The walled castle

by Clare Helen
(London )

I am in a castle. It is round and tall. It is big, with stone passageways. There is a moat. Chains. There is no way in and no way out.

I stand by the window and watch. It is sunny outside. Children are playing. Chasing butterflies.There is laughter.
They don't notice I am here.

Suddenly, someone knocks on the door. A traveller. He wants me to let him in. He wants to meet me.

I retreat deeper into the castle.
I cannot be seen.
I want to open the door.
I want to rush outside.

But I tried it once.

The sunshine turned to thunder and rain. The children stopped playing. They turned to me, angry, hunting looks in their eyes. They held pitchforks. They were all facing me. Threatening. Unfriendly.

I turned and slammed the door.

I have hid in the castle ever since. I don't think the world outside has changed. It looks happy from where I see it. I don't want to touch it. I want to keep it like that.

I can hear the laughter, I can see the sunshine. But I can't smell the grass. I can't join in their games. I can't hold their hands, I can't tell them about me. About where I come from. My story. My pain and my sorrow.

And so I will keep it locked away. For one more day...