A Tale Grim And Dark

She stood there all alone under the dusky sky clad with grey clouds. Not a single ray of light made it through the thick clouds that only continued to spread the darkness. Her bare feet touched the dry hay beneath as a cold wind brushed against her cheeks. Her hazel brown eyes searched for solace and warmth. Her little hands shivered and her stomach roared. The frills of her bouffant frock touched her knees as it moved with the wind. She walked for miles in hope for food and shelter. Soon it began to shower and she was drenched in rain To her dismay, all she found was a splintered shed. She sought consolation under the shed and pressed her feeble knees against her chest. She covered her legs and rested her head on her knees to protect herself from the violent winds. Tired from the journey, her legs ached and she waited for a ray of hope. She waited for a long time when suddenly an orb of light appeared in front of her. She glanced into the light and through it she could see a world of light and hope. What lay ahead of her was a field of philodendrons. The sun shone brightly, the butterflies fluttered their wings and the nightingale sang a melodious song. She could see herself all grown up, dancing and singing with her parents who held hands and cherished the moment. Her little-self, all wet and cold, smiled and held the orb in her hands. She could feel the warmth emerging from within and she stood up, feeling stronger and determined. She had a dream in her hands… her dream in her hands. She clutched onto it and walked further. The light of the orb had brightened her path. The light attracted those without any hope or dreams. They followed her trail to reach up to her.

The little girl, oblivious to all of this, walked and hopped her way to achieve her dream. She walked on for years until she was all grown up. Nothing had stopped her all this time - the rain poured heavier than before, her feet, although frail like before, had hardened to crush all obstacles and her eyes still sought for happiness. She had been determined all her, tested on all her capabilities except for her weakest spot - her heart. As fragile as glass, it was her heart that kept her alive and helped her stay committed. Meanwhile, the hopeless caught up with her. They were self-obsessed and wished to possess the orb of light. The girl, now a woman, still oblivious to this, walked on as they stretched their hands to snatch it from her. One caught hold of her and then the other. Slowly she was gathered. She struggled to keep the orb safe amidst the wrestling. Her body could barely take any more of the weight, yet she was fighting for her dream. “You don’t deserve the elite authority of dreaming.” “A worthless woman gets the privilege? This is unfair!” “I have waited for centuries for an orb! I must have it all.” “A stupid woman like her does not deserve an orb.” “What merit does she need? She’s good for nothing!” She heard whispers that lingered in her ears. The weight only increased and finally, it shattered. The orb lay on the barren land, bright and beautiful as ever, but her heart was shattered. She sat on her knees, dying from inside as drops of tears flowed from her eyes. She slowly turned to dust and was blown away by the wind. She died without any hope, without solace and without happiness.