Short Stories

The Tired Girl

"It's too much." She often found herself saying. "It's too hard. Too heavy."

She spoke to the girl in the mirror, staring back at her with the same downhearted eyes. "When will it stop?"

She longed for a day where she could just sleep in, eat what she craved for, and relax. But it never came. Every day was full of workloads, books, people who never saw past the painted smile on her face.

She had two jobs, two audiences who never took the time to know her name. She went to school. Another crowd of people who looked at her the same. She walked the streets, ran the track, and no one saw her with potential. She felt shame.

The rain clouds no longer went away. The sky above her always a dark gray. She wondered when she'd see the light again, when she could dance and laugh as if nothing would go wrong.

"When will it stop?" She asked again, thinking of the day that just went by.

She worked from 6 am to 7 pm, read her books from 7 pm to 10 pm, slept from 10 pm to 12 midnight and did another round of work from 12 to 4, from home.

She felt empty, ruined. And she couldn't even remember where it all started. She couldn't remember why she was alone, couldn't remember why she had a house but not a home.

Living on your own is tiring. Living on your own without motivation is draining. The thoughts that ran inside her head.

She thought she found a friend. She ended up leaving. She thought she found her love. He ended up betraying. She thought she found purpose, but ended up broken.

"I want it to stop." She whispered, tears falling down her once angelic face. "I want this to end."

The scars and bruises of the past marked her face. Healed supposedly but still left her broken inside.

She took a step towards the mirror, wondering how much glass it would take to-

The phone rang.

She sighed and left the bathroom, walking towards the telephone that she barely touched.

"Hello?" She asked, wondering who in their right mind would call her at that hour.

"I miss you." Came the reply.

She froze, hand tight around the phone, heart speeding, brain working to remember who this voice belonged to.

"Um, I don't know-"

The voice cut in. "I know. But I just want you to know that I miss you. We miss you."

Her hand turned white, her brain almost aching at trying to remember who this could be. Who they could be. Why would they miss her so?

And then it hit her. So hard, she nearly dropped the phone. Her breathing became ragged, her heart kept speeding up, her brain felt as if it would explode with the realization.

"I'm sorry." She choked out.

She heard the soothing words of the one on the other side of the line. She heard the hope, the concern, the love.

How? She asked herself as fresh tears fell down her face. How could this be?

"I feel alone. I feel too tired, too exhausted, too much. Too much-" She choked again. "I was about to end my life. I can't take it anymore, working for nothing, sleeping to rest just to wake up and work again for nothing. Studying for nothing, living for nothing, I'm tired!"

The other voice came out softer and full of more love.

"Daughter, you ran away and forgot. Now it's time for you to come home."

I will never forget that. I will never forget the overwhelming feeling of having someone care and look out for you. I will never forget the realization of being an answered prayer, someone missed and longed for. And I will never forget the big change in my life.

Once, I was tired and sad, losing hope. But then I found strength and realized that I can get tired but I can't stay that way when I have a Source to renew by every day.

The rain clouds went away. The sky above her no longer gray. She wondered but now she sees the Light, dancing knowing that things will always turn out good even if things go wrong.

I am now hopeful and joyful. Remembering what was and thinking of what will be. I have found my house and a home, I get tired but I'm not alone.