great memories. From the parties to the football games to the school dances to laughing with my friends.

There's the playground I used to go when I was a little girl. It was at that playground where I met Willow and Amalia. We loved the swings and the slides. We became inseparable.

Tears being to come down my face as I think about Willow and Amalia. I sent out a silent prayer and a hope for forgiveness as my mother is driving into Harbor Bay.

I'm getting this icy feeling in my bones. My mother stops the car. She turns to me and says "Look at me Ruby. I will protect you. Do you hear me?" I nod.

My mother beings to drive again. I look out the window and see the people looking at me with disgust. There's no hope of forgiveness. The car comes to a stop at a red light. Their in front of my mother's car is Bryce.

Bryce is the older brother of Willow. My mother honks at him to move. He doesn't move. He has this look on his face I can't describe.

My mother honks again. Bryce still doesn't move. Everyone is watching. He then yells "No one one wants you here. You belong in prison. We all hate you." He continues to yell. His friends push him to walk away.

The forgiveness I seek from the people of Harbor Bay is not going to come to me. The pain I cause is still here. My mother drives off.

For the first time in seven years, I see my childhood home. My home hasn't changed. I ask my mom to go inside the garage. I don't want to be seen.

I notice the neighbors are gathering in the front lawn. My mother tells me to go inside the house. I listen to my mother. She goes outside to deal with the neighbors.

I hear them yelling at my mother, telling her I don't belong here. She caused too much pain and me being here is going to make it worse. Others curse at my mom.

My mother keeps her promise and defended me against their attacks. She stood her ground. My mom comes back inside the house. I run to her and hug her.

Bang! I jump out of my mother's arms. She runs to the source of the noise. I follow right behind her. The back door is shattered. A brick is on the floor. A note is taped to the brick.

My mother takes the note and reads it. She begins to cry. I take the note from her and read it. "If Ruby shows her face in town, a bullet will be waiting for her."

I dropped the note and run to my room. The world hates me. Nobody can see I paid the price for my actions. I lost my friends. My father. My dreams. They want revenge. They want me dead. All I want is their forgiveness.

I don't see my mother for the rest of the day and night. I stay in my room thinking about what to do next. No answers come. I do the one thing I love to do and that is looking at the stars.

Day two of my freedom. I wake-up to the birds chirping and the sun shining through my window. I hope today is a better day than yesterday but I highly doubt it will be.

I shower, get dress and head downstairs for breakfast. I haven't spoken to my mom since yesterday. I hope she's okay. I spot my mom in the kitchen. I go to her and hug her. I tell "I love you."

Me and my mom sit down and eat breakfast. I'm grateful to my mom for always having my back. I tell her that.

After breakfast I tell my mom I'm going to the lake. She reminds me not to go into town. I tell her I won't. I grab my hoodie and leave through the back door. The lake is not to far from my home.

I always loved going to the lake. It's one of the many things I missed. Walking through the woods behind my home is one way I can avoid being seen.

The lake is still so beautiful. I smile for the first time in a long time. I take my shoes off and walk into the cool water.

A few minutes later I walk back and sit on the ground. I think about what my life is going to be like? What I want my life to be like? The truth is I don't know.

I'm lost in my thoughts when I hear someone behind me. I get up in an instant when I notice it's Bryce.

He has these cold dead, soulless eyes. I turn to run but Bryce grabs my hand. I try to wiggle free. His grip is tight.

"My sister is dead because of you. She was your best friend and so was Amalia. They trusted you and you killed them. You belong in hell. No one is ever going to forgive you. Death is what you deserve. There's a reason you mother never said the words I forgive you."

Tears being to form in my eyes. I have no words to say to Bryce not even I'm sorry. I fight his grip. He doesn't let go. In an instant Bryce takes out a gun and aims it at me. I kick Bryce in his leg and begin to run.

I run quickly away from Bryce. He shoots at me. The bullet misses me. I keep running. The gun goes off again. I'm almost home. I hear Bryce yelling. I can't make out what he's saying.

I made it to my house. I open the door and rush inside. I quickly lock the door, I grab a knife. I slide down on the floor.

I don't hear Bryce anymore. Maybe he's gone. I begin to cry again. No one is ever going to forgive me. There's no use in trying. My own mother hasn't said those words to me.

I pick up the knife and bring it down on. my wrist, before I cut myself, I feel someone grabbing me and yelling at me. "Ruby, what are you doing?" I don't hear anything. I just want to die.

I'm fighting with someone. Someone is trying to get the knife away from me. I realize it's my mother. "No let me do it. It will make the pain go away." I yell at her.

"No Ruby, killing yourself is not the answer." My mother yells at me.

"You haven't forgiving me." I yell back.

"Ruby look at me. I love you more than anything in the world. I stood by your side, protected you from the whole town and your father. You never needed my forgiveness. You always had it."

I hug my mother. I tell her "I love you so much." My mother has always been my everything.

"Ruby, you need to forgive yourself and the only way to do that is by leaving Harbor Bay and that is what we are going to do. We are going to find a new beginning."

Two days later me and my mother are leaving Harbor Bay. I thought about what my mother said and she is right. Her love for me is her forgiveness to me. Now I need to learn to forgive myself.

In time I hope I can learn to forgive myself. With this new change I hope it can happen. Forgiveness is not easy but when you have a mother who is strong like mine her forgiveness is all you need.