Calypso

A Little Taste Of Freedom

All I feel is coldness. My feet are aching, a burning sensation reminding me I'm alive. My chest is heavy and I'm suffocating on my own blood but it doesn't stop me, nothing will. I push myself to run faster, ignoring my body's plea to stop.

I'm lost. No sense of direction and nothing but trees in sight. I allow myself to slow down, resting my tiny frame against a tree for support. Then I hear it. The terrible voice I've come to fear. It's calling my name, no louder then a whisper. My body pushes forward acting on its own.

I run until my body starts to fail. My vision goes blurry and I'm light headed. I get lost in my own thoughts telling me to pull myself together. I start to feel as if I have two left feet. Stumbling over every root and change on the dense forest ground. That's when I trip over a tree trunk, hitting my head. I'm motionless as I feel blood rushing out of my head. I start to drift from reality.

**Flashback**

I'm five years old again, sitting in my favorite tree that looks over the lake. I feel the warm sun beating against my tan skin. The wind is gently blowing my dark brown hair and I'm filled with joy. I relax as I hear the water hit the rocks below. Everything is peaceful and bliss.

"It's time to go my little monkey" my dad calls as he leans against his truck.

"But it's like we just got here" I whine. These are the moments I cherished the most. My happiness memories are kept safe at this lake.

"Your mom is waiting for us to get back so we can have dinner. I'm sure you don't want your siblings to be hungry." He replied pushing himself off of his truck and starts walking over to my special tree.

"Do we have to go? I'm not hungry." I try to reason with him.

As he reaches my tree my stomach growls loudly causing him to look up at me and raise an eyebrow.

"Let's go peanut. We can come back tomorrow." He reassures me, reaching out his arms. I jump into them and he wraps his abnormally hot arms tightly around my body.

I stare into the same dark brown eyes that I share with him and respond with "promise?"

"I'd never lie to you my little sunshine" he soothes my worries as he walks me to his truck.

**End of flashback**

I'm dizzy and can't focus on my surroundings. I can feel myself awake but my body is so weak and tired that my eyes stay glued shut.

As I slowly come back to reality I become aware that I'm laying on the forest floor. I start to panic but I'm paralyzed. Fear sinks in and I imagine the worst.

But I can hear soft voices in the distance. To far to distinguish and form them into words. One thing I know for sure is I've never heard them before.

My body starts to tremble and my thoughts are going fuzzy. Once again I slip into a dream state.

**Flashback**

"We're home" I shout as I run through the back door, my dad in tow. I bump into my mom as she's preparing dinner.

"Well aren't you in a good mood. Did you have fun?" My mom coos to me. I nod as an answer. "Good, now let's get you washed up for dinner."

She grabs the stool and puts in front of the sink allowing me to reach. She turns on the faucet and pours some soap onto my hands.

"Make sure you scrub good, I don't want you getting sick." She instructs me.

As I wash my hands I watch my father greet my mother. He twirls her around before pecking her lips and giving her a hug. Instead of letting go he just holds her swaying back and forth. He asks her about her day before turning his attention back to me so my mom can finish cooking.

"Looks like your just about done. Why don't you go find your sisters while I help your mom?" My dad says as he approaches me.

After nodding my head in agreement I climb off my stool and run out of the kitchen. I head upstairs quietly, making sure to not wake my baby sister since this is usually nap time for her.

I find my two older sisters in their room sitting on the floor talking. Sarah, my oldest sister, pats her lap inviting me to sit.

"How was your day little one?" She looks down and questions me.

"Perfect." I answer enthusiastically. "What are you guys talking about?"

"You know just boys and stuff your to young for" Emma responds with a smirk.

"Emma your only three years older then me. It's not a big difference." I squeak out.

"I know silly." She says as she pinches my cheeks. "we were just talking about totally spies"

"Dinner!" My mom yells from downstairs. "Sarah can you grab molly from her crib and Emma can you help Ethan down the stairs?"

I get up from Sarah's lap as my two sisters walk out of the room to retrieve my younger siblings. I quickly rush downstairs eager to eat after the long day.

**End of flashback**

My dream starts to disintegrate around me and the cold bitterness of reality consumes the comfort I had. The voices are close now but my fragile body can't comprehend the words that I'm hearing.

"We need to get her to Sams"

"Maybe we should take her to doctor leach?"

"Whatever we do, we need to make it quick. She is losing a lot of blood."

"Paul you should pick her up."

These are the only voices I can make out until I feel me body being lifted off the cold ground. The strong arms rescuing me are extremely hot sending shivers down my spine. I slowly try to open my eyes. When I gather enough strength to lift my eye lids, I see dark brown orbs staring down at me with worry. For a quick second I see a twinkle in the orbs followed by murmuring in the background. As I focus on the warmth my body is feeling for the first time in eight years, my surroundings go black. The last thing I hear is the owner of the dark brown orbs say "please don't close your eyes" and then I slip into a slumber I believe I will not return from.