The Light in the Darkness

My world was dark and cold. Unlike other worlds who have the sun and birds who sing in the morning, my word had a moon. A dark moon that anyone who wasn't a scientist couldn't see. There are no stars. No light, except for the lights that line the streets. The people here are anything but cheerful. They don't like the constant darkness. The darkness has taken all hope and happiness that they never had in their lives. I like to think of where I live as a dark room during the night when everyone is quiet waiting for the lamp to be turned on.

I have very few friends in this world. My best friend London who has been there my entire life. And my friend Warren who doesn't like me as much as when we were children.

The scientists say that there will be sun sometime. We will finally be able to see without the streetlights. They predict that it will come out when our children are old. I hope the sun comes out and I will be able to see it. I hope that I will be able to run through the fields and lay out on the beaches in the sun. I've seen pictures of how the sun looks. But I would much rather see it in person. To see the sun and feel the warmth on my arms.

I walk with London to my class. She walks with me every day. For some reason she stays by me. She doesn't believe that the sun will rise. She just says it will because I hope it will. London does a lot for me. I am glad to have her.

Outside the class I say bye to London. She smiles and starts going to her class. I look into the class seeing Warren talking to his friends. I don't mean to listen in, sometimes it just happens.

"Why do you hang out with her?" I hear his friend ask.

"I don't any more just because my mom wanted us to when we were younger." Warren says.

"So, you hate her," said another boy.

Warren nods and I realize who they are talking about. It's me. I feel the tears in my eyes trying to push them back. No, you're at school don't cry. I think to myself before getting up and walking out of the room. I see London talking to friends as the bell rings. She looks my way before I cover my face as a tear escapes my eye. Shit, she saw, I think to myself.

"Wait, Kaisa" she says, reaching for my shoulder to stop me and missing. I walked a little faster trying to get to the doors or at least the bathroom so I could lock myself in a stall. I break into a full sprint and run out the doors to the wall and put my back against it, rubbing my face with my hands. I hear the doors open and shut as someone walks out. My eyes are closed as I feel two hands grab my arm.

"Why did you run out?" London asked concerned as I finally opened my eyes. I look at her, another tear running down my face. Her hand wipes my tears as she makes a sympathetic smile.

"Please, Kaisa, tell me what happened." She says as she sits down next to me.

I will explain everything. I explain how people think I'm weird for hoping the sun will rise. And how I know she doesn't actually think the sun will rise. And I will explain Warren. London and Warren weren't really friends. She saw what he was like. How when it came down to when we were older, he would leave me. Leave me in the dirt crying as he walked to his friends. I was there when he came out. When he changed his name. Everything, I was there the whole time. And he left me in the dirt.

By the time we finished talking it had only been 30 minutes. We sat there in silence for a little after not really wanting to go back into school. I looked up into the sky seeing something.

"London," I said, sounding urgent, "London, look up."

We were both staring up at the sky in awe. The sun. It came up. It was there. The thing I wished for my entire life was just starting to rise bringing a small amount of light around the sky. I looked over at London who was still looking at the sky before looking at me. "The sun," I said quietly, not believing that it was actually there.

"They said it wouldn't come out." London said, her mouth agape.

"It's out," I yelled, not really caring if anyone heard me because if they did, they were looking at it too. The sun. After fifty-five years, the sun was out. I started running towards the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" London asked.

"I'm going to tell everyone that I was right," I joked.

She looked confused but came with me. We ran through the hallways telling everyone that didn't know. I'm surprised the teachers weren't mad at us. Everyone started running outside. We ran around talking to people and gushing over the sun and how it washed over us. The sun was the greatest thing we had ever seen. 

We climbed the trees, ran through the fields, and we went to the beach. The sun was everything we wanted and more. It felt amazing on my skin. It was nine o'clock when the sun went down again. I was still on the beach laying on London's shoulder. We watched the way the waves looked under the sunset. 

London looked over at me gazing into my eyes. I stared back, eyes widening as she leaned forward, lightly pecking my lips. I drew back, feeling my face go red. London looked down nervously, “Is this OK?” 

“Yes!” I shouted quickly, not wanting to make her feel awkward. 

I leaned forwards, lips pressing together once again.

-To the people who have always seen darkness in their lives but the sun finally came out.