What's The Sun Like?

I’m tired. 

I’m stuck in this place that is my so-called home. 

No way out. 

It’s beautiful outside… or so I’ve been told. 

I wouldn’t know. 

The sound of my mother in the kitchen and my father in his study. My siblings scream with joy and laughter just outside of the window of my bedroom that shines such little light. I can’t go outside. The sun will hurt me… or so mother says. 

I wonder what it is like out there. The sun seems blinding, it must hurt if my siblings scream every time they go out there. The sun doesn’t seem that wonderful after all.

I can hear little footsteps above my bedroom ceiling. My siblings have come in from playing. It must be dinner time soon. I’m hungry. When was the last time I had a meal? Mother says I can eat after the sun goes down.

I don’t like quiet much, although that’s all I’m ever in. I don’t leave my bed, I can’t remember the last time I stood up. It’s always dark, silent, the only indication it’s daytime is the little window. 

When I was younger I was able to go outside, I remember climbing the tall tree in my front yard to the top. The creaking sounds of the swing set as a friend… friend… I used to have friends… The only friends I have now are the spiders and rodents that run through here.

Mother says I can’t have friends anymore. She says I can’t fall in love either. What even is love? I remember hearing stories about princesses finding their prince charming. Stories about tragedy and stories about laughter. Will my knight in shining armor save me? I doubt it.

How long has it been since I’ve been down here? A year? A decade? I don’t know anymore. Time is an illusion. I know days have passed and so has time by how hungry and thirsty I am. By the little window across the room providing me with very little light.

I don’t remember the last time I saw a new person. The only time I get to see anyone is when my mother comes in and brings me scraps of leftover food. I can’t complain, it’s all I’ve been given to survive down here. 

Obey orders and you will be rewarded. I have been. Where’s my reward?

I’ve heard people are looking for me, I hear sirens outside… I wonder if they will ever look down here… perhaps they will… Night in shining armor… I hope he comes. Mother stopped me from being with my knight when I was younger. I can’t even remember his name anymore. I hope he still loves me… Mr. nameless man

I don’t think my mother liked him very much, he was sweet I don’t see why she wouldn’t. But for whatever reason, she didn’t and has kept me in here since then…. Oh, look morning is coming… there is light coming from the window.

The sirens left a long time ago. I guess they didn’t find me. I kind of wanted them too.

The sun seems like it hurts… Mother says it hurts just like it does when father comes down and hits me for being ugly. Am I ugly? I don’t know what I look like anymore. All I know are the chains that keep me on this bed and the chains that hurt me…

Freedom… such a funny concept. What even is it? What does it feel like to be truly free? Is it like Mother who doesn’t need chains? Is it like my siblings who get to run outside? Is it the feeling of not having these cold heavy metal chains around my body? Who knows anymore.

I hear pounding at my door. I wonder who it is… it doesn’t sound like Mother’s normal click and jingle. It sounds like someone trying to break it…. Am I free?

The sirens are back. It’s been so long since I last heard the sirens. They look red and blue…. Woah colors… I forgot colors were real… I know red and blue mean something… I can’t remember what. 

People in blue suits came in. They had metal objects pointed around my room a something bright and blinding was turned on… light… that’s what it’s called. It’s warm…

The chains are off… I didn’t know that could happen… The people told me to get up when I tried I couldn’t… one is carrying me now. It’s so bright outside of my room. Was it always this warm? It’s not dark… that’s new

I can see the door that goes outside… Mother always said the sun would hurt me… I wonder if the sun will hurt me today. Everything is so new…. Mother isn’t in the house. I wonder where she is…. Oh, she’s outside... Her hands are behind her and she’s going into a black and white car. I wonder where she’s going…

The people in blue take me outside, it’s way more bright out here… It’s way hotter too... Is this the sun? Is this outside? …. It doesn’t hurt… Mother was wrong… The sun isn’t hurting me… it feels amazing.

It’s been a few years now. Mother has been in prison and will be in prison for the rest of her life. The world outside is beautiful. Ever since I’ve been set free. I have been taken well care of and have been allowed to travel places. Places I have never seen before. Near, far, east, and west, everywhere. I’m not going to lie getting used to living outside of the basement was a hard transition. It was hard, but I managed to be ok. I’m no longer hungry all the time, I have access to water and I’m not always thirsty. I have even met someone who loves me and cares for me. There are things I can’t and never will be able to do. But I am grateful for the people who found me. I wouldn’t have known about or seen any of the wonders of this glorious Earth. Mother was wrong, the sun is beautiful.