The Faith of a Mustard Seed

Chapter Five

     It's quiet, but then again this time of day always is, the time where night with its still beauty gives way to the dawns dazzling bright light. I prefer the night; it's unpredictable and predictable at the same time. The moon always changes from one night to the next, but it's always there, almost like a friend you can count on.

     This has been the first time in many long months that I have seen even a glimpse of the outside world. I have been so deep underground not even a miner could have found me. I have missed seeing the moon and stars. I have missed seeing the sun and the beauty of nature. I miss being free.

     A young teenage girl sighs lost in her thoughts laying on her back with her head turned sideways staring out her window to the world beyond it.

     It looks like it's starting to get lighter out. I wonder if I got up and looked out if I would be able to see the sun rise. I haven't seen actual sunlight in so long, but the question is can I get up? The girl slowly rolled over onto her side, hissing loudly as she did.

      Oh, crap it. Okay, breathe, just breathe you can do this. I don't care how many times it happens; it's always going to hurt. I'm just going to have to suck it up and deal with it. Here goes nothing. She steadily starts to push herself up into a sitting position on the side of the bed.

     Ugh...my side feels like it's on fire, or better yet like someone is stabbing me in the side with a flaming sword, and this stupid leg doesn't help matters at all. She thinks to herself looking down at her left leg; the leg is almost entirely encased in a metal brace. The brace starts just above her knee and goes all the way down to just above her ankle. She can bend her knee a little, but without the brace she is not able to walk, stand, or even move her leg.

Okay, breathe you got this. All you have to do is stand up and walk over to the window. On the count of three, one.....two......three....taking a deep breathe she swiftly pushes herself up off the bed towards the window gasping loudly as she stands to her full height.

     Oh...my back.....oh...Why does it still have to hurt so much? It feels like someone is beating my back with a baseball bat. Why can't I be stronger? I have to be stronger.

     The teenage girl stands still her breathing shallow and uneven, tears pooling in her eyes, a trembling hand holding onto the bedside table for support with an arm wrapped protectively around her waist. Okay... the pain isn't going anywhere anytime soon so I'm going to have to ignore it. I just need to focus. I'm making it to that window. I have to. I have school later and I can't let anyone know something is wrong or I'll be in for a lot more pain. I can do this.

     Taking a deep breathe causing her sides to burn the young teenager determinedly closes the distance between herself and the window with a few clumsy steps, and can finally see outside; just as the sun slowly starts to rise in the sky.

     It's so beautiful. I've never really appreciated it before, but I will from here on out. She quietly stands there tears slowly streaming down her face, watching her first sunrise in many months, lost in thought about all that had happened and everything that was to come. Reaching up she starts tracing the top of the window where a nail had been forced into the cracks of the wood just a few hours ago, ensuring that the window wouldn't open.

     They are very thorough, aren't they? Nails on the inside and bars on the outside, all to stop me from escaping, like I could survive a two story drop. Besides they apparently put a tracking device on me somewhere, so escaping would do me no good. My best bet is to just try to ride it out, however if they ever figure out what I did....I'll be dead and it won't matter anymore.