Something Greater (SAMPLE)

TRAPPED

Darkness spread everywhere around me, and it was freezing cold. Hungry and on the verge of being defeated by weakness, I lay there as dozens of angry men threatened they would hurt me if I didn't do what they wanted. Although I couldn't see them, I sensed their malevolent presence. I was all alone and so utterly frightened. In the midst of those angry screams, I discerned a soft voice calling my name. At first it so faint I thought it wasn't there, but suddenly it became clearer...soothing...familiar. I used the last atoms of my strength to follow its direction, and soon, the light penetrated the walls of blackness.

I knew at once I was somewhere else; somewhere far away from those evil men.

I couldn't move, but it didn't matter.

The sun warmed my skin, and the damp grass rustled between my fingers. The scents of my childhood—sweet and earthy—invaded my senses. and I became aware my head rested on someone's lap. Gently, that person ran their weightless fingers through my hair. In that moment, there wasn't a single trace of ugliness in the world. For the first time in ages, I felt safe.

"Open your eyes, sweetheart." I heard that soft voice, and warmth erupted in my chest.

Disbelieving, I opened my eyes, and she was right there, gazing at me with a wide smile on her face. All I could think about was that she was even more beautiful than I remembered. Dressed in blazing whiteness, she resembled an angel. Hesitantly, I leaned my hand against her face. The feeling of her smooth skin reminded me how much I had missed her closeness, and it was impossible to fathom life without her again.

"Mama, please don't leave me," I whispered, hoping she would stay.

A reassuring smile twisted her lips, and she squeezed my palm between her warm hands.

"Don't worry, Elena," she said softly. "I am here. Everything will be okay."

The sound of her kind and calming voice filled me with peace. I wanted to thank her and say something loving in return. But before I could manage to get the words out, her image became blurry, and I woke up in that other world; the one filled with darkness and endless cruelty.

At first, I was drowsy and disoriented. I couldn't explain why the hand Mama had squeezed in my dream still felt warm as though she had actually touched it. A small part of me chose to believe she had truly come to visit me while I slept. The thought gave me a sense of comfort, and for a long time, I didn't move. I stared into the blank space, breathing in silence. Memories of happier times, so similar to the one I had dreamt about, started creeping up on me until I gave in and allowed them to flood my mind. I remembered a life filled with love and laughter, despite the hardships that were forced upon us. I remembered the feeling of awe and infinite pride when I watched Mama paint for hours on end. I remembered how Mina and I used to lie in the garden, fantasizing about a brighter future. Someday soon, we had said, we would go places, chase our dreams and make something of ourselves. Mama had told us we could do it all—not in spite of Nyrman demeaning labels, but because of them. God is on our side, she would always say. And I believed her...then, but too much ugliness had infiltrated our world, and my faith was hanging by a thread.

Nyrmans, however, were not a religious nation. They had no God or any other deity that demanded their fear and respect. The Sariyan church teachings we lived by were one of the many reasons they hated us so immensely, and they enjoyed taunting us with our most sacred beliefs. They would ask us where our God was now when we needed deliverance. And we had no answer. Even He seemed to have abandoned us, and left us at the mercy of Nyrman tyranny.

The massive door swung open and disrupted the thoughts that did nothing but fill me with bitterness. Soldiers strode in to escort us to the construction site, and I turned toward Mina to wake her up before they got a chance to do it themselves. The moment my eyes rested on her slender form, I froze in shock. In contrast to her unusually pale skin, her cheeks were crimson red and droplets of sweat spread along her forehead. Her breathing was slow and heavy. I didn't have to lean my hand against her face to know she was burning with fever.