The light was unbearable, incredible and shocking in one.
Xarisha gasped, her eyes screwed shut and her hand protecting them from the ever present glare. Her instinct was to crawl back down into her dark, painless cave, but she knew she had to press on. Crawling on all fours, she forced herself out and into that blinding light.
She felt the last dredges of earth cling to her feet and knew she was free. But that light, it made her curl into herself and use her body as a shield against it. She heard her own breath. She head the hard, undulating rhythm of her heart pounding. She felt the hot tears drip on her cheeks. She felt grateful that at least those senses still sensed.
She felt the burning pain the light inflicted on her eyes lessen. So she experimented and opened one. She cursed. More pain assaulted her. Grasping at the hem of her simple robe, she tore at it until a strip broke off and wrapped this over her eyes. Now she opened them again. This time the sting was lessened and she could finally see where she was.
She recognised walls and cracked tiled floor. She peered up and saw a ceiling. She glanced to her left and right and saw burning torches light the way into a corridor. She peered behind her and saw a barred window. She let out a loud cry and hid back into herself. That was where the glare came from.
What was this place? She wondered, shivering as she felt a cold breeze enter from the window and assault her skin. The torch flames flickered. She crawled forward and felt sharp pain as a broken tile cut her hand, blood droplets spattered the dirty tiles. She cursed again and tried to stand. At first, her legs were shaky and useless, like a newly born gazelle. She grasped onto her father's locket for comfort and pushed herself on and up. Finally she stood in the narrow corridor. What now?
She desperately wished she could face the glare of the window and look out, but not now. Now she looked down at the hole she had crawled from. She felt no desire to return, despite the light's glare. It was as if she stared at a past life, a past way of being. She felt a surge of excitement course through her and clung to her father's locket tighter. The breeze from the window caressed her face and she smiled. She had never felt the wind on her skin before.
Xarisha closed the tunnel back with the earth she had dislodged and then turned to face the corridor. This was the only way she could go now. Clinging to her father's locket, she walked on.
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