MY PURE BLOOD
                            CHAPTER 1

                        by Roberto Carlos Martinez

    “Come in,” I said.  The house waiter, Maria, came in and smiled at 

me.  Maria knew me since the day I was born.  She delivered me and she 

was like a second mother.  Maria was an old Mexican lady who was our cook and 

my parents admired her.  She was wide and short and I admired her long 

black braided hair, it went down to her knees.  Maria always wore a huge 

bandana over her shoulders and these white Indian dresses with these amazing designs, 

you could tell she was proud of her race and religion.   I said, “Can you please get me my 

baby from the crib?”  

Maria handed me the baby.  “Such a beautiful baby,” she said.  She has 

your red hair and her father's green eyes.”  “She reminds me of you when you were a baby.”    

        “I love my baby,” I said, “I don't want my father to kill her.”  “What 

can I do?”  He is going to kill her tonight and I can't let that 

happen.”  I knew my father was ashamed that I had gotten pregnant.  He was a wealthy 

man, and my baby's father was one of his servants. 

        “You must give up your daughter,” Maria said. “It's the only way to 

save her.”  She looked at me and she was serious. Her eyes widened.  

“I can't give her away,” I said.  “My dad will find her and get rid of her.”

“Then let her go down the river in a basket child!” Maria screamed.  

“Somebody will find her going down the river, and your father won't know 

it's your daughter.”  

        “That's what I will do,” I said, “ but how do I get out of here?  There are 

guards everywhere making sure I don't escape.” 
        
        “Go out the window, it will lead you to the river, and you will be there 

in 3 minutes or so,” Maria said.  

        I hugged the baby saying, “Get me that little basket so I can put the baby in there.”  

Maria grabbed some small blankets and handed me the straw basket.  She placed the blankets 

neatly in the basket and I laid the baby on it.  Finally, I placed the lid on the basket.  

Maria walked toward the window and opened it.  

        Maria said, “You must hurry child, come on, the longer you take, the 

more chance you have of getting caught.”  I handed Maria the basket, and 

she laid it on the grass gently.  “Hurry , your father will find out 

if you take too long.”  

        I started running with the basket in my arms.  I was so nervous, but it 

was the only way to save my daughter's life. In front of me, I saw the trees 

and I could hear the sound of the river.  I started walking slowly so I wouldn't trip 

on any branches.  Now I could see the river.  The river  was sparkling clean.  I was 

tempted to take a drink.  I walked towards the edge of the river and got down on my knees.  

Then I pulled the lid off the basket.  The baby looked at me and laughed.  

She was so helpless, and she didn't know what she was about to go through.  

Her green eyes looked at me happily, and tears ran down my eyes.  She was 

my daughter and I loved her.  She was  my pure blood, my flesh, and my life.  

        “Penelope!” somebody screamed.  I turned around and saw  my mother  

running towards me.  Maria was running beside her.  Her long red hair was covered 

with a green silk bandana over her hair.  “Think of what you are doing,” my mother said.  

        “I know what I am doing,” I said, “I am a big girl now, and you don't 

need to be watching my every step!”  

        My mother said, “You are only a teenager, but you are right.  It's for the best, 

but first let me put this in the basket,” my mother said.  She handed me a rolled up handkerchief.

Slowly, I opened it and saw a purse full of money.  My mother said, “Whoever finds her will need some 

money to take care of her.” I rolled up the handkerchief and placed it in the straw basket where my 

daughter was.  

        Maria gazed at the baby and started crying.  I took my necklace off.  It was a long necklace, with a 

huge emerald.  My father had given it to me when I was born.  I placed the necklace in the straw basket.  “I 

can't do it, “ I said, “Do it for me.”  I couldn't stop crying.  Maria bent down and put the lid back on the 

straw basket.  She slowly walked into the water.  Maria placed the straw basket in the water.

        The straw basket started floating along the river.  Maria walked out of the water.  We stood there 

as the river took the basket away.  We were so quiet that you could hear a feather float.  The only sounds 

you could hear were of the birds chirping.  All of us hugged each other crying, as we saw the last of the 

straw basket around the corner.

                         TO BE CONTINUED..........

What will happen in the next chapter?  Is Penelope going to see her baby once more?  What will she tell her

father and what will he do to her?  Find out in our next issue.