The secret of the rose

Part 1 Chapter 4

Being in the summer, I could not say goodbye to my friends. My move to the village of Sandy Creek was very fast and without explanation. None of them knows how to contact me. There is a phone in the house, but I received the strict order never to touch it. My grandmother confiscated my cell phone and refused to let me keep my laptop, alleging that she does not have access to any internet network anyway. I find myself isolated from civilization.

I try to find activities to do, but apart from my tasks, the only entertainment I am allowed is reading the Bible. There is nothing to do in this small village and anyway, I have no right to leave the property without being accompanied by my grandmother. She monitors all my actions. My days are endless. I miss my favorite shows, I miss listening to music, I miss my friends and I miss my parents.

Every Wednesday and Sundays, I go along with my grandmother to the Goshen Baptist Church. A member of the confederation picks up, by minibus, people from the community who needs transportation. We are usually the only ones who take advantage of this opportunity. Even if I hate these obligations, these are the only time of the week when I can finally chat with other people. Because the city of Sandy Creek has an aging population, I rarely can talk to young people of my age. My grandmother insists that I participate in the Bible study group. By joining in these discussion groups, she hopes that I change my vocation by being baptized in the Baptist religion. I also must spend my full day on Sunday at church assisting in tasks such as looking after young children and making donations ranking. The only pleasure I appreciate during these long days.

As soon as I wake up, at sunrise, my grandmother, according to her mood, makes me say prayers or recite a chapter of the Bible. Then I must prepare breakfast, do the dishes, wash, and sweep the floor before I can relax in the sun under the indignant eye of my grandmother. This is the only pleasure that I grant myself. I dare not venture into the grounds of the residence for fear of being reprimanded. For a 14-year-old girl, who should have been having fun with girls of her age, going to the movies, or lounging on the beach, it is not a life. All her rules and her tasks are nightmares to me. But what should I do? I have nowhere to go anyway. I must resign myself and accept my destiny, hoping that time flies.

Every night, after spending the day responding to my grandmother's needs, I must go to bed without wasting time. Falling asleep does not come to me as easily as for my grandmother. As soon as she puts her head on the pillow in the next room, she begins to snore like a bear. At first, I found it funny, but over the nights this noise annoys me to no end. With nothing to entertain me, no television to watch or a good book to read, I am bored to death. I have too much time to think about my future, which is not very encouraging. Especially since he is manipulated by this nasty woman.

One evening, after making sure my grandmother was sleeping soundly, I decided to go out exploring the property. Every step I take in the old house takes my breath away. The floors made of barn wood crack every time I take a step. I imagine myself in a haunted house. That is when I start praying. What irony! At this idea, I almost giggle, but narrowly stop myself. I must not wake up this old shrew. I make sure to hear my grandmother's intense snoring again and continue. As I walk down the steps, one by one, and carefully pressing my feet, I wonder what my grandmother might find as punishment if I get caught outside my room. I cannot be deprived of an outing since I never leave the premises except on Wednesdays and Sundays for religious services. I finally breathe when I reach the threshold of the door with success. The door creaked on its hinges in a frightful noise, which make me shivers from head to toe.

I take a deep breath of fresh air before putting my foot outside. My lungs fill up with the smell of the freshly fallen night. I feel liberated. The sky is covered with stars and the moon begins to light up the night. There is a sweet smell of moisture in the air, an odor that reminds me of my father. Without being able to prevent it, from the bottom of my soul comes a memory.