A New Light
Preface
Questions. Life's greatest problems. From the most complex to the simplest. They always have several meanings. Except when they don't because sometimes they won't.
1. in the Beginning
Slowly, I got up and stretched unaware that someone was watching me. I got dressed and, in doing so yet no knowingly, I accidently knocked over a bottle of bloody liquid I was keeping for emergencies; leaking its contents all over. Soon I emerged into the street, it loud, noisy and crowded, making my way to the bakers, and then it hit me. That smell. I could just see it now. Have you ever seen something so sad you think you will never be happy again? Have you ever smelt something so strong that you go into a moment of da ja vous? My heart pulsed in my chest, climbing up my throat. I was stood there rooted to the spot. Memories of my past, ones I was trying to forget-smutted my brain. They flooded in like a tidal wave, knocking out all my senses. I was almost swimming in nostalgia.
It was pulled down my eyes like a shutter and rippled like a wave. A scene painted before my eyes, and I watched as my mother and father appeared. The memory was fuzzy around the edges meaning I couldn't quite make out their pale faces smiling lovingly at me. I felt myself being cradled in my mother's arms as I watched my family gather around. Slowly we all sat down in unison and different conversations struck up that were all about the same thing. Me. "May I hold him?" asked a sweet voice. "You can take him outside if you want," my mother answered. A pale face with short black hair picked me up and carried me towards two big slightly open glass doors. A cold breath of wind trickled down my neck and I let out a cry. Knowing what was upsetting me, she took me back and handed me back into my mother's waiting arms. Comforted, I slowly closed my tiny eyes and fell to sleep.
From the pain in that memory, I stood still like a statue. Pain pulled at my heart like a knife to the chest. Smaller children raced past me - at least they didn't have a dull and scary past like me. I had been orphaned, alone by myself. But, I knew my parents would come for me, and I would love them forever. So I steadily shuffled further down some more down the cracked cobbled street. I looked up to the sky and saw three huge silver clouds drifting past. For most of the day, I lingered, going in and out of shops, playing at parks with friends – like a twelve-year-old should. Soon it got so late that the sun had broken away and the mist was creeping in, enclosing the quiet town in a dark murky veil.
Then I withdrew to the safety of the orphanage house. It was just dotted up at the side of a peak. And, thinking aloud, alone to my thoughts, I realised something. Just how slow moving ordinary the town was. You had your main shops. The houses looked similar. Even some of the people looked the same. I also realised that this town was very tired and sleepy. Most things happened sleepily and slowly. Even the waves were so sleepy that they never had enough strength to curl over and haul themselves up the sand. And I realised something else. I had to flee – and it was going to be tonight.Somewhere out there were my parents. Who knew deep down had never stopped loving me. I needed to find them. But for now I needed sleep. Slowly I curled into my usual sleeping position and drew my pillow close. Closing my eyes I began to dream of the journey that lay ahead.