𝐈𝐧 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"I wanted everything to stop, to end. I wanted to die, so that people would understand how they'd hurt me. So, I bought a bottle of sniper-

-and a syringe"

FIFTEEN

IRIS

  Willow said nothing, she just stared at me. However there was a look of surprise on her face. It was almost as if she couldn't believe what I was saying, like she didn't expect that kind of backstory. From me, Ziora Barlowe.

I mean who would?

"What happened then?" She asked, making me smile softly.

"Well, I didn't go through with it" I shrugged. "I was going to, though. But I guess God had other plans for me"

"How?"

"I went online, shortly before I'd planned to take my life. I wanted to say goodnight, a final goodnight to someone. Then," I paused, and Willow nodded, urging me to go on. "Then we talked for a while, and he ended up giving me his brother's number. He saved my life"

I noticed she didn't understand what I was saying, so I proceeded to elaborate.

"That night," I started. "In fact eh, I'd not really talked to his brother before then. But that night, we talked. I told him things, he told me about God's love, Willow. It's one of the most memorable nights ever, I just can't forget it. He made me understand that I'm loved, I'm forgiven, I'm special, I'm beautifully made by an ever-loving God. Imagine my joy when I found out that my worth doesn't have to be measured by my appearance, because my creator never made a mistake creating me this way"

I didn't even realize I was beaming until Willow's lips cracked into a smile too. I was happy, genuinely. I was thankful to God for sending him to save me, and help me find my purpose. I was going to share this story of mine, the world was going to hear it, all to the glory of God.

"Ziora" Willow gasped, and I frowned, wondering why her expression changed so suddenly. "You're.. you're crying"

Crying?

Immediately, my left hand went up to touch my face which was, indeed, wet with tears. I was crying.

Are these tears of joy?

"I'm happy, Willow" I said, erupting into a fit of giggles as the girl I was talking to stared at me, confused. "I'm happy! I'm alive, you are alive"

Willow looked at me with a smile, a rather wistful one at that and I frowned. How did her emotions manage to switch so fast?

"What's going on, Willow?" I asked, placing a hand on hers and looking straight into her eyes.

"Do you think God's sent you to me too? To save me?" She asked. I was dumbfounded. How did this girl manage to ask these questions? I didn't know what to say, because I didn't think of it that way. I knew I was convicted to share my experience with her, but I never really thought about the reason.

"Actually, I..." I paused, carefully thinking out the words that were about to roll off my tongue. "I think He sent you to me, to us, Willow. Honestly eh, you're the first person I'm sharing this with, and somehow I feel this is for a reason, for a purpose. Honestly eh, I think you are an incredibly strong woman, and He must've brought us all together for His will to take place, b. You believe in Jesus, yes?"