Hang in There

Sky's Perspective

A bitter cold draft rushed through the door as I opened it a crack. In a dark corner, a pale, limp figure was cooped up against a frigid wall. Light slivered into the room that held Annabelle prisoner.

I walked to her side and my hand slipped into her icy one.

"I thought you could use a friend," I said, silently pleading she would respond.

Suddenly, Annabelle's beautiful face looked up at me. I brushed her matted hair to the side. Her bloodshot eyes told me the story of how her soft heart transformed to stone. She was so sickened by the way the world was treating her; she shut herself out.

My heart ached to see such a loving girl be taken captive by a dark monster. But I was determined to destroy the chains of darkness forced around Annabelle's body. She once told me, the way to defeat darkness is to create light. I rummaged through my backpack and placed dozens of candles around her room. The match struck against the matchbox, lit ablaze, and created life for each candle.

As the flames danced all around us, I poured my love into her hurting soul. "Hang in there..." I begged. She listened carefully to every word of advice I gave her, but I still couldn't find the sparkle that once played around freely in her eyes. All I saw were tears and running mascara.

Bring her to the light, a small voice in my head echoed. Gently, I pulled her to the center of her room where she could be surrounded by the tiny little suns. I tried to continue my words of comfort, but her fragile smile broke me off.

"I won't let go. Not yet," she whispered feebly. Relief surged from my head to my toes. Her war was coming to a close and her battle wounds were slowly beginning to heal.

"We've missed you," I told her while squeezing her warm hand tighter than before. "I've missed you."

Without warning, Annabelle leaned into me and my arms securely wrapped around her. Then, her mouth released words more precious than all of the universe; "I've missed you, too." And the world was at last complete.