Tears Of Freedom

• Kaitlyn Kinsey, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2013

It was a cold and rainy night. Outside the trees swayed, helpless from the power of the roaring wind. Clouds swirled in the air, leaving the world in the hands of darkness. Lightening shot through the sky, accompanied by the distant rumble of thunder. Inside I stood looking up at the wall, my head spinning, my heart thumping and my eyes wide with disbelief. I had found out the truth. After all these years of not knowing the truth, I finally had a firm grasp on it. The last piece of the puzzle had finally fitted in place. It was hard to convince myself that I wasn’t dreaming and that it was all real. I gave a shiver as I remembered the journey I had taken to gain the truth. The journey that had all started with the portraits that hung on the wall in front of me. The journey that had led me to discover the cruelness and outright injustice of some human beings. The portraits hung as the always had, but suddenly they seemed very near to me. Those wise, familiar faces, whose eyes looked down upon me, convinced me. Convinced me that I was doing the right thing. I would show them. I would come off victorious. With one last trusting glance at the portraits, I continued down the long, narrow hallway, tiptoeing as quiet as a mouse, not daring to even breathe. I finally reached the old, wooden door and heaved it open. CREAK! My heart stopped. Surely someone must have heard that. The minutes ticked past and not a sound echoed through the house. I gave a sigh of relief. After waiting for what seemed life eternity, I crept outside and closed the door. Then I ran, pumping my arms up and down. The whole world whoosed past me as I ran this race of joy and this race of freedom. I felt pain shoot down my arms as giant drops of rain pelted down on my shoulders. Mud splashed up everywhere, clinging to my skin for dear life. I could smell the wet grass and feel the cold wind the blew right through the holes in my old, wincey clothes and that sent my golden hair trailing behind me. I could see the sun rising in the distance and hear the birds welcoming the new day with a song. Tears streamed down my face. Tears that represented the happiness that had swelled up like a balloon inside me. I was free! Free from the choking grip of slavery . . . free to start a new life.