II: The Savior
I'm scared. I'm so scared. I never really meant it. I'd never leave mommy and daddy. I want them here now...I'm sorry I left...I'm so sorry...
My tears make a soft sound when they hit the cave floor. Like somebody didn't close the faucet right. It's scary. The cave is very dark and I can hear weird sounds all the time, like bugs running around. I can't see anything...I hate the dark…
My dress is all dirty now, mommy will probably yell at me for it. But I don't care. I don't care if mommy yells. I just want her here. She could make it all go away with a song. Please, mommy, please, get me out of here...
THUD
I instantly jump and yelp at the noise. What was that?
From the darkness, something that looks like a person appears. It's huge and mostly orange, with a green thing where the face should be. It stares at me and doesn't move. It's scary…
Suddenly, the head disappears. It's replaced by the face of a pretty woman. She has long blonde hair and calm blue eyes. So she's wearing armor? Why is a girl as pretty as her using armor? Isn't that for boys?
She crouches and smiles, extending her hand out.
"My name is Samus. You must be Maribelle."
I nod furiously. Did she come to save me?
"Alright Maribelle, I need you to stay very close to me, okay? We're getting out of here. Give me your hand."
I gladly place my hand in hers (which is covered in armor) and start walking beside her. There's a few times where we have to stop because I'm scared of the dark and I can't see anything, but she doesn't worry. Like mommy, she's very patient.
"Did mommy and daddy send you here to rescue me?"
She looks down at me and nods, smiling.
I smile too and continue to walk along the rocky path.
"Why are you wearing armor?"
She looks down at me again but frowns this time.
"Isn't that for boys? My brother is in the Galactic Federation, you know!"
She shakes her head.
"No, everyone can be strong."
This time it's my turn to frown. I can't be strong, I ran away and got lost in a cave! Then I cried for hours and couldn't even move because of the dark.
"No, I can't be strong. I'm weak and I'm scared all the time..."
She gives a light chuckle and stops walking.
"I was once very small and very scared, just like you."
She kneels so I can see her face when she talks.
"You know what made me so strong?"
I slowly shake my head.
"I believed in myself. I was always convinced that I was weak, so I never got any better. Once I learned that I was strong, I found the courage to wear the armor. You are what you want to be."
She then stands up again and looks up. Light shines through a crack in the ceiling.
"Come on, one last push and we're out of here."
She puts an arm around me, lifts me and points the arm without a hand to the ceiling. Suddenly there's a quick flash and the crack becomes a hole big enough to go through.
"Ready?"
Normally I'd be terrified of jumping that high, but I'm feeling very brave right now. I can do this.
I nod and her helmet reappears on her head before she leaps so fast everything becomes a blur.